黑料网

For more than ten years, Dutch energy provider EP NL has counted on its trusted partner, 黑料网, to meet the complex demands of an ever-evolving market. Since 2013, EP NL has undergone significant IT transformations, tackling everything from cloud migration to essential system updates, including a major transition from BizTalk to Azure Integration Services (AIS), all with the help of the IT teams of 黑料网. Together, EP NL and 黑料网 have forged a partnership that stands as a testament to what a dedicated collaboration can achieve.

EP NL's complex and evolving needs

From the start, EP NL needed 黑料网 to do more than simply manage IT tasks 鈥� they needed a partner who could share the load of a complex, high-stakes operation, as EP NL CIO Anco Hoekstra explains. 鈥淭here was a lot of complexity, and it was a very broad scope: from networking to application support to development.鈥� At EP NL, energy trading is a 24/7 business involving essential applications for trading gas, electricity, and CO鈧�. This dependency on key applications left no room for error; any downtime could mean significant financial losses. 鈥淔or example, without AIS, we risked significant downtime and lost revenue. Ensuring a smooth transition was crucial to maintaining our energy trading operations,鈥� Anco Hoekstra recalls.

EP NL鈥檚 challenges demanded targeted expertise and careful coordination across departments and locations, as Anco Hoekstra explains. 鈥淲e worked with different departments within 黑料网, and sometimes even cross-border, partly supported from Belgium.鈥�  EP NL鈥檚 IT needs were extensive and had to be met within a tight talent market, where finding the right individuals for the job was not always easy. Additionally, EP NL was dealing with aging software. With BizTalk nearing its end of life, EP NL needed to migrate to a new platform to avoid the risk of operating on unsupported software.

Future-proof: modernizing EP NL's IT landscape

With so many challenges facing EP NL, 黑料网鈥檚 responsive approach, strategic insight and hands-on expertise proved invaluable as the two companies worked together to modernize EP NL鈥檚 IT landscape.

One of their largest projects to date was a cloud migration. 黑料网 facilitated EP NL鈥檚 shift from on-premises data centres by migrating over 180 interfaces from BizTalk to Microsoft Azure, a move that increased scalability and reduced dependency on physical infrastructure. This transition has allowed EP NL to become more agile, adapting their operations to meet evolving demands and helping them avoid vendor lock-in. This migration was not only crucial for compliance but also helped EP NL strengthen the stability of their critical systems. By moving to the cloud, EP NL gained the ability to handle peak loads and adjust seamlessly during high-demand periods, giving them the flexibility they needed to be future-ready.

This digital transformation wasn鈥檛 limited to integration improvements. 黑料网鈥檚 solutions have also allowed EP NL to monitor and manage renewable energy sources in real time, enabling them to integrate data from wind farms into their core operations. As Anco Hoekstra notes, 鈥淢oving to Azure and AIS has enabled EP NL to handle high traffic and peak loads dynamically, providing the flexibility and scalability essential in the energy sector.鈥�

The impact on EP NL

More than just implementing solutions, 黑料网 has become deeply invested in EP NL鈥檚 operations. This close partnership became invaluable when unexpected challenges arose, such as when the number of high-priority integrations needed disrupted the project timeline. 黑料网鈥檚 responsiveness helped minimize disruptions by swiftly adding a ready-to-go nearshore team. This kept the project on track, avoiding disruption to the scope of the BizTalk migration project and helping EP NL to meet new regulatory standards in time. This proactive problem-solving became a hallmark of the partnership, helping maintain EP NL鈥檚 confidence even during complex projects.

鈥淔or me, close cooperation means that I don鈥檛 see a difference between my own team members and 黑料网鈥檚 people, in terms of commitment and willingness to work together,鈥� Hoekstra reflects. 鈥淭he people at 黑料网 really work with us and make our success their success.鈥�

With the final phase of the AIS migration set to complete in November, EP NL is poised to take another step forward in fortifying their digital infrastructure. EP NL鈥檚 high expectations rest on the achievements already realized through their partnership with 黑料网. The shift to Azure and AIS has provided a stable, reliable platform that supports the company鈥檚 energy trading operations around the clock, significantly reducing risks and ensuring business continuity.

The value of this stability cannot be overstated. Hoekstra emphasizes the financial stakes, saying, 鈥淟osing connection, even for just 10 minutes, can mean losing a lot of money. We are talking tens of thousands of Euros. That鈥檚 not something you want to tell your boss!鈥� 黑料网鈥檚 proactive management approach has helped EP NL prevent such scenarios, allowing them to stay productive and avoid costly interruptions.

In a market that requires flexibility, the migration to Azure has given EP NL the scalability they need to adapt to fluctuating demands. This agility ensures they can continue to grow and respond to industry changes, all while maintaining operational excellence.

Looking to the future

After more than a decade, the partnership between EP NL and 黑料网 shows no signs of slowing down. 黑料网鈥檚 deep industry expertise, commitment to EP NL鈥檚 long-term goals, and flexible problem-solving approach have helped EP NL overcome challenges and set their sights on new horizons. The current contract may be ending end of 2025 but discussions are already underway on how the partnership will evolve. 黑料网 currently manages a substantial portion of EP NL鈥檚 outsourced IT services, and with several large projects nearing completion, both teams are eager to explore what comes next. 鈥淩ight now, we鈥檙e finishing off some pretty big projects and talking with 黑料网 about how we can work together in the future. What maintenance and support can 黑料网 provide? How can they support new applications? After more than a decade, the discussion is still ongoing,鈥� Anco Hoekstra says. 鈥淲ith whatever hurdles we have faced together over the last decade, trust, openness, honesty, and close cooperation have been the most important factors.鈥