Automated Provisioning
Cloud-init and automated scripts set up a new studio with one click - with no manual steps on site.
Template System
Node-RED configurations are bundled into reusable template packages that auto-deploy for every new studio - no configuration drift.
Templates for New Machines
The software is pre-configured via templates. Node-RED configurations can be combined into template packages that are automatically rolled out when creating new machines.
nextGYM GmbH: Rolling Out New Studios in 5 Minutes Instead of 4 Hours
How WZ-IT moved nextGYM GmbH's staffless 24/7 studios from decentralized Raspberry Pi management to a central, sovereign remote-management and provisioning platform - new locations live in 5 minutes instead of 3 to 4 hours.
- 98% Time saved on new setup
- 5 Min Deployment time per studio
- 24/7 Monitoring & Support
About the Client
The Challenge
nextGYM GmbH operates staffless smart-gym studios accessible around the clock. App check-in via QR code, online membership and self-service only work if the technology in every studio runs reliably. The original infrastructure was based on Raspberry Pi devices installed locally in each studio and maintained individually.
This decentralized architecture led to significant challenges: different configuration states, complex asset management, 3 to 4 hours of manual setup per studio and no central control. Scaling during expansion became increasingly difficult and security-critical.
The Project in Brief
Client
nextGYM GmbHCountry
Germany (Leipzig)Industry
Staffless 24/7 fitness studios (smart gyms)Challenge
Decentralized per-studio Raspberry Pi devices, 3 to 4 hours of manual setup, individual SSH access, configuration drift and no central controlSolution
Central cloud dashboard with template-based provisioning, Node-RED IoT automation, RBAC and WireGuard mesh VPNResult
New-studio setup from 3 to 4 hours down to 5 minutes (98 % faster), 100 % automated, monitored 24/7
Market & Trends
Staffless Studios Are the Fastest-Growing Segment
The German fitness market hit a record in 2025 with €6.25bn net revenue (+7.4 %) and 12.36m members (+5.6 %) across 9,647 facilities. The strongest growth comes from the chain and smart-gym segment - exactly the staffless, small-footprint model nextGYM GmbH operates. Scaling that model requires no on-site staff, but technology that lets every location be provisioned, monitored and secured centrally.
+12.6 %
The chain and smart-gym segment grows fastest according to Deloitte; roughly 186 additional smart-gym sites were added in the last year alone.3 to 6 months
Several staffless-studio operators reach break-even within this window - with just 2 to 4 hours of operator time per week per site (BODYMEDIA).1,000+ by 2027
fit+ alone opened 250+ studios in six years and targets more than 1,000 - scaling stands or falls with central remote operations.≈ $20.6bn
That is where the IoT fleet-management market is heading by 2030 (~17 % CAGR, Grand View Research) - every unmanned location is a distributed edge node that must be managed centrally.
Sources: Deloitte / DSSV "German Fitness Market" 2025/2026, BODYMEDIA, Grand View Research.
Implemented Solutions
The Solution
A custom cloud management dashboard with fully automated, secured infrastructure
Central Management
One dashboard for all studios and devices - with a fleet overview and per-location detail view.
Detailed Machine Management
Standardized fields for all important data: credentials, configurations, information and notes - everything centrally in one place.
IoT Integration
Node-RED controls temperature, ventilation, lighting and other building systems per studio.
Secure Remote Access
Fine-grained RBAC, per-site firewall policies, SSO and WireGuard mesh VPN instead of exposed devices.
User Management & Security
Fine-grained permission management with individual firewall policies, SSO services and mesh VPN support for maximum security.
File Management & Backups
Integrated file browser for location-specific documents plus automated backups and disaster recovery.
Integrated File Browser
Location-specific files can be stored and secured directly in the dashboard. All documents are exactly where they are needed.
Dashboard Overview: Here you can see an overview of the various machines managed through the dashboard. In this example, a new machine 'Studio-3' is being deployed.
Inside the dashboard
Dashboard Overview
Transformation
From Manual Management to Fully Automated Cloud
- Time saved on new setup
- 98%
- Deployment time per studio
- 5 Min
- Automation level
- 100%
- Monitoring & Support
- 24/7
Deployment
Before: Decentralized Management
3 to 4 hours of manual effort
After: Cloud-Based Automation
5 minutes with one click
Management
Before: Decentralized Management
Individual SSH access per device
After: Cloud-Based Automation
Central dashboard for everything
Configuration
Before: Decentralized Management
Inconsistent across locations
After: Cloud-Based Automation
Unified templates
Solution & Architecture
One Central Control Plane for the Entire Studio Fleet
At the center sits a central, EU-hosted control plane: the management dashboard with provisioning, RBAC and asset administration. Each studio location is an edge node reachable only through an encrypted WireGuard mesh tunnel - no device is exposed to the open internet. New locations are rolled out from templates and operational within minutes.
