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ProRail pand
  • Client

    ProRail

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  • Market

    Passenger transport

    |
  • Picture

    ProRail: Maarten Kleingeld

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  • Publication date

    10 June, 2026

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From OBM and Splunk to Dynatrace: one observability platform for ProRail

 

 ProRail

ProRail aims to diagnose disruptions more quickly, gain end-to-end visibility across chains, and manage costs more effectively. Two existing tools: OBM as a “manager of managers” and Splunk for log analysis, no longer met future requirements. After thorough evaluation, ProRail selected Dynatrace as its central observability platform. Conclusion Xforce supported the vision, implementation, and adoption. The result: a single foundation for observability and analytics, closely aligned with the business.

The challenge: two worlds, one need

 

ProRail manages environments ranging from office automation to critical domains such as the Mission-Critical platform and the Business-Critical platform. For ProRail, having 24/7 insight into the status of its systems is essential. OBM served as an overarching “manager of managers” on top of specialised tools (such as network and database monitoring), while Splunk provided analytical capabilities. However, the question became increasingly pressing: could this be done smarter, more consistently, and in a more future-proof way?

 

"Dynatrace came out on top"

Paul de Kok, Chain Manager IT4IT at ProRail, explains: “We chose Dynatrace to replace both OBM and Splunk. That decision was not taken lightly. We wanted to enable lifecycle management and be ready for APM. Dynatrace clearly came out on top. In Conclusion Xforce, we found a partner with deep Dynatrace expertise.”

 

 
 
The solution: laying the foundation for a
 
single observability platform

The relationship between ProRail and Conclusion Xforce was already established, including collaboration in areas such as Linux engineering and the Ansible Automation Platform. For Dynatrace, the partnership was further intensified.

 

Jorgen van der Meulen, Manager of Projects at Conclusion Xforce, outlines the approach: “First, together with Paul and his colleagues, we defined the analysis and scope in detail. What are the timelines? Where does the adoption challenge lie? And how does this align with Dynatrace initiatives already underway elsewhere within ProRail?

 

We then opted for an architecture where the SaaS version of Dynatrace serves as the foundation, complemented where necessary by existing on-premises components.” A proof of concept (PoC) followed. “We explored how to keep the platform as open and flexible as possible, using open standards, and how to generically integrate data from multiple sources,” Jorgen says. “It quickly became clear: this is not a straightforward project that a single engineer can handle, it requires a small, multidisciplinary team.”

 

Laurens Conjarts, a Dynatrace Consultant at Conclusion Xforce, joined the project with a clear mission: to help ProRail transition from monitoring to observability. The starting point was the Kubernetes platform supporting a planning application. “Within a matter of weeks, we were able to provide developers with direct insights,” Laurens explains. “After the Kubernetes platform, we moved on to the Traffic Control environment (the Mission-Critical platform), successfully transforming both the test environment and, subsequently, production. Dynatrace provides visibility into incidents and their context relationships with other applications and supporting systems. This allows you to determine impact much faster and more accurately.”

 

 
Operating in a critical environment: careful and phased

Strict change procedures apply within ProRail’s Mission-Critical and Business-Critical domains. As a result, the rollout is deliberately phased. In the near term, the first components (including log files) will be brought into production, followed by monitoring and the MVP for the broader scope.

 

A key principle throughout the project is to minimise customisation. ProRail teams are accustomed to certain functionalities from legacy tooling, so the challenge lies in adding value without introducing unnecessary complexity or creating a maintenance burden.

 

In addition, there is a strong focus on end-to-end chain visibility. Dynatrace is configured based on business processes themselves, ensuring that any issues become immediately visible across the entire chain. Paul concludes: “Conclusion Xforce takes a forward-looking approach. Sometimes they advise: ‘Hold off for a moment, this functionality will be available out-of-the-box in Dynatrace within three months.’ That way, we stay as close as possible to standard functionality and keep the platform manageable.”

"We have already trained more than 250 ProRail employees in Dynatrace."

