Self-hosted infrastructure
Your data on your servers — operated, not just installed
Self-hosting means software and data sit on servers you control. The server price is the smaller part. The larger one is operations: updates, backups, monitoring, and a restore test that actually happens. That is the part we take on.
What it actually costs
Most comparisons cut the calculation short: open-source software, a server in the low double digits, done. Three items are missing, and the last one is the biggest.
- Server and block storage — predictable, and usually the smallest amount.
- A second, encrypted location for backups, away from the machine.
- Operating time: one to two hours a month for a maintained installation, plus half a day for major version upgrades.
When it pays off — and when it does not
It pays off when your data must not leave the building, when storage per person is significant, or when you want to avoid the cost of leaving a closed ecosystem later.
It does not pay off if nobody in-house wants to run it and nobody is paid to. Then a hosted service is the honest answer — or hand operations over.
How we work
Containerised, hosted in Germany, with encrypted backups via restic and a restore test in the calendar. A backup that has never been restored is not a backup — that is not a slogan, it is why the date is an actual date with us.
No vendor lock-in: your data sits in a file system, not a proprietary format. If you later take over operations yourself, you get the documentation with it.
Limits we name up front
Self-hosting does not remove your responsibility, it moves it. You still need a processing agreement with the data centre, a deletion policy, and access rights that match what your privacy policy promises. We set that up with you — but it does not disappear because the server is yours.
Frequently asked
Questions we get asked a lot
What does self-hosted infrastructure cost per month?
A server for 10 to 30 people costs in the low double digits per month in Germany. Add block storage for the actual data and a second location for backups. The biggest item appears in no quote: one to two hours of operating time a month, plus half a day for major version upgrades.
Is a server in Germany automatically GDPR-compliant?
No. The location solves exactly one issue, third-country transfer. You still need a processing agreement with the data centre under Article 28 GDPR, a record of processing activities, a deletion policy that also covers backups, and access rights matching your privacy policy.
How much maintenance does such an installation need?
Security updates arrive regularly, plus the operating system, database, reverse proxy and TLS certificates. None of it is hard, all of it recurs. One to two hours a month is realistic for a maintained installation.
What if we want to take over operations later?
The data sits in a file system, not a proprietary format, and you get the installation documentation with it. That is the difference from a subscription: leaving is planned for, not made harder.
When does self-hosting not pay off?
When nobody in-house wants to run it and nobody is paid to. Then a hosted service is the honest answer — or hand operations to someone who takes responsibility for them.
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