Outsource IONOS Server Maintenance: How We Handle Operations for Enterprise Cloud & Dedicated Servers
Looking for professional maintenance for your IONOS servers? WZ-IT takes over operations, updates and monitoring of your existing infrastructure. See our Managed IONOS Services or request a Server Audit directly.
IONOS (formerly 1&1) rightfully positions itself as the "German Enterprise Cloud". Data centers in Germany, ISO certifications and the powerful Data Center Designer (DCD) make the provider attractive for mid-sized businesses.
However, IONOS strictly separates infrastructure from operations. You get the "Compute Engine" or the "Dedicated Server" – but who takes care of security updates, firewall rules and backups?
Often this task falls to internal developers or gets neglected. The result: Outdated Linux kernels, open ports in the DCD and failed backups.
We take responsibility. As a specialized Linux agency, we handle 24/7 operations of your IONOS infrastructure.
Table of Contents
- More Than Just Updates: We Stabilize Your Software Stack
- Our Services in the IONOS Environment
- 1. DCD Network & Firewall Management
- 2. Acronis Backup & Disaster Recovery
- 3. Proactive Patch Management & Monitoring
- Our Approach at WZ-IT
More Than Just Updates: We Stabilize Your Software Stack
Many companies hesitate to outsource maintenance because they use special or older software ("legacy"). The concern: "An external admin won't understand our old Magento installation or our Plone CMS."
We understand these systems. While we don't develop your application code, we optimize and harden the infrastructure on which these applications run. We ensure the foundation is rock-solid – no matter what runs on top:
WordPress & WooCommerce: We optimize Nginx/Apache, configure caching (Redis/Varnish) and secure the database so your shop runs smoothly even during peak loads.
E-Commerce (Magento / Shopware): These systems are resource-hungry. We tune PHP-FPM, Elasticsearch and MySQL parameters specifically for IONOS hardware.
CMS & Legacy (Plone / Typo3 / Drupal): Using Plone (Zope/Python) or older Typo3 versions? We know the specific requirements for process management and reverse proxies and keep the server underneath secure.
CRM & ERP (Odoo / Dolibarr): For business-critical applications, we set up high availability and redundant backups.
Our Services in the IONOS Environment
We navigate the IONOS Cloud Panel and Data Center Designer (DCD) blindfolded.
1. DCD Network & Firewall Management
The Data Center Designer is powerful but complex. One wrong setting and your server is open to the world.
- We configure Private LANs between web and database servers.
- We set strict rules in the IONOS Hardware Firewall (upstream), before traffic even reaches your server.
- We manage Load Balancers for scalable environments.
2. Acronis Backup & Disaster Recovery
IONOS integrates Acronis Cyber Protect. It's a good tool, but it needs monitoring.
- We check daily whether backup plans ("Entire Machine" or "File Level") completed successfully.
- We intervene immediately when errors occur (e.g. when the agent hangs).
- We perform regular restore tests so there's no panic in an emergency.
3. Proactive Patch Management & Monitoring
We don't wait until something breaks.
24/7 Monitoring: We monitor CPU, RAM, disk space and the availability of your services (HTTP, SQL).
Updates: We apply security updates for the OS (Debian, Ubuntu, AlmaLinux) and services promptly.
Our Approach at WZ-IT
When taking over existing IONOS servers, we proceed systematically:
- Inventory: Which services are running? Which versions? Are there known issues in the DCD?
- Risk Assessment: Where are the biggest gaps (outdated packages, missing backups, open ports in the hardware firewall)?
- Prioritization: Critical security issues first, then stability, then optimization.
- Documentation: We document everything we do – for transparency and in case you no longer need us someday.
We see ourselves as an extension of your team, not a black box.
Conclusion: The German Enterprise Cloud – Professionally Operated
IONOS delivers the infrastructure. We deliver the excellent operations. Save yourself the night shifts and the uneasy feeling with every update.
Ready to put your IONOS servers in professional hands?
Check out our Managed IONOS Services or start directly with a Server Audit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to important questions about this topic
Yes. This is our daily business. We take over so-called 'brownfield' systems (existing servers). We ensure that the services under the hood (web server, database, caching, search engines like Solr/Elasticsearch) run stable and performant. We make sure your Magento, Plone (Python/Zope), Typo3 or WordPress has a secure and fast foundation – even if the software versions are older.
No, never share your main password! IONOS has excellent user management. You create us as an additional user with administrator or technical rights. This way we can restart servers and use the console (VNC), but have no access to your invoices or contract data.
We regularly check (usually automated daily) whether updates are available for your Linux operating system (e.g. Ubuntu LTS, Debian). We install security-critical updates promptly. We also take care of updates for system services like PHP, Nginx, Apache or Docker.
Yes, this is essential. IONOS offers an external firewall in the Data Center Designer (DCD). We configure it so that only absolutely necessary ports (e.g. 80/443 for web, restricted SSH) are open. This is your first line of defense before traffic even reaches your server.
Our monitoring system runs 24/7. For critical errors (server down, service stopped), our on-call team is alerted. Depending on the agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA), we respond immediately even at night and on weekends to restore operations.
Yes. We manage the complete range: From affordable VPS to Cloud Cubes to complex Dedicated Server clusters. Since the operating system is usually identical (Linux), you benefit from our standard everywhere.
Unfortunately, this is not uncommon with IONOS/Acronis (e.g. when the backup agent hangs on the Linux server). Our monitoring detects failed backup jobs immediately. We log in, analyze the error and restart the agent so you're never unprotected.
Yes. Many companies switch from AWS to IONOS for cost reasons or GDPR requirements ('German Cloud'). We analyze your setup and migrate your data and services to IONOS Compute Engines. We know the equivalents (e.g. AWS S3 -> IONOS S3 Object Storage).
Yes. IONOS delivers many servers with pre-installed Plesk. We take over maintenance of the Plesk system, install updates and harden the configuration. We also help when Plesk updates get stuck or license issues occur.
Since we have deep access to your systems, we conclude a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in accordance with GDPR. Since WZ-IT is a German company and your servers are located at IONOS in Germany, the entire data chain remains legally secure within the country.
Let's Talk About Your Idea
Whether a specific IT challenge or just an idea – we look forward to the exchange. In a brief conversation, we'll evaluate together if and how your project fits with WZ-IT.
Trusted by leading companies
Timo Wevelsiep & Robin Zins
CEOs of WZ-IT