TWIPLA and Data Storage: Why We Use Hetzner in Germany

TWIPLA’s data storage practices are central to our mission of providing cutting edge analytics that also respects the data privacy of clients and their website visitors.

The right servers are crucial given that our platform has to analyze the visitor data of over 2.5 million websites. We also rely on this infrastructure in order for our team to work as productively as possible.

Given this, we thought we’d lay out why Hetzner is such a perfect fit for our organization.

So, let's dive in!

TWIPLA and data storage - a Hetzner data center - website intelligence blog — A Hetzner Data Center (Image ©Hetzner)

TWIPLA and Data Storage: Who Are Hetzner?

Hetzner is a well-respected company in the field of web hosting and data center management.

Based out of Germany, the company has since 1997 built a reputation for professional service delivery for clients ranging from individual users and small startups to large enterprises.

Today, they hold data for over 700,000 companies. They also offer a range of different hosting packages, from shared hosting and self-managed servers to colocation and dedicated server rental.

Hetzner emphasizes transparency and client trust, and offers excellent customer support. Crucially, they are also very open about their infrastructure, and how data is stored, managed, and protected.

Hetzner Meets the GDPR Requirements of TWIPLA's Data Storage

As a privacy-first website intelligence provider, we obviously prioritize meeting the requirements of all global data privacy laws. This means that TWIPLA and data storage are one and the same. If Hetzner wasn't GDPR-compliant, then we wouldn't be either.

But Heztner aligns perfectly with our values; like us, they prioritize data privacy and also take many substantive measures to ensure GDPR compliance.

To this end, they have built infrastructure with the highest level of data security. Hetzner uses state-of-the-art encryption protocols, robust firewalls, and conducts regular security audits. They also ensure that the personal data of clients and their users stay confidential and protected from breaches.

Moreover, Hetzner maintains transparency in its data processing practices. They always inform clients about the use, storage, and transfer of their data, ensuring data processing aligns with the original collection purposes. And if they need to transfer data to third-party entities or outside the EU, Hetzner also makes sure these movements comply with GDPR's data transfer provisions.

Hetzner’s transparency with regard to their data practices is commendable, and this is shown by all the information that they have made available about their data practices:

Data Processing Agreement in Accordance with GDPR Article 28
Data privacy FAQs on hosting packages, managed servers, and data processing
Privacy Policy of Hetzner Online

Additionally, Hetzner respects the rights of data subjects. They let individuals access, correct, or even erase their personal data, following GDPR's mandates. With its comprehensive data protection framework and strong commitment to privacy, Hetzner demonstrates its dedication to GDPR compliance.

Why We Chose Hetzner

TWIPLA's data storage infrastructure was initially hosted on bare metal servers. However, we quickly realized that we needed more tools if we were to develop the all-in-one website intelligence solution that we envisaged.

We wanted the capacity to daisy chain different servers together. We also wanted to use load balancers, server volumes, and firewalls. Simply put, we wanted to have as much resource potential as possible so that we could invest in our analytics platform and also scale effectively.

And after evaluating the market, and how the different options stacked up with regard to our priorities that ranged from needle issues to privacy compliance requirements - it was clear that Hetzner was our first choice. As such, we moved our entire infrastructure over to them.

TWIPLA and Data Storage: Our Hybrid Approach

At TWIPLA, we’ve adopted a hybrid approach to secure data storage, and this is one of the best decisions that we ever made. This gives us the best of both worlds.

We have the flexibility of the cloud, which we use for most of our computing.

But we can also leverage the sheer computing power and huge storage capacity of physical servers. This is ideal for our databases and analytics cluster where all the heavy lifting happens, and which needs to consequently be stored in the physical realm.

TWIPLA Uses Hetzner’s Data Centers in Germany

While Hetzner started out in Germany, they have quickly spread out. Today, they have five data centers around the world - located in Germany, Finland, and the US.

However, we use their Germany-based servers and do so for a number of reasons.

Firstly, we’re based between Germany and Romania, and being close to our Hetzner data center gives us many obvious operational advantages.

This also means that our users’ data remains within German jurisdiction - a country that, frankly, takes data protection more seriously than anywhere else.

This decision underscores our commitment to safeguarding user data.

What’s more, by ensuring that our database sits within the EU, we also meet a key requirement of GDPR and distance ourselves from ongoing legal issues around the legitimate transfer of EU citizen data into the US.

That's TWIPLA and Data Storage Explained

At TWIPLA, our prioritization of user data rights placed real restrictions on our choice of web host and data centers.

But thankfully, in Hetzner we found a service provider that shares the principles of TWIPLA and data storage.

And if you want to join the movement to make the digital world a safer space for user data, you can start by choosing web technologies that respect these rights.

TWIPLA is a great option, being a leading player in the emerging privacy-first tech website intelligence sector.

So sign up to TWIPLA today and get the insights you need to grow your website, while also keeping your visitor data as safe as possible.

FAQs

Who Are Hetzner?

Hetzner is a professional web hosting provider and experienced data center operator that is based in Germany. Founded back in 1997, the company has since established itself as one of the leading European companies of its kind.

WIth a focus on high-quality hardware, reliable networking infrastructure, and also responsive customer support, Hetzner has developed an enviable reputation in the hosting industry and this makes them ideal for TWIPLA's data storage requirements.

What Does Hetzner Do?

Hetzner provides dedicated servers, cloud servers, and also colocation servers. The company prides itself on service delivery that is both high performance and affordable for businesses and individuals.

And with state-of-the-art data centers, Hetzner also ensures that their customers receive reliable and uninterrupted service. Finally, Hetzner has a highly user-friendly cloud platform that offers scalable resources for different applications and workloads.

What Companies Use Hetzner?

Hetzner’s client base ranges from small startups to established businesses. And beyond TWIPLA, the companies that have publicized their use of Hetzner include:

Anglo-American Platinum - a South Africa-based oil, gas and chemicals company.
Bostonair - a UK-based company providing recruitment, line maintenance, and also technical training services to the aviation industry.
CargoBeamer - a Germany-based distribution company that provides intermodal transport for all types of semi-trailers by rail.
Entwicklerheld - Germany's largest coding platform, supporting IT recruitment through gamification and employer branding.
HOCHTIEF Infrastructure Austria - a construction and real estate organization.
Linde Material Handling - a Germany-based manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment.
Nordcloud - a European provider of cloud services, specializing in migration, app development, managed services, and also training.
oe24 - an Austria-based media organization.
OTRS AG - a Germany-based helpdesk solution designed to help businesses manage resources, workflows, internal communication processes, customers, and also service requests.
Talkwalker - a Luxembourg-based social media management and intelligence provider.

Where Are the Hetzner Servers Located?

Hetzner has a number of data centers in Germany, Finland, and also the US. These sites have been strategically chosen to ensure fast, reliable, and secure hosting provision for their international clientele. These centers are also state-of-the-art, boasting optimal conditions for server hardware. They’re also monitored regularly for energy efficiency, security, and high uplift.

Is Hetzner GDPR Compliant?

Yes, Hetzner is fully GDPR-compliant. The General Data Protection Regulation is a strict piece of legislation that protects the data privacy rights of EU residents. Hetzner, being based in Germany, adheres strictly to its requirements. This means that any data hosted with Hetzner is handled carefully to ensure that the data of customers and their end users is protected and also processed according to the standards set by this regulation.