# GitLab Competence Center Switzerland > Fully managed, dedicated GitLab instances hosted in Switzerland. 24/7 monitoring and incident handling, up to 99.99% SLA. Certified GitLab Select Partner. Dedicated GitLab instances on Swiss infrastructure, fully managed from CHF 360/month. Your team focuses on the product while VSHN handles updates, backups, security patches, and 24/7 incident response. ## Pages - [Homepage](https://www.gitlab.ch/): Managed Dedicated GitLab Hosting in Switzerland | VSHN - [GitLab SaaS vs Self-Hosted vs Managed — Comparison | VSHN](https://www.gitlab.ch/comparison.md) - [Partner with VSHN on Managed GitLab | VSHN](https://www.gitlab.ch/partners.md) - [GitLab Sovereignty — CLOUD Act-Free Hosting | VSHN](https://www.gitlab.ch/sovereignty.md) ## Features - **Your team builds. We operate.**: VSHN handles GitLab updates, security patches, monitoring, and incident response. No more patch weekends or midnight alerts for your engineers. Weekly maintenance and zero-day fixes are included in every plan. - **Swiss data residency — audit-ready**: Your code, CI pipelines, and data stay in Swiss data centers on cloudscale.ch or Exoscale. VSHN is Swiss-owned with no foreign parent company. All contracts are governed by Swiss law with no exposure to the US CLOUD Act. FINMA-compliant, ISO 27001 certified, no shared resources. Learn more in our [sovereignty assessment](/sovereignty/). - **CHF 360/month — less than one day of engineering time**: A Swiss DevOps engineer costs CHF 120-150K per year. Managed GitLab from VSHN replaces weeks of annual maintenance effort at a fraction of the cost. Transparent pricing, no hidden fees, free setup. - **Dedicated instance, your infrastructure**: Your GitLab runs on its own server on the cloud or on-premises infrastructure of your choice. Bring your existing setup or let VSHN provision on cloudscale.ch, Exoscale, AWS, or Google Cloud. - **CI/CD runners — your pipeline, your way**: Bring your own CI runners, have VSHN manage dedicated workers, or auto-scale jobs as Kubernetes pods. Dedicated CI instances from CHF 200/month eliminate shared-runner bottlenecks. - **Certified GitLab Select Partner**: VSHN has operated GitLab since 2015 and holds the GitLab Select Partner status in Switzerland. Trusted by Finnova, acrevis, the Swiss Federal Archives, and HIN. ## What GitLab's founder says about VSHN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p31CN5SN3UM ## Included in a VSHN-managed Service - Provisioning on any infrastructure (access and supported infrastructure required) by VSHN - Automated encrypted off-site backup and on-demand restore of server configuration and GitLab data - Alerting to VSHN and incident handling (restore of service) by VSHN, according to SLA - Weekly maintenance by VSHN: server and GitLab component updates, plus zero-day security fixes - GitLab version upgrade path, supported by VSHN - Scaling: scale your computing resources up and down when needed - Usage support and small changes included ## Simple, transparent pricing - **Managed GitLab Server Instance** — CHF 360/month — SLA best effort, free setup - **Managed GitLab Server Instance** — CHF 1,500/month — SLA guaranteed availability 99.99%, free setup - **Managed GitLab CI Instance** — CHF 200/month — Dedicated CI workers, free setup Excludes cloud provider or your own infrastructure, computing resources, and storage. Based on the GitLab Free plan; Premium or Ultimate is optionally available and fully supported. Business hours support included; 24/7 support plan optional. Auto-scaling and Kubernetes-based CI runners are also available. Contact us for details. ## Available GitLab plans ### GitLab Free _No license cost_ ### GitLab Premium _USD 29 / user / month_ - Everything from Free, plus: - Code Ownership and Protected Branches - Merge Requests with Approval Rules - Enterprise Agile Planning - Advanced CI/CD - Enterprise User and Incident Management ### GitLab Ultimate _Contact us as official partner_ - Everything from Premium, plus: - Dynamic Application Security Testing - Security Dashboards - Vulnerability Management - Dependency Scanning - Container Scanning - Static Application Security Testing - Multi-Level Epics - Portfolio Management - Custom Roles - Value Stream Management - Free guest users ## Trusted by Swiss organizations - [Finnova](https://www.vshn.ch/en/success-stories/finnova/) - [acrevis](https://www.vshn.ch/en/success-stories/acrevis/) - [HRM