Key Skills

Job Description

Can a combination of open-source technologies offer a viable alternative to an integrated hyperscaler platform? In this master’s thesis, you will investigate how to systematically compare both approaches, focusing on functional coverage and integration effort. Organizations increasingly question their dependence on hyperscalers due to concerns about cost, vendor lock-in and digital sovereignty. Hyperscalers offer a range of capabilities through a single, integrated platform. Open-source projects offer similar capabilities, but individual projects typically focus on specific capabilities and come with their own interfaces and conventions. Combining them requires organizations to manage the integration themselves. However, systematically comparing both approaches remains challenging. It is not always clear how much functionality a composed open-source stack can cover or how much integration effort is required to match a hyperscaler. The Assignment Investigate which factors determine whether a composed open-source stack can provide comparable functional coverage to an integrated hyperscaler platform, and develop and validate a systematic method for assessing the associated integration effort. You choose a capability domain (for example, identity, messaging, or observability) and define how to measure coverage and effort. You design the research approach and justify your choices. Your results should help organizations decide when each approach is the better fit. Your main contribution is new knowledge, not a working platform. This could be a method to compare both approaches systematically, an explanation of what drives integration complexity, or insights into the effort needed to maintain and evolve a composed stack over time. About Info Support Info Support specializes in custom software, data/AI solutions, management, and training and is active in the Finance, Industry, Agriculture, Food & Retail, Mobility & Public, and Healthcare sectors. We provide solid and innovative solutions for complex and critical software issues. Our headquarters are located in Veenendaal (NL) and Mechelen (BE). At present, approximately 500 employees are employed by Info Support. Info Support’s working method is characterized by a number of core values: solidity, integrity, craftsmanship, and passion. These core values are intertwined in our work and the way we interact with each other. To ensure that all employees are always up to date with the latest developments, Info Support has an in-house IT Academy that eagerly satisfies the hunger for more or different knowledge and skills. B2 language proficiency in Dutch is required.

Core Responsibilities

Investigate whether a composed open-source stack can provide functional coverage comparable to an integrated hyperscaler platform, selecting a capability domain and defining how to measure coverage and integration effort. Design and validate a systematic assessment method, producing research insights that help organizations choose between the approaches.

Requirements

The role is a master's thesis internship, so a postgraduate-level study context is indicated. Dutch proficiency at B2 level is required; the posting does not specify prior work experience or other formal qualifications.