On-premise or on-premises - which is correct?

Grammatically correct is "on-premises"; in the IT industry "on-premise" (short "on-prem") has become standard. Both mean the same: the software runs at your site rather than in someone else's cloud.

How much does an on-premises server from WZ-IT cost?

The App Node costs from €349 excl. VAT / month as a managed subscription, plus one-time provisioning and initial setup. The AI Cube for local AI costs from €7,999 excl. VAT one-time. Section 203 managed on premises for professional secrecy holders costs from €499.90 excl. VAT / month. Final scope and price follow a review of applications, access paths and operating scope.

What are the pros and cons of a hybrid IT infrastructure?

Sensitive data and functions stay local while approved services from the cloud or a data centre remain available. In return there are more transitions between network, identities and data paths that must be planned, secured and operated. The target architecture therefore defines which connections exist and who operates them.

We already use cloud services - do we need to move everything?

No. Local and external systems can be combined deliberately. The target architecture defines which data and functions remain local and which approved external services are accessible.

How do you reach a local server from outside?

Depending on requirements, access uses NetBird, WireGuard, an existing corporate VPN or a secured reverse-proxy gateway. The node does not need an exposed administration interface or necessarily a public IP.

Is on premises automatically GDPR-compliant?

No. Storage location alone does not answer every data protection question; access, backups, remote maintenance, endpoints and connected services matter as well. WZ-IT designs and documents these data flows, while legal evaluation of the specific use remains with the controller.

Is this §203-compliant?

The architecture can be designed for professional secrecy holders. This includes documented data flows, access controls and, where applicable, our written confidentiality obligation as a contributing person. Section 203 and GDPR require separate assessment; legal evaluation of the specific use remains with the controller and its advisers.

On-premises infrastructure for mid-sized businesses: run locally, managed by WZ-IT

Q: What does on premises mean at WZ-IT?

The system is physically located at your organisation or another site you specify. WZ-IT plans, supplies, connects and operates the agreed environment. For the App Node, hardware is provided as part of the managed subscription.

When data must not leave the building, you need systems on site and someone to operate them. WZ-IT supplies and operates the App Node for open-source applications, the AI Cube for local AI and secure connectivity with sites and cloud services.

Describe your on-premises project View products

Reviews

IT Beratung Service Consulting Soforthilfe

Customers from mid-sized business, industry and the public sector, in Germany and internationally

Read client reviews

Starting point

When on premises is the right choice for your organisation

Four situations in which applications and data should stay in-house, fully or in part.

The data must not leave the building
Personnel, customer and project data needs to be processed on your own network. Another cloud service is ruled out, while an unmanaged server of your own ties up internal IT.
Professional secrecy under Section 203
Law firms, medical practices, tax advisors and auditors must govern access, remote maintenance, backups and involved service providers in a traceable way, not only the storage location.
Dependent on one cloud provider
When applications and data sit with the provider, the provider decides on pricing, features and export options.
Several sites, one network
Office, other sites, home offices and mobile users need the same systems without internal applications being exposed on the internet.

WZ-IT on-premises products

Two on-premises servers for different workloads

The App Node runs open-source business applications on compact hardware. The AI Cube is designed for local AI models, RAG and concurrent inference; for larger projects we design a custom AI infrastructure. Both are preconfigured and operated by WZ-IT.

Open-source applications

WZ-IT App Node

Compact on-site appliance with hardware, applications, setup and ongoing operations in one managed subscription. from €349 excl. VAT / month · plus one-time provisioning and initial setup

View App Node →

Local AI

AI Cube

On-premises AI node for local AI chat, private knowledge spaces, RAG and production model inference. from €7,999 excl. VAT one-time · Section 203 scope on request

View AI Cube →

Applications

Run open-source applications on premises

The secured framework can run a range of applications from our open-source portfolio. Resource demand, security requirements, availability and licensing determine which workloads share a node and which remain isolated.