Systems](https://www.vshn.ch/en/vshn-partner/hrm-systems/) - [Schweizerisches Bundesarchiv BAR](https://www.vshn.ch/en/success-stories/schweizerisches-bundesarchiv-bar/) - [HIN](https://www.vshn.ch/en/success-stories/hin-health-info-net/) ## Managed GitLab FAQ ### What does a managed GitLab service mean? A managed GitLab service means VSHN takes full operational responsibility for your GitLab instance - provisioning, configuration, security updates, monitoring, incident response, and backups - while you retain complete control of your data, users, and projects. Your instance is dedicated (not shared with other organizations), runs on infrastructure you choose, and VSHN guarantees availability according to your selected SLA. Your team uses GitLab normally; VSHN keeps it running. ### What infrastructure do I need to provide? You provide an Ubuntu 22.04 LTS virtual machine with root SSH access and outbound internet connectivity. VSHN's Puppet Management Framework provisions and manages the Managed GitLab service on it. Most major cloud providers are supported, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, Exoscale, and cloudscale.ch. On-premises VMware and bare-metal servers are also supported. For Swiss data sovereignty, VSHN recommends cloudscale.ch or Exoscale, both of which operate data centers in Switzerland. VSHN advises on the required VM size during the free requirements analysis. ### What SLA options are available? Two SLA tiers are available. The Best Effort plan (CHF 360 per month) includes 24/7 monitoring and incident response without a formal uptime commitment - suited for development or staging environments. The Guaranteed Availability plan (CHF 1,500 per month) commits to 99.99% uptime with 24/7 active monitoring and incident handling, suited for production workloads. Both plans include free setup and weekly maintenance. Managed CI runner instances are available separately at CHF 200 per month. ### How does maintenance work? VSHN handles all recurring maintenance: GitLab minor and security updates, server OS patches, and zero-day security fixes (applied immediately, outside the regular maintenance window when necessary). You choose a weekly maintenance window - for example, Tuesday nights - to minimise disruption to your team. The service is briefly unavailable only during scheduled maintenance. VSHN monitors your instance 24/7 and responds to incidents according to your chosen SLA. ### How are backups handled? VSHN performs automated encrypted off-site backups of both server configuration and all GitLab data, including repositories, issues, merge requests, CI/CD pipelines, wikis, and attachments. On-demand restore is available at any time - you can request a full point-in-time restore of your instance or recovery of specific data. Backup retention and frequency are agreed during setup. ### What is VSHN's GitLab Select Partner status? GitLab Select Partner is the highest tier in GitLab's official partner programme. VSHN achieved this status through certified GitLab engineers, a demonstrated track record of customer deployments, and active contribution to the GitLab community. VSHN is a certified GitLab Select Partner in Switzerland. VSHN also organises the GitLab Switzerland Meetup, bringing together GitLab users and contributors across the country. ### Can I use my own GitLab CI runners? Yes. VSHN supports three CI runner models: you bring your own runner infrastructure and connect it to your managed GitLab instance; VSHN manages dedicated runner VMs on your behalf (CHF 200 per month); or CI jobs auto-scale as ephemeral Kubernetes pods via VSHN's AppCat platform. All three models can be combined. VSHN advises on the right setup based on your pipeline volume and latency requirements. ### Why is GitLab provided for virtual machines and not for Kubernetes? GitLab recommends the Omnibus package installation on virtual machines, which supports all GitLab features without limitations. VSHN has operated this architecture since 2015 with a mature Puppet-based framework for provisioning, configuration management, and seamless version upgrades. The VM-based approach offers the best combination of feature completeness, upgrade reliability, and operational simplicity for most organizations. A Kubernetes-based option via VSHN's AppCat Framework is in development for future availability. ### How do I get