Jørgen van der Meulen

Manager of projects

 
Training and community: 
 
adoption as an accelerator

ProRail opted for a large-scale training programme, including both foundational and advanced sessions, as well as dedicated dashboard workshops. These sessions were delivered by Dynatrace experts from Conclusion Xforce. Given the number of ProRail colleagues involved, the logistics were handled creatively by hosting the sessions at the Conclusion Xforce office in Nieuwegein. While the initial target was to train 200 employees, the programme has already reached more than 250 participants.

 

In addition, a Community of Practice (CoP) has been established:

  • Quarterly sessions featuring status updates, knowledge sharing, tips & tricks, and live dashboard building
  • Teams present their progress in observability, significantly accelerating adoption through peer-to-peer inspiration
"“It spreads like an oil stain. ProRail colleagues become curious, immediately see what’s possible, and get on board.”"

Jørgen van der Meulen

Manager of projects

 
Keeping costs under control:
 
 
transparency from day one
 

 Conclusion Xforce sees a clear trend: IT licensing models are increasingly shifting towards pay-as-you-go (OPEX) rather than upfront investments (CAPEX).

 

Dynatrace’s licensing model has also moved to OPEX. This new subscription model requires clear visibility into usage and costs. ProRail became the launching customer of the Cost Control proposition, developed by Conclusion Xforce in 2024 to provide insight into Dynatrace costs per application. Conclusion Xforce implemented this from the very start. As a result, there is not only visibility at an overall level, but also per application and per team. Every month, the figures are reviewed: who are the heavy users, how is usage evolving, and what does that mean for the forecast? The reporting is tailored to inform management effectively.

 

Laurens explains: “Many organisations struggle with this when transitioning to a new licensing model. We’ve added depth by translating cost visibility into tangible business value.” Paul adds: “We call it the candy store, everyone wants a taste. Thanks to the transparency that Cost Control provides from day one, we avoid unexpected surprises down the line.”

The result:
 
more context, more
control, faster recovery

  • A single platform for monitoring and analytics: fewer tools, greater coherence
  • End-to-end chain monitoring provides clear insight into cause and effect, from infrastructure to business processes
  • Faster service restoration through enriched incident context, reducing the need to switch between tools
  • Self-sufficient teams enabled by automation and training: developers can onboard independently without involvement from the internal IT4IT department, using an Ansible Collection for Dynatrace onboarding developed by Conclusion Xforce. This allows IT4IT to focus more on innovation

“Our teams are now truly in control. Where previously tickets were required to make changes in OBM, teams can now manage this themselves through code,” Paul explains.

 
Collaboration: one team, with
short lines to the partner
 

The collaboration between ProRail and Conclusion Xforce is characterised by short communication lines and a close, integrated way of working. As a Consultant, Laurens is regularly on-site at ProRail, working closely with the teams and able to respond quickly when decisions need to be made. Fixed collaboration days provide structure and rhythm, but it is this physical proximity that truly makes the difference, questions are addressed immediately, and decisions do not stall.

 

This close collaboration extends beyond ProRail alone. As a Dynatrace Advanced Partner, Conclusion Xforce maintains equally short lines with the vendor. Whenever deeper expertise or technical support is required, the team can liaise directly with Dynatrace specialists in the Netherlands. Jorgen explains: “We’re in this together, ProRail, Conclusion Xforce, and Dynatrace. The collaboration works both ways, enabling us to jointly create value for ProRail.”

 

The roadmap for ProRail and Conclusion Xforce is clear: once the Dynatrace rollout in production is completed, the transition from monitoring to observability will be finalised by phasing out Splunk and OBM. Looking ahead, ProRail is focused on further integration and optimisation of the Dynatrace platform across the organisation.

"If we can phase out OBM and Splunk, and give teams more context when issues occur, we gain in time, quality, and cost. Achieving that within a single tool is where we will truly make an impact."

Paul de Kok

Chain Manager | ICT Infrastructure and Operations – IT4IT

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Foto van Mark Dudock.

Mark Dudock

Accountmanager Projecten & Services

mark.dudock@conclusionxforce.nl
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