CASE STUDY

LevelUp Networks provides enterprise-grade virtual desktops — at a fraction of the cost

IONOS CLOUD's Data Center Designer, Public Cloud, and dedicated support enable LevelUp Networks to deliver cost-efficient IT solutions to UK SMBs.
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Case Study

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LevelUp Networks needed infrastructure that could handle secure video conferencing on Teams

Urgent security requirements Project Recruit, a UK-based IT recruitment company with staff across multiple countries, needed a secure cloud environment to protect the sensitive candidate and client data they handle daily. The urgency intensified after two major recruitment companies suffered high-profile data breaches, with significant volumes of personal data stolen.  The Microsoft Teams hurdle While the security mandate was clear, the technical challenge proved far more complex. Project Recruit relied heavily on Microsoft Teams and Zoom for day-to-day operations, but within a cloud-hosted virtual desktop environment, video calls suffered from severe latency – audio sounded robotic and video lagged to the point of being unusable. Every new environment the LevelUp team built on IONOS CLOUD initially encountered the same issue, making calls inconsistent at best and unworkable at worst. A make-or-break moment The stakes could not have been higher. Project Recruit's entire relationship with their biggest customer hinged on delivering this solution. 
About LevelUp Networks LevelUp Networks is a UK-based Managed Service Provider (MSP) supporting SMEs with day-to-day IT requirements. The company specialises in virtual desktop environments, cloud architecture, Windows migration solutions, and bespoke backend systems – acting as a complete outsourced IT department for growing businesses. About Project Recruit LevelUp Network's client, Project Recruit, is a UK-based IT recruitment company operating across multiple countries, handling highly sensitive candidate and employer data. The company's largest customer – a global corporation – required them to adopt enterprise-grade security protocols, making secure cloud infrastructure a business-critical priority.

How partnering with IONOS CLOUD empowers LevelUp Networks

The journey to the right Teams architecture

LevelUp Networks trialled multiple configurations before arriving at the winning combination. The team built environments on the Data Center Designer, tested Dedicated A10 GPU Servers for enhanced graphics processing, moved to the IONOS CLOUD Private Cloud on VMware, and collaborated with IONOS CLOUD partner Cybele. Each iteration brought improvements but didn't fully resolve the video latency. 

The breakthrough came when LevelUp Networks deployed the Omnissa Horizon client on IONOS CLOUD’s DCD-hosted VDIs, with an Azure-hosted gateway. This hybrid approach finally eliminated the robotic audio and laggy video, delivering a smooth, enterprise-grade conferencing experience on Microsoft Teams.

Cost transparency and simplicity that Azure couldn’t match

Before partnering with IONOS CLOUD, LevelUp Networks had been reselling Azure virtual machines. Monthly bills were unpredictable, riddled with hidden charges, and the platform itself was complex to configure, even for straightforward deployments. 

After a call from IONOS CLOUD, LevelUp Networks migrated everything from Azure and immediately saw significant savings for both their clients and their own business. They've been able to reduce Project Recruit's cloud infrastructure spend by two thirds, excluding the Omnissa Horizon client.

Another benefit: the Data Center Designer proved so intuitive that even junior engineers could work with it confidently, dramatically reducing implementation time.

Support that builds credibility

For a managed service provider whose reputation rides on every project, having a cloud partner that picks up the phone makes all the difference. As a Gold VAR partner, LevelUp Networks had the support and flexibility to experiment with multiple configurations until they found the solution that worked.  The team appreciate having direct access to knowledgeable support engineers who understand their environment. Whether they're in the planning, deployment, or production stage, help is readily available – and it comes from people who speak the same technical language.
Clear business impact
  • Client's monthly cloud expenditure cut by two thirds
  • 100% IONOS CLOUD-based infrastructure for key clients
  • Multi-country secure VDI deployment across borders
  • Junior engineers can deploy on DCD, cutting implementation hours
  • 6-month unresolved Azure case vs. rapid IONOS CLOUD resolution

“When we were with Azure, getting support was always hit or miss. We once had a support case with Microsoft open for six months that never got resolved. With IONOS CLOUD, the support is amazing and readily available whenever we need it.”

Matias Garcia-Verdous, Managing Director, LevelUp Networks

Why choose IONOS CLOUD for your MSP or SMB?

A partnership, not just a platform

IONOS CLOUD doesn’t just provide infrastructure – we invest in long-term relationships. LevelUp has been a partner for years, and the personal connection with the IONOS team means issues are resolved quickly, environments are planned collaboratively, and new clients are onboarded with confidence. It’s the kind of support that lets a small MSP punch well above its weight.

Transparent pricing with no hidden charges

Unlike hyperscalers where monthly bills can be a source of anxiety, IONOS CLOUD offers predictable, transparent pricing. LevelUp migrated from Azure specifically because of unexpected charges and complexity. With IONOS CLOUD, what you see is what you pay, making it easier to give clients accurate quotes and protect margins.

Flexible infrastructure for complex solutions

From Public Cloud and GPU Servers to Private Cloud with VMware, IONOS CLOUD offers the breadth of infrastructure needed to solve even the most challenging use cases. LevelUp Networks tested multiple configurations on the same platform before landing on the right architecture — all without switching providers. The Data Center Designer makes it simple to build, iterate, and scale.

The IONOS CLOUD in practice

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