Politie

In law enforcement, secure and efficient data management is paramount. Recognizing this, the Nationale Politie developed Secure Data Services (SDS), a self-service datastore SaaS platform for the entire police force. Built on Kubernetes, SDS provides a highly secure, scalable solution for Big Data applications, enabling teams to effortlessly set up datastores such as databases, Kafka, or Elastic clusters.

Previously, over 100 DevOps teams faced significant delays due to manual processes in requesting and provisioning datastore resources. Despite Agile methodologies, human intervention led to long wait times for essential tools. SDS revolutionizes this by automating processes extensively, eliminating human bottlenecks and elevating technical standards. Datastore clusters are now created instantly without delays from onboarding or licensing, thanks to open-source software. Unused clusters are automatically scaled down or removed, optimizing resource utilization. Clusters are highly available from day one, with rolling upgrades and a scalable architecture ensuring zero downtime.

What sets SDS apart is its extensive automation and the necessity to operate without relying on public cloud services due to data sensitivity. The police cannot utilize public cloud solutions and must keep data on-premise. SDS achieves this through a private Kubernetes cluster.

Java serves as the project’s engine, handling automation beyond Kubernetes operators, configuring namespaces, monitoring capacity, and executing end-to-end tests. Currently managing 155 production and 120 development environments, SDS expanded from ElasticSearch to include Kafka and Postgres in just ten months.

The jury commends the Nationale Politie and the SDS team for their innovative approach and substantial positive impact on operational efficiency, especially given the constraints of operating without public cloud services. Secure Data Services is a deserving nominee for the NLJUG Innovation Award 2024.