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Utrecht University has selected KPN data centers in Almere and Aalsmeer to house its IT equipment. KPN is an excellent partner for the ÀÖÓãºǫ́, fulfilling all the university's requirements and wishes as regards information security, reliability and sustainability.  The partnership will become official on Wednesday 4 November 2015, when the Executive Board signs the five-year contract.

External data center
A review of the options showed that purchasing central data center facilities would be more economical and ensure better quality than arranging such services internally. By contracting an external data center, the ÀÖÓãºǫ́'s IT department would furthermore have more time and focus to invest in IT innovation for education and research. Based on these considerations, the Executive Board decided to abandon plans for the expansion of a central university-run data center in Budapestlaan and to issue a European tender for a data center that would meet all of the ÀÖÓãºǫ́'s wishes and requirements. The tender process and subsequent decision to award the contract to KPN data centers was taken in close collaboration with ITS and the faculties.

Professional partner
The selection of an external data center was based primarily on the criteria of information security, reliability and sustainability. Given that access to and the functioning of IT services will have to be guaranteed at all times, the ÀÖÓãºǫ́ stipulated that two data centers would be required for its IT equipment, with all facilities and connections duplicated between them in order to minimise the impact of disruptions, should they occur. With KPN as its partner, the ÀÖÓãºǫ́ will dispose over the most advanced data centers in the Netherlands, providing a secure environment for all its systems, applications and information. The speed and scale of KPN's investments in these data centers and its specialised knowledge and know-how single KPN out as an excellent partner for the ÀÖÓãºǫ́. Last but not least, KPN is highly committed to energy-neutral operations.