WWW4 — web hosting on our own Belgian servers

Hosting for government and healthcare: data in Belgium, agreements on paper

Local authorities, schools and healthcare organisations work with personal data of citizens, pupils and patients. Then the question is not only whether the website works, but where the data sits and who can access it. At WWW4 everything sits on our own hardware in two Belgian data centers, you receive a data processing agreement at no extra cost and we guarantee 99.99% availability in the SLA.

Anyone in the public or healthcare sector who has a website or application hosted gets questions from the DPO, the IT department or the board: where is the data, who are the sub-processors, what is the guarantee? Below is what these organisations need from hosting and what answer we give.

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Where it usually pinches for government and healthcare

Where is the data, actually?

With many hosting providers that cannot be said with certainty: the servers are with a third party, in another country or spread over several regions. For an authority or healthcare institution that is not a detail but a matter of accountability.

A data processing agreement that never arrives

The GDPR requires a written agreement with every processor. In practice it often gets left behind, or a standard text arrives that the DPO does not agree with.

An outage without a point of contact

If the registration form or the patient portal is down, someone has to be able to say what is happening and when it will be resolved. A ticket that stays open for days is not acceptable in this sector.

What government and healthcare need from hosting

Data required to be in Belgium or the EU

All processing and storage takes place on our own hardware in our own rack space in two Belgian data centers, Brussels and Ghent, within our own IP range. There is no transfer outside the EU. On our data location page you can read exactly what sits where.

A data processing agreement, even before you are a customer

You receive a data processing agreement on request, free of charge, even when you are still comparing. We provide the list of sub-processors in writing on request, so your DPO can assess it.

A guarantee that is in the SLA

We guarantee 99.99% availability. What that means, how it is measured and what happens if it is not met is on our SLA page. That gives you a document to present to your board.

Clear demarcation and named access

We maintain the server side (operating system, web server, PHP); the CMS, the theme and the plugins stay with you. Through the control panel you manage yourself who has access to web space and mailboxes, and revoke it when someone leaves the organisation.

How to get started with hosting for an authority, school or healthcare organisation

Four steps, from your DPO's questions to a signed agreement, before a single file moves.

Request the data processing agreement and the sub-processor list

Do that before you choose. You receive both free of charge, so your DPO or legal department can review them without any commitment yet.

Determine what you host: website, application or your own server

An informational site runs on shared hosting. An application with its own server software belongs on a managed VPS or dedicated server. If you already have your own servers that only need a Belgian location, colocation is the way.

Record the access

Decide who in your organisation manages the control panel and who only needs a mailbox. Work with named accounts, so you can revoke access on departure and demonstrate who had access to what.

Have it transferred and tested before the DNS changes

Moving website and email is part of the service. Everything is first tested on the new environment; only then is the DNS switched, so citizens or patients notice nothing of the switch.

Frequently asked questions about hosting for government and healthcare

Where exactly is our data?

On our own hardware in our own rack space in two Belgian data centers, in Brussels and Ghent, within our own IP range. All processing and storage takes place in Belgium and therefore within the EU. There is no transfer to countries outside the EU.

Do we receive a data processing agreement?

Yes, on request and at no extra cost, even when you are not yet a customer and are only comparing. That way your DPO or legal department can assess the text before you enter into a commitment.

Can we see the list of sub-processors?

Yes, we provide it in writing on request. Because we work on our own hardware in our own rack space, that list is short and clear.

What availability does WWW4 guarantee?

We guarantee 99.99% availability. How that is measured and what happens if the guarantee is not met is set out in the SLA. You can present that document to your board or council.

Who is responsible for updates and security?

The server side, i.e. the operating system, the web server and the PHP versions, is maintained by us. The CMS, the theme and the plugins of your website remain the responsibility of your organisation. DDoS protection at network level and a daily backup of files and database come as standard with every plan.

Can we control who in our organisation has access?

Yes. Through the control panel you manage access to web space and mailboxes yourself, and revoke it when someone leaves the organisation. Work with accounts in the name of persons or roles, so that you can demonstrate afterwards who had access to what.

We have our own servers that only need a Belgian location. Is that possible?

Yes, with colocation you place your own server in our rack in a Belgian data center. You do not order that online: configuration and rate are agreed on request. For an application without your own hardware, a managed VPS or a dedicated server is the alternative.