How Combell brings peace of mind to Eye on Data

Eye on Data (Dutch) is a digital platform that helps companies manage and monitor operational processes more efficiently. For this customer, everything revolves around trust, trust in data, and trust in their hosting partner. Thanks to Combell’s Managed Kubernetes hosting, they can offer their own customers peace of mind through fast insights, stable performance and secure data under European regulations. “Combell has the expertise we need,” says founder Lander Dufour.

When we meet founder Lander Dufour and Lead Developer Robby Denoo, one thing becomes clear instantly: Eye on Data is all about making data tangible delivering fast insights that lead to real action.

Turning data into something you can actually work with

“We saw that many SMEs and public organisations were collecting huge amounts of data, about machines, sensors, maintenance, energy consumption …” Lander explains.

“But they often lacked the tools to turn that information into real value. We wanted to close that gap and build a platform that makes data ready to work with.”

Robby adds: “We started with several pilot projects around maintenance and energy management, and customers saw results very quickly: fewer breakdowns, lower energy costs and - above all -better visibility.”

“Companies and local authorities see immediate results through Eye on Data. That motivates them to keep digitalising.”

Lander Dufour, Founder of Eye on Data

“Through our platform, customers can set up alerts linked to the maintenance process of specific machines. Based on that data, they can automatically generate work orders so maintenance happens on time, improving equipment performance.

At the same time, they avoid double administration, and they can even link work orders directly to their invoicing system.”

From water features to breweries

Eye on Data bridges the gap between sensors and real decisions. Their platform turns raw data into concrete action points, used across a wide range of industries.

“Our customers are mostly SMEs in construction, industry, energy and installation services. For example, a brewery monitoring water levels,” Robby explains.

“In the public sector, Eye on Data is used to monitor fountains and water installations in cities and parks: when should they spray, when do they need maintenance?

Another customer, an installation company, uses Eye on Data to plan maintenance based on actual data instead of fixed schedules. Everything can be monitored live, helping them save time and avoid issues while automatically adapting to seasonal changes.”

“Strong in guidance”

Eye on Data doesn’t just collect data, they help optimise their customers’ processes.

“We’re very strong in guidance,” says Robby. “We involve the customer’s own staff in the monitoring process. Their employees are the ones on the floor who can feel, hear and smell when something isn’t right.

That’s why we speak the language of SMEs, mid-sized companies and public authorities alike. During our workshops, we adapt to everyone’s pace; technicians, planners and managers. We make sure they’re truly supported by our insights.”

“Our system helps customers reduce downtime, cut energy costs and gain visibility.”

Robby Denoo, Lead Developer, Eye on Data

Lander adds enthusiastically: “Don’t expect endless implementation trajectories. We start very targeted - with one process or one installation - and scale from there. Every maintenance process is different and the safety aspect is crucial.

Those quick wins make all the difference: customers see immediate results, and that motivates them to keep going.”

“Giving every organisation tools that used to be reserved for large enterprises”

Eye on Data has plenty of innovation planned, with AI at the forefront.

‘AI is already incorporated into our platform. In the short term, we want to expand this further so that smaller businesses and local authorities can also benefit from the advantages of AI,’ says Lander.

Robby continues: “For customers, that means even faster insights, automated advice and automated actions. Our goal is to bring tools to every SME and local authority that previously only big companies could afford.

We’re also looking at sectors - like construction - that still have a lot to gain from digitalisation.”

From a heavy hyperscaler to a transparent, local partner

That focus on reliability also shaped Eye on Data’s choice of hosting partner. Their journey initially led them to a US cloud provider. But they quickly realised their customers needed airtight guarantees about data protection and hosting location.

Lander: "In addition to flexibility and accessibility, we lacked transparency regarding data protection and legislation. For companies in the public sector, it is crucial that their data does not simply end up outside Europe or that other governments can access it.

You can only guarantee this by working with a partner such as Combell. At Combell, we know that our data remains subject to European regulations, without external parties being able to claim access to it. This gives us and our customers peace of mind. When you digitise, your data must, of course, be stored in a high-quality manner."

“Combell delivers stability and service. A lot of pressure has been taken off our shoulders. Thanks to you, we can deliver a better product.”

Lander Dufour, Founder, Eye on Data

‘Whether you are an SME looking to cut costs or a local authority searching for a reliable digital solution, you need to know where your data is stored and who has access to it,’ Lander continues.

"That is precisely why we made a conscious decision to choose Combell: we combine technological innovation with the certainty that the data remains legally protected under European rules.

Feeling confident that data is secure and stored locally is essential for us. I am not just talking about the physical servers in Belgium or Europe, but also about the laws that apply here."

Moving step by step towards Kubernetes

Beyond being local, Combell also proved to be an accessible and proactive partner. Lander and Robby experienced this firsthand when Combell’s experts built their Kubernetes environment.

Kubernetes allows companies to boost the scalability and reliability of applications. Whether running on physical servers, virtual machines or cloud infrastructure.

Lander looks back: ‘We are a start-up company in full growth, so Combell's guidance in helping us switch to Kubernetes step by step was extremely important.

You have the expertise we need. It turned out to be the ideal way to start small without large upfront costs. At the same time, we were guaranteed to be able to scale up.’

“Uptime and speed are sacred”

‘Our customers rely on our platform, so uptime and speed are paramount,’ says Lander. ‘We have been customers for two years and the reason we stay is simple: stability and service.

Combell delivers that and takes away our concerns. It has taken a lot of work and pressure off us. Thanks to you, we can deliver a better product to our customers.’

When digitising, you must also ensure that your data is stored in a high-quality manner.

Lander Dufour, founder of Eye on Data

Robby nods, but also wants to mention the partnership with Combell. "It is a huge advantage that we can ask questions directly to the SRE engineers in our shared Slack channel.

Because we don't have to submit tickets or wait days for a response, we can react very quickly. At Combell, you get quick answers from experts who know your environment. It goes far beyond being just a supplier and customer."

Are you also looking for a partnership where IT support takes your organisation or product to the next level? Come talk to us and get the best advice from the Combell experts.