--- title: "Upgrading OpenStack: Containerization & Kubernetes" description: "Digital autonomy is becoming increasingly important as organizations seek to reduce cloud dependency. Read the 'Het Financieele Dagblad'-feature by Fairbanks" url: "https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/digital-autonomy-looking-beyond-the-cloud/" language: "en" --- Blog # Digital autonomy: looking beyond the cloud Technology September 9, 2026 Author: Elvira Dautović ## From Het Financieele Dagblad to your own infrastructure strategy In our recent article in _Het_ _Financieele Dagblad_, we explored why digital autonomy is becoming an increasingly important issue for European organizations. We looked at the risks of relying on foreign technology providers, the impact of the CLOUD Act and the different layers of digital sovereignty. But understanding the risks is only the starting point. The more important question is what they mean for your organization, and whether your current infrastructure gives you enough freedom to respond when circumstances change. [Read the full article in Financieel Dagblad](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/media/uploads/2026/09/Fairbanks%5FV5.pdf.pdf) ## Three questions every board should ask about digital autonomy Read the full article to explore why data residency alone does not guarantee digital sovereignty, how technology choices affect your independence, and why control over your infrastructure is becoming a strategic consideration for business leaders. [Read the article in Financieel Dagblad](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/media/uploads/2026/09/Fairbanks%5FV5.pdf.pdf) ## Dependency becomes visible when circumstances change Technology dependencies rarely feel like a problem when everything works as expected. They become visible when a provider changes its terms, regulations evolve or your organization needs to change direction. That is why digital autonomy is ultimately about more than technology. It is about maintaining the freedom to make decisions when the circumstances surrounding your infrastructure change. For business leaders, this means looking beyond today’s requirements. A technology decision that works well now should not prevent your organization from making a different choice five or ten years from nowfrom now. ## Control does not mean doing everything yourself Greater autonomy does not require organizations to operate every part of their infrastructure internally. What matters is knowing which decisions need to remain in your hands and where external expertise can provide support. We take this approach by building and managing open source private cloud infrastructure based on technologies including OpenStack, Kubernetes and Ceph. This gives organizations greater control over their infrastructure while allowing specialized experts to manage the operational complexity. The result is a more deliberate approach to technology: choosing where you want control, where you accept dependency and how much flexibility you want to retain. ## Start with what matters most Digital autonomy does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. For many organizations, the right starting point is to identify the systems and workloads where dependency creates the greatest strategic risk. From there, you can determine where greater control would strengthen continuity, flexibility or your long-term technology strategy. You do not need to change everything. You need to know **what matters, what you depend on and what options you have if circumstances change.** ## How much digital autonomy does your organization have? The conversation around digital sovereignty is moving beyond where data is stored. It is increasingly about whether your organization has the freedom to make its own technology choices and remain in control of the infrastructure it depends on. **Fairbanks helps organizations build and operate open source private cloud infrastructure with control, flexibility and continuity at its core. Want to explore what greater digital autonomy could mean for your organization?** **Let’s talk.** [Discuss your digital autonomy with Fairbanks](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/contact/?subject=Digital%20autonomy:%20looking%20beyond%20the%20cloud) Insights & resources ## Latest blogs & news [Insights & resources](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/insights-resources/) [KeynoteSustainable private cloud: how to balance energy, performance and business impact![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)Sustainable private cloud: how to balance energy, performance and business impactEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/sustainable-private-cloud/) [BlogOpenStack Hibiscus is here: What’s new in the latest release![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)October 20, 2026OpenStack Hibiscus is here: What’s new in the latest releaseTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/openstack-hibiscus-is-here-whats-new-in-the-latest-release/) [KeynoteHow Kubernetes and Talos make OpenStack easier to upgrade, manage and scale![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)How Kubernetes and Talos make OpenStack easier to upgrade, manage and scaleEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/how-kubernetes-and-talos-make-openstack-easier-to-upgrade-manage-and-scale/) [KeynoteFrom infrastructure complexity to cloud control: how to orchestrate your datacenter with software![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)From infrastructure complexity to cloud control: how to orchestrate your datacenter with softwareEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/from-infrastructure-complexity-to-cloud-control-how-to-orchestrate-your-datacenter-with-software/) [BlogUpgrading OpenStack: why containerization and Kubernetes are the answer![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)August 26, 2026Upgrading OpenStack: why containerization and Kubernetes are the answerTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/upgrading-openstack-containerization-kubernetes/) [BlogCloud infrastructure migration: what are your options and where do you start?![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)July 24, 2026Cloud infrastructure migration: what are your options and where do you start?Technology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/cloud-infrastructure-migration-what-are-your-options-and-where-do-you-start/) [BlogFairbanks named as a representative vendor in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)July 21, 2026Fairbanks named as a representative vendor in the 2026 Gartner® Market Guide for cloud infrastructure sovereign solutionsTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/fairbanks-named-as-a-representative-vendor-in-the-2026-gartner-market-guide-for-cloud-infrastructure-sovereign-solutions/) [BlogMutable vs. immutable infrastructure![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)June 18, 2026Mutable vs. immutable infrastructure: What it means for your datacenterTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/mutable-vs-immutable-infrastructure-what-it-means-for-your-datacenter/) [BlogPress release![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)June 10, 2026Press releaseEvent](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/press-release/) [BlogOpenStack Gazpacho![Post background](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/static/background_column.jpg)May 19, 2026OpenStack Gazpacho: a step forward in operational simplicity and workload mobilityTechnology](https://fairbanks-upgrade.ubo-dev.nl/openstack-gazpacho-a-step-forward-in-operational-simplicity-and-workload-mobility/) Newsletter