Applications

Supabase
Postgres backend with auth, storage, realtime and vector on a fully managed local App Node.
View product page
Nextcloud
Sovereign file, collaboration and office platform - the on-premise Microsoft 365 alternative.
View expertise
n8n
Automation and workflows in-house - privacy-focused Zapier/Make alternative.
View expertise

Catalogue

More applications from our open-source catalogue
Typical applications we install, integrate and operate on suitable on-premises hardware. Network and access components such as NetBird or WireGuard are designed separately as part of the architecture.
Paperless-NGX BookStack Mattermost Vaultwarden OpenProject Zammad Grafana Odoo Keycloak Jitsi All 348 applications in the catalogue Not sure which application fits? Selection

Service areas

Beyond the products, WZ-IT plans and operates the surrounding environment: access, cloud connectivity and integration.

Site connectivity and secure access
NetBird, WireGuard and existing identities connect sites, home offices and mobile users through defined access paths.
View secure access

Hybrid and integration

Hybrid cloud and local systems
Local systems and approved cloud services are connected through defined network, identity and data paths.
Integration and further development
From local AI to custom application integration, WZ-IT develops and integrates beyond standard operations.
View software development

Alternative: managed hosting in the data centre, see managed open source.

Approach

From the initial consultation to on-premises operations

Four steps to operations. The architecture defines how the system is reached: locally, via VPN or in a controlled hybrid setup.

01
Initial consultation and inventory
Site, space, power, network, existing servers, applications, users and data volume are recorded.
02
Target architecture
The architecture defines which data and functions remain local, which approved services are reachable externally and which connections updates, backups and remote maintenance require.
03
Provisioning and setup
Hardware, platform and applications are sized appropriately and preconfigured, with encryption, firewall and secure administration.
04
Ongoing operations
WZ-IT handles monitoring, updates, technical administration and support. Responsibilities, service windows and operational boundaries are set out in the agreement.

Architecture · outcome and operations

Your data stays in-house, WZ-IT handles operations

The applications run on your network. WZ-IT plans, supplies, connects and operates the agreed environment and documents which external connections exist.

The App Node runs at your premises

The agreed applications run on the provided hardware at your organisation. Local users and systems reach them directly over the internal network.

Access aligned with your environment

The node can remain entirely internal. External access is implemented through NetBird, WireGuard, an existing VPN or a secured gateway.

Data flows are defined

Updates, backups, remote maintenance and connected services are deliberately designed before deployment. Required connections and technical measures are documented.

Control your data flows

Local processing is possible, while external integrations, updates and remote access are configured deliberately and documented.

Open stack and defined exit

Proven open-source components, documented configurations and agreed data exports reduce dependency on the operator.

Designed for §203 requirements

For professional secrecy holders, we design data flows, access and technical measures around the use case and accept the required contributing-person obligation where applicable.

Entry points

Direct entry points into on-premises operations

Configure an App Node, request Section 203 operations or expose internal applications through a gateway. All prices are net and exclude statutory VAT. The offers are addressed to businesses.

Configurator

Configure your App Node

Choose storage, access, backup and required applications in the configurator. WZ-IT checks the selection for compatibility and operational boundaries before quoting.

Plus one-time provisioning and initial setup.from €349 excl. VAT / monthOpen the configurator For professional secrecy holders

Section 203 managed on premises

Applications, access paths, backup and operating scope are reviewed together and quoted on request.

Final scope and price on request.from €499.90 excl. VAT / monthRequest Section 203 operations Extension for on premises and hybrid

Expose internal web applications through a managed cloud gateway

WZ-IT operates the upstream reverse-proxy layer with domain, TLS, monitoring and a defined connection path to the target system.

ongoing managed servicefrom €129.90 excl. VAT / monthView Cloud Gateway

Reviews & projects

Managed open source with consulting and operations

Customer feedback on open-source selection, implementation, maintenance and long-term operations.

Networking & Provisioning

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

View project

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.