The Cloud Enabler / Virtual Cloud Operator (VCO) Model

The Cloud Enabler / Virtual Cloud Operator (VCO) model used by whitesky is inspired by the MVNE / MVNO model from the telecom industry and applies the same separation of responsibilities to cloud infrastructure.

In telecom, Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs) own and operate network infrastructure, while Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) focus on customer relationships, branding, packaging, and market differentiation—without owning physical network assets.

whitesky applies this proven model to cloud infrastructure.

The Cloud Enabler: infrastructure ownership & platform operation

A Cloud Enabler is responsible for building and operating the physical and foundational cloud infrastructure. This includes:

• Procuring and installing server, storage, and network hardware
• Deploying equipment in a datacenter or colocation facility
• Ensuring power, redundancy, and physical security
• Providing connectivity, peering, and upstream network access
• Operating the whitesky cloud platform on top of this infrastructure

The Cloud Enabler does not sell cloud services directly to end customers by default. Instead, it provides wholesale cloud capacity and a fully managed cloud platform.

whitesky delivers the platform to the Cloud Enabler as a managed service today, including:

• platform installation
• monitoring and lifecycle management
• updates and upgrades
• operational best practices

This allows the Cloud Enabler to focus on infrastructure reliability and scale, rather than building cloud software themselves.

The Virtual Cloud Operator (VCO): market access & service delivery

A Virtual Cloud Operator (VCO) is a reseller or service provider that brings cloud services to market using the Cloud Enabler’s infrastructure and the whitesky platform.

Each VCO receives:

• its own fully branded cloud portal
• isolated tenants and resources
• independent pricing and service catalogs
• customer and billing ownership

VCOs typically focus on:

• customer acquisition and relationships
• vertical-specific solutions
• managed services and support
• compliance, consultancy, and value-added services

They do not need to invest in datacenters, hardware, or platform engineering.

This allows smaller MSPs to launch cloud services at scale—similar to how MVNOs launch telecom offerings without owning a mobile network.

Clear separation of roles (by design)

This separation avoids conflicts, simplifies operations, and allows each party to focus on what they do best.

Federation-ready by default

Because all Cloud Enablers run the same whitesky platform, multiple Cloud Enablers can be connected into a federated cloud network.

This allows:

• VCOs to deploy workloads across multiple locations
• geographic expansion without new infrastructure investments
• resilience and capacity sharing between partners

The result is a distributed, sovereign cloud ecosystem, without central lock-in.

Why this model works (especially today)

The Cloud Enabler / VCO model addresses several current market realities:

• Rising infrastructure costs and hardware complexity
• MSP consolidation and specialization
• Demand for sovereign, locally operated cloud solutions
• Vendor lock-in fatigue from hyperscalers and proprietary stacks

By separating infrastructure ownership from service delivery, whitesky enables scalable cooperation instead of forced consolidation.

From managed service to software (roadmap)

Today, whitesky is delivered to Cloud Enablers as a managed service, ensuring operational quality and fast time-to-market.

A software edition is currently rolling out, allowing Cloud Enablers to progressively take over platform operation themselves if desired—without changing the business model.

The Cloud Enabler / VCO structure remains the same.