started with a managed GitLab instance? Contact VSHN for a free requirements analysis - no commitment required. VSHN scopes your infrastructure, team size, GitLab license tier (Free, Premium, or Ultimate), and SLA requirements, then provides a formal offer. Setup is free for all plans. Once the contract is signed, VSHN typically has a running GitLab instance ready within one to two business days. Existing GitLab instances can be migrated with VSHN's assistance. ### How does self-hosted GitLab compare to GitLab SaaS? GitLab SaaS (gitlab.com) is a multi-tenant platform where GitLab Inc. manages the infrastructure and your data is stored outside Switzerland, subject to US jurisdiction including the CLOUD Act. A self-hosted GitLab instance, managed by VSHN, gives you full control over where your data resides - on a Swiss cloud provider like cloudscale.ch or Exoscale, or on your own on-premises infrastructure. VSHN is a Swiss-owned company and all contracts are governed by Swiss law. The [EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_833) evaluates providers across eight sovereignty dimensions - managed GitLab from VSHN addresses all of them: data residency, legal jurisdiction, operational independence, and open-source technology. See our [sovereignty assessment](/sovereignty/) for details on how VSHN scores against the EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework. ### Why choose managed GitLab over GitHub? GitHub is a strong platform, but Swiss organizations with data sovereignty requirements often prefer GitLab because it can be self-hosted on infrastructure they control. With VSHN's managed GitLab service, your source code, CI/CD pipelines, issues, and all project data stay in Switzerland - on AWS, Exoscale, cloudscale.ch, Azure, or your own servers. GitLab also provides a single integrated DevSecOps platform covering source control, CI/CD, security scanning, and project management in one tool, reducing the need for third-party integrations. As a certified GitLab Select Partner in Switzerland, VSHN provides expert-level support and operations with 99.99% availability SLA. See our [sovereignty assessment](/sovereignty/) for details on how VSHN scores against the EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework. ### Can I run Docker containers with managed GitLab? Yes. GitLab includes a built-in container registry for hosting Docker images and CI/CD with native Docker support for building, testing, and pushing containers. For hosting your containerised applications, VSHN offers APPUiO - our Swiss Kubernetes platform that integrates natively with GitLab CI/CD pipelines. Deploy directly from your GitLab repository to APPUiO with automated builds and zero-downtime rollouts. Both platforms run on Swiss cloud providers like cloudscale.ch and Exoscale, ensuring full data residency in Switzerland for your source code, container images, and running applications. Learn more at https://appuio.ch ### Can agencies use managed GitLab for client projects? Yes. Agencies and software development firms use VSHN-managed GitLab to host client repositories on dedicated Swiss infrastructure. Each client can get their own GitLab instance with full isolation, or you can manage multiple projects on a single instance with GitLab's built-in access controls. VSHN handles operations, backups, and security patches so your team focuses on delivery rather than infrastructure. Invoice billing and written service agreements make cost allocation to client projects straightforward. ## Contact us Ready to get started? Contact us for a free requirements analysis and offer. Want to hear from a customer first? We can arrange a reference call. Booking: #contact --- ## GitLab SaaS vs Self-Hosted vs Managed — Comparison | VSHN # GitLab SaaS vs Self-Hosted vs Managed: Which Is Right for You? Choosing how to run GitLab comes down to three options: GitLab.com SaaS, self-hosted on your own infrastructure, or a managed service like VSHN. Each has trade-offs around control, cost, and operational burden. This page compares all three so you can make an informed decision for your team. ## Quick comparison | | GitLab.com SaaS | Self-Hosted (DIY) | VSHN Managed | |---|---|---|---| | **Data location** | USA (Google Cloud) | Your choice | Your choice (Swiss cloud, Azure, AWS, on-premises) | | **Infrastructure** | GitLab manages | You manage | VSHN manages | | **Upgrades & patches** | Automatic, scheduled by Gitlab | Your responsibility | Automatic, weekly schedule by VSHN | | **Backup & restore** | Included | Your responsibility | Daily encrypted | | **Monitoring** | Included | Your responsibility | Included, Business Hours or 24/7 | | **SLA** | GitLab SaaS SLA | None (your own) | Up to 99.99% | | **Starting price** | $29/user/month | $0 (software) + ops team | CHF 360/month | | **Best for** | Small teams, no compliance needs | Full control, large ops team | Swiss compliance, small ops team | ## GitLab.com SaaS GitLab.com is the fastest way to start. GitLab Inc. runs everything: infrastructure, upgrades, backups, monitoring. You sign up and start pushing code. **Strengths:** - Zero operational overhead - Always on the latest version - Generous free tier (5 users, 400 CI minutes) - Premium at $29/user/month includes 10,000 CI minutes **Limitations:** - Data hosted in the USA (Google Cloud Platform) - Multi-tenant: your code shares infrastructure with other customers - No control over upgrade timing - Limited compliance options for regulated industries (FINMA, Swiss data protection) - Storage and compute limits per tier **Best for:** Startups and small teams without data residency requirements. ## Self-Hosted GitLab Self-hosting gives you full control. You run GitLab on your own servers or cloud VMs, choose which version to run, and decide where data lives. **Strengths:** - Complete control over data location and access - Choose your GitLab version and upgrade timeline - No per-user fees for the Community Edition - Can run on any infrastructure (on-premises, Swiss cloud, hyperscaler) **Limitations:** - **Operational burden is significant.** You need to: - Monitor GitLab 24/7 and respond to incidents - Plan, test, and execute version upgrades - Apply security patches (including emergency zero-day fixes) - Configure and test backups regularly - Manage infrastructure scaling and performance - A dedicated DevOps engineer for GitLab maintenance costs CHF 120,000-150,000/year in Switzerland - Smaller teams often fall behind on upgrades and patches **Best for:** Large organizations with a dedicated platform team and specific infrastructure requirements. ## VSHN Managed GitLab VSHN operates your dedicated GitLab instance on the infrastructure of your choice. You get the control of self-hosting without the operational burden. **Strengths:** - **Dedicated instance**: not shared with other customers - **Your infrastructure, your choice**: Swiss cloud (cloudscale.ch, Exoscale), your existing Azure or AWS tenant, or on-premises. VSHN operates GitLab wherever your VMs run. - Weekly maintenance: OS updates, GitLab upgrades, zero-day patches - Daily encrypted backups with on-demand restore - 24/7 monitoring with incident response - Up to 99.99% SLA with service credits on breach - ISO 27001 certified operations - Fixed monthly price, no per-user fees **Pricing:** | Service | Monthly price | What you get | |---|---|---| | Managed GitLab (Best Effort) | CHF 360 | Monitoring, backups, upgrades, office-hours support | | Managed GitLab (99.99% SLA) | CHF 1,500 | Everything in Best Effort + 24/7 active monitoring, SLA with service credits | | Dedicated CI Runner | CHF 200 | Dedicated runner for your pipelines | | CI Runner add-on | CHF 44 | Runner on existing managed server | Cloud infrastructure costs (compute, storage, network) are billed separately by the provider. **Best for:** Swiss companies that need data residency, compliance (FINMA, ISO 27001), and predictable costs without building an ops team. ## Cost comparison for a 10-person team | Model | Monthly cost | Annual cost | Includes ops? | |---|---|---|---| | GitLab.com Premium | ~CHF 270 (10 x $29) | ~CHF 3,200 | Yes (SaaS) | | Self-Hosted (DIY) | CHF 0 (software) | CHF 120-150K (engineer) | No — you hire | | VSHN Best Effort | CHF 360 | CHF 4,320 | Yes | | VSHN 99.99% SLA | CHF 1,500 | CHF 18,000 | Yes, 24/7 | The SaaS option is cheapest if you don't need Swiss data residency. Self-hosting is the most expensive when you account for engineering time. VSHN sits in between: dedicated infrastructure with professional operations at a fraction of a full-time engineer. ## When to choose VSHN VSHN Managed GitLab makes sense when: - Your data must stay in Switzerland (FINMA, Swiss data protection, internal policy) - You want GitLab in your existing Azure or AWS tenant, without managing it