DevOps toolchain: your tools on your own infrastructure
Source code, container images, build artefacts and monitoring data are a development team’s trade secret. Anyone who runs GitLab, registry and Grafana themselves instead of with a SaaS provider keeps them in hand. Self-hosting GitLab means gaining full control over the DevOps toolchain – without exploding SaaS costs, on ccloud³ VMs with 100% data sovereignty.
- 100% data sovereignty – source code and GitLab pipelines in the ISO 27001-certified centron data centre in Germany.
- Maximum CI/CD performance – compute-intensive GitLab runners on high-performance ccloud³ VMs with NVMe storage.
- Unlimited flexibility – CPU, RAM and storage scalable within seconds at any time.
- Full cost control – no billing per GitLab seat, only the server infrastructure used.
What a self-hosted toolchain needs
A toolchain is infrastructure for infrastructure: if it fails, nobody can deploy. That is why backup, monitoring and clearly regulated network access are part of it from the start.
Source code stays in the country
GitLab or Gitea run on a ccloud³ VM or in Kubernetes in the centron data centres. No repository leaves Germany, and access goes through your own user management.
Registry and artifacts in S3
Container images, packages and build artifacts are stored in S3 Object Storage. Inbound and outbound traffic is free, even when runners and clusters pull gigabytes of images every day.
One cluster for the tools
Registry, SonarQube, Prometheus and Grafana run in a Managed Kubernetes cluster from €29.99 per month. centron operates the control plane; you only maintain the deployments.
Isolated and backed up
Cloud Firewalls and VPN keep the toolchain away from the internet. cBacks backs up repositories and databases regularly, with no basic fee.
Technical features for maximum performance
A modern DevOps toolchain bundles version control, CI/CD, registry and monitoring – GitLab as an all-in-one system covers much of this. Native cloud SaaS reaches its limits in per-seat costs and data sovereignty; self-hosting on centron ccloud³ VMs solves both.
Enterprise hardware for compute-intensive CI/CD pipelines
Modern enterprise processors and NVMe storage systems shorten build times – GitLab runners run on ccloud³ VMs in the Power Pool or scale with the queue in Kubernetes; how builds and rollouts run on them is shown on CI/CD pipelines.
Uncompromising protection for intellectual property
Storage exclusively in Hallstadt near Bamberg, strictly protected physically, with managed firewalls and automated backup services via cBacks.
Flexible ccloud³ storage
Resources (vCPU, RAM, SSD) adjustable within seconds during operation via the centron console – repositories on NVMe volumes, images and artefacts in S3 Object Storage without traffic costs.
Full Docker compatibility and root access
Unrestricted configuration rights and integration of external monitoring tools – Prometheus, Grafana and SonarQube run in the Kubernetes cluster, container workflows on Docker hosting.
A typical toolchain at centron
The Git server runs as a VM with an NVMe volume, the stateless tools in the Kubernetes cluster. Build runners start on demand and disappear again after the job. Everything sits in a VPC behind a Cloud Firewall and VPN. Installing GitLab CE requires no days of preparation: activate the VM in the console, choose Debian or Ubuntu, install GitLab from the official repository – immediately afterwards the full GitLab interface is ready for projects and repositories, with unrestricted root access; all plans on ccloud³ pricing, backends for applications on app hosting.
- Source code – GitLab or Gitea on a ccloud³ VM
- Registry and packages – S3 Object Storage with no traffic costs
- Quality and monitoring – SonarQube, Prometheus, Grafana in Kubernetes
- Runners – scale with the build queue
The right centron products
These are the building blocks development teams typically use to run their toolchain. Cloud Firewalls and cBacks are added depending on protection needs.
- NVMe storage
- Billed by the hour
- Snapshots for upgrades
- Control plane included
- AutoScaler for runners
- Traffic included
- €0.02 per GB per month
- Traffic free of charge
- S3-compatible
Which infrastructure suits a DevOps toolchain?
A DevOps toolchain at centron consists of a ccloud³ VM from €3.11 per month for the Git server, a Managed Kubernetes cluster from €29.99 per month for the registry, monitoring and runners, and S3 Object Storage from €5.00 per month for images and artifacts. Everything runs in our own data centres in Germany, certified to ISO 27001 based on IT-Grundschutz and with an unqualified BSI C5:2020 Type 1 attestation. New accounts receive a €200 starting credit.
| Building block | Price |
|---|---|
| ccloud³ VMs | from €3.11 / month |
| Kubernetes | from €29.99 / month |
| S3 Object Storage | from €5.00 / month |
Frequently asked questions
Why run the toolchain yourself instead of renting it as SaaS?
How does this differ from the CI/CD pipelines page?
How much does it cost to get started?
Can this be implemented in compliance with the GDPR?
Self-hosting vs. SaaS: why should I host GitLab myself?
What are GitLab’s system requirements when running on a Linux VM?
How well are our repositories at centron protected against data loss?
How complicated is moving from GitLab SaaS to a self-hosted centron VM?
More on containers & automation
Get started for free
Sign up and receive €200 credit at centron within your first 60 days.
This promotional offer applies to new accounts only. Available exclusively to businesses.
How do you run a DevOps toolchain on your own infrastructure?
A self-hosted DevOps toolchain consists of a Git server such as GitLab or Gitea on a ccloud³ VM, a Managed Kubernetes cluster for the registry, monitoring and build runners, and S3 Object Storage for images and artifacts. At centron, this runs in our own data centres in Germany behind a Cloud Firewall and VPN, with ISO 27001 based on IT-Grundschutz and a BSI C5:2020 Type 1 attestation, and the source code never leaves the country.