Embracing the Cloud: Buckaroo gets future-ready

CloudNation was approached by Payment Service Provider Buckaroo to assist them in transitioning to the cloud. To ensure their readiness for the cloud and future-proof their operations, we implemented Amazon Web Service's Migration Acceleration Program. In this success story, we provide further details about our collaboration.

Payment Service Provider Buckaroo is among the top three payment companies in the Netherlands and consistently takes things to the next level. They stand out with their comprehensive payment platform, catering to a diverse range of customers, and they go the extra mile to provide exceptional service. "When a customer requires a specific feature, we are often willing to make exceptions and incorporate additional functionalities, as long as it brings a general benefit to all our customers."

(This article was published in Dutch at De Ondernemer)

This approach was recently strengthened by the acquisition of Sepay, enabling Buckaroo to offer a Point of Sale (POS) solution that allows payments through mobile phones. One of their most significant recent undertakings has been the migration to a cloud infrastructure. Jan Willem Mannaerts, the Head of Engineering, sheds light on the details of this process and how the collaboration with AWS specialist CloudNation is shaping their revamped platform.

Buckaroo began offering online payment services in 2005. Originally a Dutch enterprise, it has since evolved into one of the largest payment service providers in our country. Presently, they serve as the payment partner for over 15,000 companies engaged in e-commerce or subscription models. Mannaertsnhas been with the company for eleven years. He initially joined as a Software Developer, progressed to become a Lead Developer, and has now returned to his original area of expertise: IT infrastructure. "I feel like I've come full circle, and after all these years, I have developed a strong affinity for the platform."

What is the largest project you are currently working on?

"That's the shift towards a cloud infrastructure. As the Head of Engineering, I have the responsibility for managing our existing data centers, as well as overseeing the development of our new platform. Our goal is to offload our data centers and we are currently in the midst of migrating to AWS. This project is currently giving me the most satisfaction as it presents a high level of complexity, and I thrive on tackling intricate tasks. Well, let's just say it's a delightful challenge!"

Why is it safer than having your own datacenter?

"Running all the systems in your own data center means you have to stay on top of everything. It's crucial to keep your software updated to ensure security and be vigilant about identifying potential security issues like new vulnerabilities. This requires extensive effort and places significant demands on the organization in terms of monitoring and implementing the necessary (escalation) procedures. That's why partnering with AWS has been a game-changer for us. One major advantage of AWS is the ability to automate everything, including security measures. That's why we're now making the switch to the cloud."

You partnered up with CloudNation, what are they doing exactly?

"CloudNation collaborates closely with us, providing valuable support as we co-create the new platform. We establish connections between their experienced developers and our own developers, working together to advance the platform to the next level. This setup enables constant knowledge transfer, allowing us to deepen our understanding of new AWS services and best practices. It's crucial for our developers to acquire sufficient AWS knowledge once the migration is complete. CloudNation not only offers training but also actively engages in building the platform alongside us."

What makes the project challenging?

“We have to keep running 24/7, so your migrations have to take place with as little downtime as possible. That means you have to think carefully about how you approach everything and how you test. And of course also the fact that the whole architecture on the AWS side is relatively new to us. The big difference between running your software yourself in your own data centers and choosing a party like AWS is that they have a lot of managed services. As a result, you can often simplify quite a lot of components that you now run yourself.

Furthermore, security is of course extremely important to us as a payment service provider. When you work in the cloud, your entire infrastructure is basically on the internet. If someone manages to get hold of your admin account, that is the key to your entire data center. Fortunately, AWS has security services that support keeping your platform safe and monitoring. Our setup in AWS is completely new and designed security first. Yes, payments are extra sensitive, but if you use encryption, multi-factor authentication and least privilege (you only have the user rights that you really need) it will soon be very safe. Much safer actually than running your own data center.”

What was special or specific about Buckaroo's cloud migration?

Bart Boonen, CTO and co-founder of CloudNation: ,,We were able to use a special funding program from AWS for this project: the so-called Migration Accelaration Program (MAP). This program consists of three different phases and enables us to build a good foundation together with Buckaroo and to accelerate together. The great thing about this is that AWS itself is also involved in every major milestone. We have also previously helped a number of other financials to set up their AWS environment properly and securely so that AFM and DNB also give the necessary approvals, which is of course a must in the financial services industry. It was nice to be able to use that experience for Buckaroo as well.”

CloudNation has held the AWS financial services competency since 2023.

What do you like about the collaboration with CloudNation?

"It's a highly professional company with streamlined communication, just like us. They exhibit great flexibility, accommodating our occasional desire to approach things in a slightly different manner. Being our advisors, CloudNation assists us in turning our joint plans into reality. It truly feels like an ideal team."

Will the complete switch to cloud also result in new functionalities for customers?

"I wouldn't dismiss that possibility. Our initial objective is to enhance the efficiency of our development process, allowing us more time to focus on creating impressive new features rather than getting caught up in management tasks. Additionally, AWS offers a wide range of machine learning and AI platforms that we could potentially leverage. Who knows, there might be exciting opportunities for Buckaroo down the line. I have full confidence that by working together, we can achieve an even more remarkable product."