Cloud Control Plane (EU-hosted)
Central dashboard, provisioning engine, RBAC, asset and credential management, file browser
- Management Dashboard
- Provisioning & Templates
- RBAC & SSO
- File Browser & Backups
WireGuard Mesh VPN
Encrypted connectivity for each site with its own firewall policy - no exposed device
Studio Edge Nodes
Per studio: edge device with deployed template and Node-RED IoT control
- Studio 1
- Studio 2
- Studio 3
- Node-RED
- Temperature · Ventilation · Lighting
Technologies Used
Open, EU-hosted building blocks - no hyperscaler lock-in.
- Coolify
- Node-RED
- Node.js
- React
- Docker
- WireGuard
- Nginx
- PostgreSQL
- Hetzner
Why Custom & Sovereign
WZ-IT: the Partner for Remote Management of Distributed Sites
Off-the-shelf remote support like TeamViewer or per-device licences do not solve the unmanned-site problem: they scale expensively per device, expose targets and provide neither role-based governance nor unified provisioning. Instead, WZ-IT builds a dedicated control plane where secure remote access, provisioning and audit are designed together from the start.
RBAC, Governance & Audit by Design
Fine-grained roles, central credential management and traceable access - a foundation for NIS2-era expectations when managing distributed sites and member data.
Secure Remote Access, Not Bolt-On
Every site is reachable through WireGuard mesh VPN with its own firewall policy - no exposed device, no per-device VPN client. "Reach a remote site safely" becomes a solved, standardized problem.
Sovereign, EU-Hosted, Open Source
Hetzner, Coolify, Docker, Node-RED, WireGuard and PostgreSQL keep data and infrastructure in the EU - with no hyperscaler lock-in. A concrete trust anchor for German and DACH operators.
One Platform for the Whole Site Lifecycle
Provision via templates, operate via dashboard and Node-RED, secure via RBAC, firewall, SSO and VPN, monitor 24/7 - one control plane instead of a toolbox.
nextGYM GmbH is served DACH-locally from Germany - the same remote-management expertise WZ-IT uses to run critical infrastructure in Australia (ABCO Water Systems / AB-View) from a DACH base.
Related Services
How We Deliver This for You
What we built for nextGYM GmbH is available as a productized offering for any operator of distributed, unmanned sites.
Remote Management Platforms
Central site administration with secure remote access, RBAC and audit-grade logs - our productized offering.
View the platformSoftware Development
Custom software, dashboards and automation - from architecture concept to production operations.
Go to Software DevelopmentCase Study: AB-View (ABCO Water Systems)
The same remote-management thesis at critical-infrastructure grade: browser-based HMI access, WireGuard, roles and audit logging.
Read the case studyReviews & projects
Client feedback on networking and secure access
From the NetBird setup with Kubernetes cluster connectivity to site networking in production.
WZ-IT moved our studio infrastructure from decentralised individual devices to a central platform: every site is securely connected via VPN, new devices are onboarded automatically and an entire site is provisioned from a template, without manual steps on location. What impressed me most is the breadth and depth of their knowledge: Timo and Robin are not a typical IT provider who sets up a server and leaves. The two of them think their way into highly complex infrastructure and software topics, work through every requirement we put in front of them, and build networking, provisioning and operations so that everything fits together in the end. WZ-IT is an excellent partner for complex software, network and architecture projects.
Steve KirchnerManaging Director, nextGYM GmbH
International
Built in Germany's Ruhr Valley. Running worldwide.
WZ-IT designs, develops and operates infrastructure and software for clients in Germany and internationally. We deliver projects remotely and continue supporting them in ongoing operations after go-live.
Selected projects
- LiveRemote access platform for distributed water treatment plantsABCO Water Systems · Australia · Secure Access & OT
- 81%AWS migration with substantially lower operating costsEVA Real Estate · UAE · Cloud exit & infrastructure
- 98%Provision new sites in minutes instead of hoursnextGYM GmbH · Germany · Automation & IoT
Read client reviews
- Connect sites and clusters securely
- Secure your Proxmox & backup setup
- Modernize your infrastructure - sovereign
- Plan a sovereign open-source stack
- Integrate a local AI solution
- Modernize your legacy software
- Cut cloud cost - up to −81%
- Build a high-availability Proxmox cluster
- Virtualize with Managed Proxmox
- Design an open-source AI architecture
- Get collaboration fully managed
- Ship your prototype to production
Similar project
Centrally manage distributed sites
Describe your sites, edge systems, and current processes. We assess the management platform, rollouts, secure connectivity, and operations.
- Straight with Timo and Robin - no sales team, no pitch
- An honest take, including when we are not the right fit
- Concrete next steps for infrastructure, software or AI
No risk: worst case, you leave with a clearer understanding of your project than before.
WZ-IT's advice on our Azure migration was technically sound and completely non-binding right from the intro call - we took away a great deal.