i-LAN OneBox: De Edge Computing Revolutie die Gedistribueerde IT Vereenvoudigt, Beveiligt en Transformeert

In today’s rapidly digitizing world, businesses face a growing challenge: maintaining complex IT infrastructures across multiple locations. What starts as a simple server setup often evolves into an unmanageable tangle of hardware, software, and cabling — a problem that Flemish startup i-LAN has set out to solve with its groundbreaking OneBox solution.

The IT Infrastructure Crisis

The inspiration for OneBox came from founder Maarten Clement’s firsthand experience as an independent IT architect working with a major supermarket chain.
“They operated about 800 stores, each running an average of five servers plus networking equipment and firewalls,” Clement recalls. “Because this infrastructure grew organically over time, it became an impenetrable mess of cables and components.”

The consequences were severe: firewalls weren’t properly maintained, creating security vulnerabilities, while the cost of keeping everything running spiraled out of control. The supermarket chain needed between 50–60 full-time staff just to keep their distributed IT infrastructure operational.

A Radical Solution: The OneBox

Clement saw an opportunity to revolutionize this outdated model through virtualization and edge computing.
“Instead of those five servers, we built what we call a Highly Available Platform,” he explains. This became the foundation of the OneBox — locally installed hardware containing at least three servers that automatically compensate for each other’s failures, ensuring uninterrupted operation.

The OneBox represents a complete paradigm shift in edge computing. It consolidates what would normally require multiple pieces of hardware into a single, streamlined appliance that handles computing, networking, security, and backup processes locally. Through an internet connection, each OneBox communicates with a central management system that monitors all connected devices and uses artificial intelligence to optimize performance.

Intelligent, Self-Learning Infrastructure

What sets the OneBox apart is its ability to learn from experience. The system analyzes problem resolutions and applies these lessons to future issues, enabling it to handle many challenges autonomously. This learning capability extends to cybersecurity, where the OneBox can identify and block suspicious links before they’re even clicked by users.

After an extensive development period in collaboration with Sven Vande Cappelle, the OneBox is now market-ready, with the supermarket chain deployment serving as a powerful proof of concept.
“Our solution worked so well that it’s been rolled out across their entire store network,” Clement notes. “With this validation, we’re now positioned to scale i-LAN as a company.”

Business Model and Market Strategy

i-LAN is taking a multi-pronged approach to bringing its solution to market. Sales manager Laurens Desmedt outlines the strategy:
“We’re focusing on networking events for initial customer acquisition, while also working with lead generation companies and building our presence on platforms like LinkedIn.”

The company has partnered with Econocom to offer the platform via a SaaS licensing model for the software component, with i-LAN handling top-tier servicing. This partnership model allows businesses to adopt the OneBox solution with minimal upfront investment.

Funding and Future Growth

Clement has already invested significantly in OneBox’s development, committing €10,000 monthly for a year and securing €150,000 from a partner investor.
“While we’re certainly open to additional funding to accelerate growth, our immediate focus is on acquiring those first key customers and establishing sustainable revenue streams,” he explains.

Initially targeting the Belgian SME market, i-LAN has ambitious plans for European and global expansion. The solution’s flexibility makes it applicable across industries — from retail chains to manufacturing plants, healthcare providers to telecom operators — any organization struggling with the complexity and cost of distributed IT infrastructure.

The Future of Edge Computing

The OneBox represents more than just a technological innovation; it offers a fundamentally new approach to managing IT at the edge. By combining hyper-converged infrastructure with AI-driven automation and centralized cloud management, i-LAN has created a solution that not only reduces costs but transforms IT from a maintenance burden into a strategic asset.

As businesses continue to digitize their operations and expand geographically, solutions like the OneBox will become increasingly essential. i-LAN’s technology promises to help organizations of all sizes harness the power of edge computing without the traditional complexity — ushering in a new era of efficient, secure, and manageable distributed IT infrastructure.

For businesses tired of watching their IT costs spiral while their infrastructure becomes increasingly vulnerable, the OneBox offers a compelling alternative.
As Clement puts it:
“We’re not just selling hardware — we’re selling simplicity, security, and peace of mind.”

To learn more about how the OneBox can transform your distributed IT infrastructure, visit www.i-lan.be or contact info@i-lan.be.