NRC Group builds and maintains critical infrastructure in the Nordic countries. In Finland, the company is the largest constructor of rail and tram systems and the key maintainer of rail networks. Since this is critical infrastructure, the business must comply with various regulations and standards. Its largest clients are categorized as security of supply companies, which also reflects in NRC Group’s operations.

NRC Group is a cloud-native company, meaning cloud expertise is central to its operations. When the company sought a new partner for cloud services, Cloud2’s approach to cloud management appeared fresh and innovative. Moreover, Cloud2’s concept for delivering cloud services was highly regarded by NRC Group. As a result, the collaboration expanded from a consulting project related to device management to various cloud-related services, such as cloud security and the development and implementation of cloud governance models.

Creating a Solid Framework for Cloud Management

Cloud2 and NRC Group began to take a more comprehensive approach to cloud management. Together, they set the direction for the work and defined how it should be implemented.

The foundation for the cloud was established: Cloud2 built the Landing Zone and created the rules and policies for using the cloud together with NRC Group. These guidelines apply to both the organization's own employees and its partners.

“We used Azure policies to clearly define what is permissible and what is not. Alerts are configured to notify us immediately if any unauthorized actions are attempted, enabling us to respond quickly,” says Jari Nieminen, Head of Group IT Infrastructure at NRC Group. “We prioritize Azure’s native features, as they have been rigorously tested, are highly secure, and are widely used.”

Quote: "I was instantly impressed by the way Cloud2 delivers their cloud services.” -Jari Nieminen, Head of Group IT Infrastructure at NRC Group

Since NRC Group works with various application vendors, it needs a cloud partner capable of addressing the needs and questions related to the cloud environments of its application providers. The conditions set by Cloud2 ensure that all suppliers operate according to the common rules.

“Cloud2 offers an exceptional approach to cloud governance, which made the process smooth and easy for us. We embraced the policies they introduced, and together, we ensured that the cloud governance model was fully aligned also with our business needs and unique requirements,” says Nieminen.

Trace Everything, Trust Nothing – Strengthening Security at Every Layer 

The importance of security has grown year by year at NRC Group, just like in other industries. Recently, the company has been involved in the ISO27001 certification process and has also had to prepare for the enforcement of the NIS2 Directive. Security must be managed within the organization according to these frameworks. The cloud governance model and monitoring practices related to cloud security have further enhanced NRC Group’s security.

“We’ve advanced various control measures together – for example, we recognize all external entities operating in our cloud environment and know where they come from,” Nieminen says. “The environment is built so that everything is based on zero-trust thinking, and everything is traceable. Cloud2’s expertise has been invaluable to us also in the ISO27001 certification process.”

Quote: “Cloud2 offers an exceptional approach to cloud governance.” -Jari Nieminen, Head of Group IT Infrastructure at NRC Group

A couple of years ago, NRC Group decided to transition to a centralized IT model, led from Finland.

“We implemented the Intune project by first creating a security baseline and then harmonizing all configurations, management, and pre-installations across the company’s workstations with Cloud2’s assistance. This enabled unified management and consistent practices for all company devices,” Nieminen explains.

A Partnership Driven by Trust and Shared Commitment

The collaboration with Cloud2 has been agile, and experts are available for any problem as needed.

“We move at a rapid pace, and Cloud2 has been able to match our speed. Their experts are also well-versed in the latest Azure developments. I follow these myself, and with Cloud2, I can spar and take proactive steps – they are clearly on top of Azure’s evolution.”

“I trust that we will receive the services and expertise we need from Cloud2. The services are very well designed. For example, Cloud2’s Spotter allows us to manage FinOps, and we know how much the cloud costs and whether budgets are exceeded,” Nieminen praises.

Head of Group IT at NRC Group, Anu Asikainen, shares this perspective: “Cloud2 has proven to be a dependable partner that truly understands our business needs.”

Jari Nieminen’s Tips for Other Companies and Organizations
“I want to challenge companies to take a fresh perspective and look beyond just costs. The cloud forces you to do things differently, but it also opens up many opportunities, and scalability and agility bring a lot of potential. It’s worth exploring new approaches boldly and testing them out, as proof of concepts (POC) are easy to implement and refine as needed. Cost management and security work in the cloud as well, as long as they are considered from the start. The cloud governance model really clarifies things and provides a clear framework for cloud operations.