Server Requirements

CPU

CPU is rarely the bottleneck. Most self-hosted services are I/O or memory-bound, not CPU-bound. 2 vCPU is sufficient for low traffic; 4 vCPU gives comfortable headroom when multiple services are running simultaneously, and makes the server noticeably more responsive — there's enough spare capacity for a larger task (a build, a backup, an import) to run fast without impacting other services.

Memory

Memory is the real constraint. Each service runs as a Docker container with its own process — a knowledge base, a design tool, a git server, and an AI interface can collectively idle at 4–6 GB. 4 GB is the minimum to get started; 12 GB lets you run several services without pressure.

Disk

There are two distinct storage concerns:

OS disk — should stay lean. The operating system and Docker tooling need maybe 10–20 GB. Keep this small and separate.

Data disk — this is where Docker images, container volumes, and all service data live. Docker images alone can be 1–2 GB each; with 5–10 services you fill up fast. A separate data disk is strongly recommended so you can expand storage independently without touching the OS.

Object storage — for large binaries (Nextcloud files, Penpot assets, backups), a separate object storage bucket offloads data from the VPS disk entirely. Most providers offer S3-compatible object storage; Infomaniak's Swiss Storage is a values-aligned option. This is optional but worth planning for if you expect significant file volumes.

Scaling and backups

Before committing to a provider, check two things:

Scaling — can you resize the VM to a larger plan without rebuilding from scratch? Most providers support this, but not all do it cleanly. Ideally it's a one-click operation from the control panel with minimal downtime.

Backups — does the provider include automated VM snapshots, and how far back do they go? This is a safety net for infrastructure-level failures, separate from the application-level backups you manage yourself. Some providers include it in the plan; others charge extra.

Summary

Server size should match usage intent — don't over-provision, but don't cut corners either. A server running 3 services for a handful of users has very different needs than one running 10 services for an entire organisation.

Requirement	Minimum	Tested
OS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
CPU	2 vCPU	4 vCPU
RAM	4 GB	12 GB
OS disk	20 GB	20 GB
Data disk	100 GB	250 GB
Estimated services	3–5	8–12