yourself - You want a dedicated instance, not a shared SaaS platform - Your team is too small for 24/7 GitLab operations - You need a predictable monthly cost instead of per-user pricing that scales with headcount - Compliance requires ISO 27001 certified operations and audit-ready infrastructure For a detailed sovereignty analysis, see our [GitLab sovereignty assessment](/sovereignty/), which covers how VSHN scores against the EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework across eight dimensions. ## Next steps Ready to discuss your GitLab setup? Book a free 15-minute call with our team. We'll review your current environment and recommend the right approach. --- ## Partner with VSHN on Managed GitLab | VSHN # Partner with VSHN on Managed GitLab You bring the customer relationship and GitLab expertise: migration planning, CI/CD pipeline design, developer training. VSHN brings 24/7 managed operations, Swiss data residency, and a 99.99% SLA. Together you deliver a complete managed GitLab solution without either side building capabilities you don't have. ## How we collaborate **Lead Partner model.** For each project, one of us is the customer's single point of contact. Who leads depends on the project, agreed per engagement. The Lead Partner drives the project, handles invoicing, and owns first-level support. **Joint delivery.** You handle consulting, integration, and project management. VSHN handles infrastructure operations, monitoring, backups, and SLA. Or the other way around, depending on the project. Roles are agreed per engagement, not locked into a rigid structure. **Flexible billing.** Invoice the customer together or separately, agreed per project. Both models are supported: each party invoices their share directly, or one party invoices the full amount and redistributes. **Protected relationships.** No undercutting. Your customer stays your customer. Existing relationships are respected on both sides, with contractual protections for both parties. ## Division of labour for Managed GitLab | Your role | VSHN's role | |-----------|-------------| | Migration planning and execution | GitLab instance provisioning and operations | | CI/CD pipeline design and optimisation | Backup, restore, and disaster recovery (100 GB included) | | Developer training and onboarding | Monitoring, alerting, and 24/7 incident response | | GitLab workflow consulting | GitLab upgrades and security patches | | Project management and customer relationship | SLA with defined response times (up to 99.99%) | | Custom integrations and automation | Dedicated GitLab CI runners (optional) | ## Partners delivering Managed GitLab **[tim&koko](https://tim-koko.ch)**. Cloud consulting firm offering tailored technological solutions. Delivers GitLab migrations and CI/CD pipeline design on VSHN-operated infrastructure. **[Puzzle](https://puzzle.ch)**. Software company with 140+ employees. Provides GitLab consulting, DevOps transformation, and developer enablement alongside VSHN managed GitLab. See all VSHN partners at [servala.com/partners](https://servala.com/partners/). ## Become a partner Interested in delivering managed GitLab together? Let's explore how we complement each other. [Book a partnership discovery call](https://aarno.cal.vs.hn/15-gitlab) or [start a partnership conversation](#contact). --- ## GitLab Sovereignty — CLOUD Act-Free Hosting | VSHN # GitLab Sovereignty: Beyond "Hosted in Switzerland" GitLab.com SaaS runs on Google Cloud Platform in the USA. Your source code, CI/CD pipelines, issues, and merge requests are stored on US infrastructure, governed by US law, and accessible under the [CLOUD Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CLOUD_Act) without Swiss judicial process. Switching to self-hosted GitLab on Swiss infrastructure solves the data residency question, but sovereignty is more than where data is stored. The EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework defines eight dimensions that determine whether your provider is truly sovereign. ## Why GitLab is a strong choice for sovereignty GitLab Community Edition is **fully open source** (MIT license). Unlike GitHub (proprietary, Microsoft-owned) or Bitbucket (proprietary, Atlassian-owned), GitLab CE gives you: - **No vendor lock-in**: you can migrate to any GitLab instance or fork the project - **Full code auditability**: every line of GitLab CE is inspectable - **No proprietary