Self-hosting means running software on servers you control, either on-premises or on rented infrastructure, instead of using a vendor’s cloud service.

Popular self-hosted tools

– Nextcloud: file sync and sharing, calendar, contacts, and collaboration

– Bitwarden: password management, with a self-hosting option

– Mattermost and similar chat platforms: team messaging

– Uptime and monitoring tools: for service checks and alerts

– Wiki and documentation tools: internal knowledge bases

– Ticketing and helpdesk systems: for support teams

Why consider it

– Data control: you decide where data lives

– Customization and integration freedom

– No per-user license fees for many tools

– Independence from vendor price changes

– Compliance flexibility, such as keeping data in Quebec or Canada

What it really costs

– Time and skills: installation, configuration, and troubleshooting

– Maintenance: updates and security patches, on schedule, forever

– Backups and recovery: your responsibility

– Availability: you handle uptime, hardware failures, and capacity

– Security: hardening, monitoring, and access control

– Support: community or paid subscriptions

Good practices

– Run services behind a firewall or reverse proxy with HTTPS

– Enable MFA and keep admin interfaces off the public internet

– Automate updates and monitor for new vulnerabilities

– Back up data and configuration, and test restores

– Document the setup so more than one person understands it

Is it for you?

Self-hosting works best with technical staff or a trusted partner, a clear need for control, and discipline about maintenance. Otherwise, a managed cloud service may carry less risk.

DBR Soft can deploy and manage self-hosted solutions for you. Contact us for more information.