Licensed to be used in conjunction with basebox, only.
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Cloud or Server – which fits?
Applies to
Product: Cloud · Server · Audience: Decision makers · IT · Data protection
For production use, basebox is available as basebox Cloud and as basebox Server. Interface and features are the same. What differs is location, operation, network connectivity and billing. This page puts the criteria for your decision side by side.
- basebox Cloud
- A separate, isolated environment per organisation in the noris network data centre in Munich-East, operated by basebox. Start for free with no minimum size; booked from 5 people, billed per person by invoice.
- basebox Server
- A dedicated server for your organisation only – on your premises (optionally without an internet connection) or in a data centre operated by basebox. A server hosted at basebox remains Server, not Cloud.
Cloud accounts created before the Cloud start in November 2026 run in the transition phase until the move. You create a Cloud account via "Get started for free".
The criteria
What data do you process? In the Cloud, your data lives in your organisation's environment at basebox; basebox acts as processor on the basis of a data processing agreement. On a server, all data – users, chats, documents, embeddings, audit log – lives on that server; without a commission basebox has no access. If you process special categories of personal data under Art. 9 GDPR (for example health data), a data protection impact assessment is usually indicated – see GDPR.
Do you have your own operations team? Not needed for the Cloud: basebox runs infrastructure, updates, monitoring and backups. A self-managed server is looked after by your IT – operating system, NVIDIA drivers, Kubernetes, inference, backups, updates. Without such a team you can commission basebox with installation and operation.
Does basebox have to run without internet? Only possible with a server in your own data centre. In air-gapped operation, web search and online model downloads are not available; software and updates arrive by offline transfer – see Air-gapped environments.
How soon do you want to start? In the Cloud, basebox sets up the environment after the contract is signed; then the first administrator signs in. For a server, hardware selection or procurement, installation and validation of the installation come on top.
How many people will use basebox? The booked basebox Cloud is available from 5 people; you can start for free with no minimum size. A server is sized for the expected load – the language model and the GPU equipment determine how many requests can run at the same time.
How do you connect your systems? Both products can be connected to an identity provider (LDAP, single sign-on), a mail server, business systems via connectors and your own software via the API. In the Cloud, network connectivity runs from the basebox environment to your systems; a server sits in your network or is connected via VPN – see Enterprise integration.
Who should operate it? Cloud: always basebox. Server: your IT, or basebox if separately commissioned. Buying the software does not automatically include operating the infrastructure – see Responsibilities.
Comparison
| basebox Cloud | basebox Server | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Separate, isolated environment per organisation | Dedicated physical server for one organisation |
| Location | noris network data centre, Munich-East | Your premises / data centre, or a data centre operated by basebox |
| Operation | basebox | Your IT, or basebox if commissioned |
| Application administration | You | You |
| Own operations team needed | No | Yes, if you operate it yourself |
| Can run without internet | No | Yes, in your own data centre |
| Language model | Runs inside the environment; no external model provider | On the server or on your own GPU host |
| Access by basebox | As operator and processor (DPA) | Only if commissioned; PAM/VPN, time-limited, logged |
| Hardware | None of your own | Sourced via FAST LTA or procured yourself |
| Size | Free with no minimum, booked from 5 people | Sized by model and GPU |
| Billing | Per person, by invoice | see pricing |
| Pricing | basebox.ai/preise | basebox.ai/preise |
Read on
- The environments in detail: basebox Cloud · basebox Server · Which basebox environment am I using?
- Technical description: Deployment models · Hosting options for Server
- Security view: Security → Cloud · Security → Server
Next step: Start with basebox Cloud · Start with basebox Server
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