dependencies**: runs on standard PostgreSQL, Redis, and Linux - **Community-governed**: not dependent on a single company's roadmap VSHN operates GitLab CE on Swiss infrastructure. Combined with VSHN's Swiss ownership and operations, this creates a fully sovereign DevOps platform. ## GitLab sovereignty compared | Dimension | GitLab.com SaaS | GitHub (Microsoft) | VSHN Managed GitLab | |-----------|----------------|-------------------|-------------------| | **Ownership** | GitLab Inc. (USA) | Microsoft (USA) | VSHN AG (Switzerland) | | **Governing law** | US law | US law | Swiss law | | **CLOUD Act** | Exposed | Exposed | Not exposed | | **Data location** | USA (Google Cloud) | USA (Azure) | Switzerland (cloudscale.ch, Exoscale, or your choice) | | **Source code** | Open core | Proprietary | Open source (GitLab CE) | | **Operations team** | USA | USA | Switzerland ([Swiss-only option](https://products.vshn.ch/support_plans.html#_option_switzerland_only_support)) | | **Certifications** | SOC 2 | SOC 2, ISO 27001 | [ISO 27001](https://www.vshn.ch/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ISO-27001-certificate-VSHN-2024.pdf), ISAE 3402 Type II | ## VSHN sovereignty self-assessment We applied the EU's [Cloud Sovereignty Framework](https://commission.europa.eu/document/09579818-64a6-4dd5-9577-446ab6219113_en) (v1.2.1, October 2025) to our own services. This framework was used to score providers in the EU's [EUR 180M sovereign cloud tender](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_833) in April 2026. Three pure-European providers achieved SEAL-3, while a consortium involving Google Cloud scored only SEAL-2. *This is a self-assessment, not a formal SEAL certification. We publish it for transparency so customers can evaluate our sovereignty profile using the same structured criteria the EU uses.* | # | Dimension | Weight | Assessment | Evidence | |---|-----------|--------|-----------|----------| | SOV-1 | Strategic | 15% | **Strong** | Swiss AG, no foreign parent, all shareholders Swiss citizens ([Commercial Register](https://zh.chregister.ch/cr-portal/auszug/auszug.xhtml?uid=CHE-275.566.226)) | | SOV-2 | Legal | 10% | **Strong** | Swiss law ([GTC](https://products.vshn.ch/legal/gtc_en.html)), no CLOUD Act, [EU adequacy decision](https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/adequacy-decisions_en) | | SOV-3 | Data & AI | 10% | **Strong** | Swiss DCs by default. Sovereign key management via [Managed OpenBao](https://www.openbao.ch) + [Swiss HSM](https://cloud.securosys.com/cloudhsm) | | SOV-4 | Operational | 15% | **Strong** | Swiss 24/7 ops, [Swiss-only support option](https://products.vshn.ch/support_plans.html#_option_switzerland_only_support). All services on vanilla Kubernetes | | SOV-5 | Supply Chain | 20% | **Strong** | Infrastructure-agnostic — [customer chooses provider](https://servala.com/providers/). Open-source software | | SOV-6 | Technology | 15% | **Strong** | 100% open source. VSHN contributes to [K8up](https://github.com/k8up-io) (CNCF), [Crossplane providers](https://github.com/vshn), [Project Syn](https://github.com/projectsyn) | | SOV-7 | Security | 10% | **Strong** | [ISO 27001](https://www.vshn.ch/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ISO-27001-certificate-VSHN-2024.pdf), ISAE 3402 Type II, Swiss SOC. [FINMA-regulated customers](https://www.vshn.ch/en/solutions/solutions-for-banks-and-financial-service-providers/) | | SOV-8 | Environmental | 5% | **Moderate** | DC operators: Green Datacenter AG (ISO 22301/27001/27701), [Exoscale sustainability](https://www.exoscale.com/sustainability/). [VSHN CSR policy](https://handbook.vshn.ch/corporate_social_responsibility_policy.html) | **Overall: SEAL-3 equivalent**, the same level achieved by the winners of the EU's own sovereignty tender. No provider worldwide achieved SEAL-4: it requires fully EU/EEA-sourced hardware supply chains and open-source foundations, structural gaps shared by every cloud provider. Try Swiss infrastructure: [Servala](https://www.servala.com) (managed services, free trial), [Exoscale]({{partner:exoscale.signup_url}}) (Swiss IaaS). Want help choosing? [Contact us](#contact). ## Get a sovereignty assessment for your GitLab setup Running GitLab.com SaaS and concerned about CLOUD Act exposure? We assess your sovereignty profile against the EU framework and plan a migration path to self-hosted GitLab on Swiss infrastructure.