How much disk space, RAM, and CPU do you need in total?

You can set up a cloud-native infrastructure using OpenStack with Block Storage (Cinder) over NFS, deployed on dedicated servers, and scale out infinitely.

Since most cloud providers use OpenStack, building your own private cloud is the most cost-effective solution for long-term growth. To get started, you need at least three dedicated servers, though some services can run together or on cloud VMs depending on load and redundancy. This setup is ideal for hosting the UNA APP on one or more sites. Affordable dedicated servers from providers like Hetzner can be used to build such an infrastructure.

Minimal server setup for a functional OpenStack cluster

1. Controller node

• Services: Keystone, Glance, Neutron-server, Nova API, RabbitMQ, MariaDB, Cinder API
• CPU: 8–16 cores
• RAM: 32–64 GB
• Disk: 500 GB+ SSD
• Notes: Handles control plane and management services. Horizon (dashboard) and databases can optionally run on compute VMs.
• Servers required: 1 (can scale to 2–3 for HA)

2. Compute node

• Services: Nova compute, optionally Cinder-volume
• CPU: 16–32 cores
• RAM: 64–128 GB
• Disk: 1–2 TB SSD/NVMe
• Notes: Runs VMs; optional services like Horizon or lightweight databases can be hosted here.
• Servers required: 1–2 to start; more can be added to scale VM capacity

3. Storage / NFS node

• Services: Cinder backend, NFS
• CPU: 8–16 cores
• RAM: 32–64 GB
• Disk: Depends on block storage needs (high disk count, optionally RAID)
• Notes: Provides block storage volumes; can be combined with a compute node in small deployments, but dedicated storage servers are recommended.
• Servers required: 1 to start; more can be added as storage demand grows

Additional notes

• Trove (databases) can run on a dedicated DB server, controller, or compute VM depending on size and HA requirements.
• Minimal functional OpenStack requires at least 3 servers.
• For redundancy or high availability, additional nodes are recommended: extra controllers, extra compute nodes, and extra storage nodes.

OpenStack services and flexibility (open-source)

• Compute: Nova – creates and manages VMs; requires ≥1 compute node; scales horizontally.
• Block Storage: Cinder – creates virtual volumes attachable to instances; requires ≥1 storage server, can share with compute in small deployments.
• Databases: Trove – DBaaS; can run on controller, dedicated DB server, or compute VM.
• Dashboard / Management: Horizon – can run on controller or compute VM.
• Identity / Authentication: Keystone – must run on controller.
• Image service: Glance – runs on controller; can combine with other controller services.
• Networking: Neutron – runs on controller; minimal agents on compute nodes.
• Messaging & DB backend: RabbitMQ and MariaDB/MySQL – typically on controller; can be separated for performance.

Summary

• Minimum servers: 3 (1 controller, 1 compute, 1 storage)
• Flexible options: Horizon, Trove, and some databases can run on compute VMs or combined nodes.
• Scalability: Add more compute nodes for VMs, storage nodes for block storage, and controller nodes for HA.
• Scaling strategy: Start with horizontal scaling using multiple small servers for redundancy. Once you have 10–12 servers, vertical scaling (more CPU/RAM per node) can be considered.

Advantages of this setup

• Cost-effective: Dedicated servers for storage and compute reduce long-term expenses.
• Scalable: Easily add compute or storage nodes; you can create as many virtual disks, cloud servers, CDN , DB, or services as needed.
• Flexible: Horizon, Trove, and databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB can run on VMs, optimizing resource usage.
• Redundancy & High Availability: Extra nodes can be added to ensure HA.
• Cloud-native: Fully compatible with OpenStack, portable and compatible with most cloud providers.
• Optimized performance: Dedicated storage and compute nodes provide better I/O and CPU performance.
• Rich ecosystem: OpenStack offers a wide array of services; the best solution for an open-source private cloud.
• Future-proof: Start small and expand infrastructure as your UNA APP grows.

Estimated Monthly Cost per Server

• Controller Node: €37.30 – €42.00
• Compute Node: €37.30 – €42.00
• Storage / NFS Node: €37.30 – €42.00

Notes:

• Prices are based on Hetzner’s dedicated server offerings and may vary.
• Setup fees, additional storage, and extra bandwidth may increase costs.
• When scaling horizontally, each additional server will have a similar monthly cost.

More info: https://www.openstack.org/

If you need help, I can set up the infrastructure for you, including migration from your existing services. This can be done without downtime by running multiple versions of the UNA APP:

• Site replication: Replicate your existing sites in the private cloud, creating three instances for each site.
• Database replication: Set up a MySQL/MariaDB cluster for each site to replicate your existing databases and migrate them to the cloud.
• Reverse proxies: Replicate three Nginx reverse proxies for each current Nginx session.
• Caddy proxy: Deploy a Caddy proxy in front of all Nginx instances to ensure your sites remain online at all times.
• Database caching: Add a Memcached or DragonflyDB cluster to cache database queries and improve performance.
• HTTP request caching: Add a Redis instance using Valkey Fork (open-source) on Caddy to cache HTTP requests, reducing load and improving response times.

Note: The only data you might lose is cached memory in Memcached, if used, because we will set up Redis for web requests and DragonflyDB/Memcached for database caching. Some active sessions may be lost, and users will need to log in again.

Pricing and service details:

• Complete setup includes: OpenStack cluster deployment, UNA APP migration, site replication, MySQL/MariaDB clusters, Nginx and Caddy proxies, Redis (Valkey Fork), and Memcached/DragonflyDB caching.
• One-time fee: €1,500
• Includes: Configuration, testing, and migration with minimal or no downtime.
• Additional services: Extra sites, high-availability setups, or custom services can be quoted separately.
• Delivery: Service can be completed in 7 business days.
• Small private cloud: To set up three servers, you need to purchase this service three times: Coozila Small Business UNA CMS

Service Requirements

To be able to offer this service safely and without interruptions, you must migrate your domain name to Coozila Small Business:

👉 https://smallbusiness.coozila.com/

This step ensures full integration, better reliability, and seamless migration during setup.

If you feel confident doing it yourself, I wish you the best of luck!