Bureau ICE

For Bureau ICE, we provided comprehensive support for their cloud infrastructure by designing a robust and scalable cloud architecture tailored to their high-demand online exams. To ensure that their platform could handle thousands of users logging in simultaneously, we created a dynamic scaling strategy that adjusts resources in real-time based on traffic loads. We maintained and optimized the cloud infrastructure to ensure smooth operation under all conditions. Additionally, we trained their DevOps team, implementing an infrastructure-as-code (IaC) approach for better efficiency and consistency. To address security concerns, we devised effective methods to repel DDoS attacks and safeguard their operations.

About our customer

Bureau ICE specializes in developing innovative and fair assessments for education. Their mission is to give everyone the chance to develop their talents in a safe learning environment, free from a punitive culture. They create exams and tests that provide clear insights into an individual's knowledge and potential, supporting personal growth and lifelong learning. Their products serve various educational levels, from primary education to vocational training, and they are market leaders in certified exams for Dutch vocational schools (MBO).

The situation

Bureau ICE, an industry leader in educational testing, faced critical challenges when conducting national online exams. These exams required a solid platform capable of supporting thousands of simultaneous logins. However, the system experienced performance issues, such as slowdowns and occasional failures due to high traffic. Additionally, the platform became a target for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, compromising reliability. The situation demanded a scalable, secure cloud infrastructure to ensure smooth operation during peak exam times.

The IT question

How can Bureau ICE maintain a secure, high-performing cloud infrastructure that supports thousands of users logging in simultaneously for national exams while preventing potential DDoS attacks and ensuring the system scales efficiently under fluctuating traffic loads?

The business behind the question

Bureau ICE’s business revolves around providing reliable, high-quality online exams for educational institutions, with national exams being a key part of their services. Any performance failures during these exams could impact participants' experience and delay their educational progress. Thus, a reliable, scalable, and secure infrastructure was essential to ensure uninterrupted service and to meet the technical demands of large-scale online testing.

Our solution

For Bureau ICE, we designed a cloud infrastructure capable of supporting their high-volume national exams, ensuring smooth performance even during peak traffic. Our dynamic scaling strategy allowed the system to automatically adjust resources based on real-time demand. We implemented infrastructure as code (IaC) to streamline operations and maintain consistency, and we provided comprehensive DevOps training to their team to enhance internal capabilities. In response to DDoS threats, we developed and deployed measures to repel attacks, ensuring the platform’s security and reliability during critical exam periods.

The mission-critical transformation

The transformation we delivered for Bureau ICE was essential for their online exam services. By redesigning and scaling their cloud infrastructure, we ensured that their platform could handle the demands of national exams without interruptions or failures. The implementation of infrastructure as code and DDoS protection measures further enhanced the platform’s resilience, ensuring smooth exam experiences for thousands of students and professionals. This transformation enabled Bureau ICE to continue delivering reliable and efficient online assessments at a large scale.