With 2023 at an end and the new year before us, we wanted to reflect on some significant highlights of last year. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all our customers and partners for their unbroken support throughout the year. Join us as we revisit the collective accomplishments of 2023 and celebrate the journey we embarked on together!
Extended portfolio of managed services
In April, we proudly launched our Managed Kubernetes service. Kubernetes use is growing year after year, and the system is now the go-to tool for container orchestration. UpCloud Managed Kubernetes offers a fully managed container orchestration system that automates the deployment and management of containerised applications, making it easy for anyone to jump into container orchestration. After the launch in April, the service has continued to evolve, with availability at most of our data centres as well as UpCloud becoming a part of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation’s (CNCF’s) Certified Kubernetes Conformance Program.
Continuing our efforts to provide easy-to-use solutions with the best value, we launched a new database option with our Managed Databases for OpenSearch. OpenSearch is a popular distributed open-source search and analytics suite. Powered by the Apache Lucene search library, it offers a vendor-agnostic toolset you can use to build secure, high-performance, cost-efficient applications, from real-time application monitoring to website search functionality. It can be utilised for log management, application search, application performance monitoring/observability, document storage and retrieval.
We also launched NAT Gateway, a new managed networking service allowing you to connect SDN Private Networks to the internet. It offers new options for customers looking to build secure networking solutions.
New data centre in Sweden
One of the biggest milestones for UpCloud this year is the launch of our latest data centre, SE-STO1, in Stockholm, Sweden. Sweden holds a proud culture of privacy and transparency that extends into the business sphere and companies operating within the region are increasingly seeking the best solution when it comes to data security. With this new data centre, UpCloud further cements itself as the cloud provider of choice when it comes to ensuring regulatory compliance within the EU, allowing businesses to focus on what really matters while being confident in the knowledge that their data is protected.
Our network of global data centres is now stronger than ever, with a total of 13 data centres located across 4 continents. The Stockholm data centre brings Cloud Servers, MaxIOPS Block Storage, Managed Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, Redis OpenSearch and many more cloud services. Additionally, we continue to offer 100% uptime SLA, 24/7 customer support and the same great features and benefits our clients have come to know and love.
Commitment to data security
Establishing the highest levels of data privacy and security is one of the biggest concerns for any business, especially for those adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU. At UpCloud, we make a guaranteed commitment to data security. Every customer who chooses to partner with us isn’t just selecting a cloud hosting solution; they’re placing their business, their confidence, and their aspirations in the hands of a certified Cloud Service Provider. With our ISO 27001 certification and CISPE Code of Conduct compliance, ensuring the highest standards of data security, UpCloud’s European approach to cloud security offers unique benefits to businesses looking to operate in the EU.
New team heads and expertise
2023 saw UpCloud strengthen its leadership team, with Lauri Ikonen joining as our Chief Strategy and Operating Officer and Teemu Toppola starting in a new role as the Head of Product. Ikonen has more than 15 years of leadership experience in service and project businesses at Google and ABB, among others, and will focus on UpCloud’s growth and scaling the company’s operations. Toppola brings more than a decade of experience in leading product development and overseeing ICT services and operations. He joined UpCloud in 2021 as a Team Coach, advancing to Head of Engineering by early 2022, looking for opportunities to deepen his involvement in product development.
Additionally, Manuel Heilmann has recently been appointed as Chief Commercial Officer at UpCloud. He will spearhead the Sales team towards new horizons in 2024. Revisit our blog later in January for a full announcement and further information about this exciting appointment.
Thank you!
We’re looking forward to seeing what we will achieve in 2024. Make sure to follow the UpCloud blog for future milestones and updates during the year. If you haven’t yet, we recommend that everyone subscribes to our monthly newsletter to never miss an announcement.
Happy New Year!
