Cloudient is a boutique hosting provider. We run our own European infrastructure and take responsibility for the whole stack, from the physical hardware through to the applications your business depends on. This is not a mass-market service - we work with a small number of clients who value direct access to the people who built and manage their environment.
Our story
Cloudient was incorporated on 15 June 2011, but our roots go back further. The services we provide were first established in 1997, when demand for website hosting and email was growing and there were few providers. That experience - nearly three decades of deploying and operating internet services - underpins everything we do today.
Over that time the market has grown and consolidated many times. Most providers now offer a commodity service with no personal or specialist support. We are pleased to have customers who have been with us since the early days, and we continue to build relationships with organisations who value a provider that understands their needs.
Our approach
Cloudient is built on a simple policy: we do not blame our supplier. If something goes wrong, it is always our responsibility. Because we run our own infrastructure, we always know exactly where your data is and can act on any issue directly.
We focus on a small number of clients who know what they want and need a provider who can deliver it. We provide boutique, personalised support with direct access to the people who built and manage your environment.
Our business model
We charge for time and infrastructure. There are no hidden fees, no affiliate schemes, and no selling of your data. We never use your data to feed AI, big-data analytics, or to monetise you in any way.
Our pricing reflects set-up costs and recurring subscriptions that cover the true cost of a personal, managed service. Our prices will not match bulk low-cost providers - but the level of service and expertise is not comparable either.
What we specialise in
We build and run customised solutions across the full stack, from the physical hardware through to the application layer. We are particularly well suited to requirements that the average marketplace does not meet.
Our core specialisms include:
- Open-source application hosting
- Particularly Odoo Community, deployed, integrated and kept running on our own infrastructure.
- Managed infrastructure
- Private networks and dedicated firewalls, isolated to you.
- ISP services
- Domains, DNS and email configured properly, with deliverability that works.
- Telecoms
- VoIP integrated with your business applications.
This is valued by organisations that want to outsource the problem of domains, email, hosting and telecoms, and by agencies with demanding clients who must be able to deliver what is needed.
Our clients
We work with high-growth companies, start-ups, small businesses, charities and foundations - organisations that need dynamic, flexible technology, or that find commodity markets do not serve them well.
Our clients value knowing where their data is, deep automation, the ability to manage growth, and being able to focus on their own business while outsourcing the technology.
Infrastructure
As with the first infrastructure deployed in the late 1990s, the hardware, architecture and deployment is directed by Stuart J Mackintosh. Software and infrastructure are open source, which keeps everything maintainable and the mode of operation auditable. Read more about our commitment to open source.
We do not rely on any cloud platform or proprietary software for our operations. The equipment operates from data centres in the UK and Europe. We host in the EU for its stringent data protection framework, and in the UK for data that must remain under UK jurisdiction - so you keep sovereignty over your data, regardless of where your organisation is based.
Everything runs on our own European infrastructure. Your data stays in Europe, and you keep full access to it - no vendor lock-in, fully auditable, exportable whenever you ask.
Partners
We are a small team, but we have built strong relationships with partners across a range of disciplines. When a project grows beyond our capacity or capability, we can introduce and guide as required to ensure a successful outcome.
Our partners include web and graphic design agencies, software development companies, filming and photography professionals, legal and policy experts, and business and accountancy professionals. We only partner with people we know. If you would like to partner with us, and we are already familiar with each other, just ask.
Environment
Digital systems consume a great deal of power. Our approach to reducing environmental impact is straightforward: keep things simple. We do not process your data or sell to third parties, so there is no unnecessary processing in the background. Using open-source software prolongs the life of hardware - there is no planned obsolescence. Good security practices also reduce power and compute demand.
Security
There is no such thing as "secure", but we should all do our best to guard against nefarious activity, data loss and unintended disclosure. Every security failure is ultimately a human error - whether a user has revealed a password, a developer has missed an opportunity to sanitise a process, or an implementer has left a door open in the infrastructure. We take a proactive approach, including regular code scanning, dependency checks and infrastructure hardening, and our use of open-source software means the full stack is auditable.
Find out more about our approach to security, password guidance and responsible disclosure.
Tell us what you need to run, and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right people to run it. Get in touch.