Sound & Vision Netherlands: Optimizing Costs and Simplifying Operations with SOLIDserver DDI

Discover how Sound & Vision Netherlands optimized costs, simplified DNS operations, and migrated from Infoblox to EfficientIP SOLIDserver DDI in just one month, with no service downtime or disruptions.

Project Objectives

• Reduce DDI infrastructure costs while maintaining enterprise-grade reliability
• Replace Infoblox with a cost-effective, on-premises DNS solution
• Maintain data sovereignty and reduce dependence on public cloud providers
• Simplify deployment and minimize hardware management complexity
• Enable a seamless, zero-downtime migration with strong vendor support

Main Benefits

• Significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to Infoblox
• Scalable DDI platform with future support for IPAM, DHCP, and workflow automation
• Simpler administration, maintenance, and faster software upgrades
• Reduced hardware procurement and configuration effort thanks to appliance-based deployment
• Successful one-month migration completed with no service downtime or disruptions

Sound & Vision (Beeld & Geluid – B&G) is an archive centre and museum located in Hilversum, Netherlands. It is the business archive of the Dutch public broadcasting system as well as a cultural heritage institute for researchers and the public. With around 400 full-time employees, the organization is a non-profit Dutch public broadcast archive, preserving TV and radio content for future generations.

“The EfficientIP solution provided better value for money than Infoblox, without compromising on functionality.”
—Tristan Zondag, IT Solution Architect, B&G

Situation and Challenges Being Faced

B&G faced a substantial increase in licensing costs of their existing DNS platform, Infoblox, making it unsustainable for their budget-conscious organization. As a result, the IT team evaluated alternative solutions, including open-source software and other leading DDI (DNS-DHCP-IPAM) vendors. The organization was seeking a platform that could reduce costs without compromising reliability, support, or operational continuity. At the same time, they remained committed to an on-premises deployment model to maintain data sovereignty and avoid reliance on US-based cloud providers.

The key challenge was finding a cost-effective solution that aligned with both financial and operational priorities. In addition to reducing DDI management costs, the organization needed a solution that minimized hardware complexity, offered strong vendor support, and enabled a seamless migration with no disruption to services. EfficientIP addressed these requirements by combining a lower total cost of ownership with appliance-based deployment and specialist migration expertise, allowing the transition from Infoblox to be completed smoothly and without downtime.

The Selected EfficientIP Solution

The organization selected EfficientIP SOLIDserver™ DDI primarily as a value-packed, appliance-based solution for managing its external DNS services while supporting its long-term strategy of keeping core infrastructure on-premises. Although only a subset of the DDI platform is currently deployed, the solution provides a reliable foundation that aligns with the organization’s priorities around sovereignty, operational control, and reducing dependence on large public cloud providers. EfficientIP’s responsive support and migration expertise also reinforced confidence in the partnership.

Looking ahead, the organization sees additional value in the platform’s automation capabilities. While workflow automation is not yet in use, EfficientIP provides the flexibility to introduce structured change management processes, such as multi-stage approval workflows for DNS changes. Rather than focusing solely on productivity gains, these capabilities will help strengthen governance, improve oversight, and ensure greater control over critical network changes.

“EfficientIP’s experience and expertise enabled the migration from Infoblox to be completed in just one month, with no downtime or disruptions.”
—Tristan Zondag, IT Solution Architect, B&G

Main Results

In terms of benefits seen, IT Solution Architect, Tristan Zondag, highlighted the cost savings, ease of use for admins, simpler maintenance, and faster upgrades compared to Infoblox.

• Cost-optimization: Infoblox had become prohibitively expensive, and EfficientIP provided a significantly lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over five years. The solution provided better value for money without compromising on functionality for their specific usage.
• Ease of Use and Maintenance: Admins have found SOLIDserver™ to be easier to use for standard tasks compared to Infoblox. Tristan noted that maintenance and upgrades are simpler and faster. The solution’s user-friendly interface and streamlined processes have contributed to a positive experience.
• Seamless Migration and Expert Support: EfficientIP’s experience in migrating from Infoblox enabled the migration to be completed in just one month, with no downtime. Tristan praised the knowledgeable engineers and the pre-built runbooks and project plans that accelerated the process.
• Appliance-Based Model: EfficientIP’s model allowed B&G to receive a pre-configured, working appliance, avoiding the complexities of procuring and configuring hardware and keeping the organization’s focus on on-premises infrastructure.
• Strong Vendor Support: The support experience was described as responsive and practical, with no language barriers thanks to local teams.

In the Future

The organization plans to continue using EfficientIP SOLIDserver™ for external DNS while taking a phased approach to adopting additional DDI capabilities. Although the immediate priority was a successful migration and cost optimization, the platform provides the scalability to support future expansion into IP address management (IPAM) and DHCP as operational requirements evolve.

Looking ahead, the organization also intends to explore EfficientIP’s workflow automation features to strengthen change management. Future automation will support structured approval processes for DNS changes, improving governance, oversight, and operational control while ensuring the platform can adapt to future business and infrastructure needs.

“The standard tasks that the admins need to do are quicker than with Infoblox. And the maintenance of the product, like doing upgrades, is much easier.”
—Tristan Zondag, IT Solution Architect, B&G

Read the full case study to learn how Sound & Vision optimized costs, simplified operations, and completed a seamless migration to SOLIDserver DDI.