Early access: Swiss sovereign Kubernetes, in development
Managed Kubernetes, actually managed
Fully managed Kubernetes on Swiss sovereign cloud. VSHN handles version upgrades, Talos OS, networking, ingress, and storage. Standardized platform, fixed monthly fee, no per-node enterprise licensing.
A managed control plane keeps the cluster running. VSHN answers for the platform.
Node patching is no longer the gap it used to be: STACKIT and IONOS now patch Kubernetes and OS versions on worker nodes automatically, and OVHcloud can trigger an upgrade or a security patch in one click or via API. A patched node is still not a platform. The network, ingress and storage around it stay yours to choose, run and keep working on every new version. With Managed Kubernetes that is VSHN's job: Talos, Kubernetes, Cilium, the Gateway API and Rook / Ceph are upgraded as one set that VSHN has validated together on its own clusters before it reaches yours, and VSHN answers for the platform incident when something breaks. Whether your applications run on the new version stays with you, as it does on a managed control plane: STACKIT's maintenance notices ask customers to test their workloads before an automatic upgrade. With Application Operations on top, VSHN takes that on as well. You get Kubernetes as a first-class interface, not a platform abstracted away.
Operated, not just provisioned
We take responsibility for running Kubernetes, not just spinning it up. VSHN owns cluster provisioning, version upgrades, OS updates, and the core platform components on a defined maintenance schedule. Your engineers stop coordinating upgrades and chasing add-on compatibility, and get back to shipping applications on a platform that stays current.
One opinionated platform
A consistent, standardized stack instead of bespoke per-cluster setups: Talos as the immutable OS, Cilium for networking, the Gateway API for ingress, and Rook / Ceph for storage. Standardization is what makes the service predictable to run and predictable to price, and what lets us operate it reliably at scale.
Fewer platform decisions
You do not need to evaluate CNIs, ingress controllers, storage backends, or upgrade strategies. Those decisions are already made, validated, and operated by VSHN. That reduced cognitive load is the point: a smaller, well-bounded platform your team can reason about instead of a sprawling DIY stack nobody fully owns.
Predictable, productized scope
Managed Kubernetes is a product with a defined scope, not an open-ended consulting engagement. You know what the platform includes, what VSHN operates, and what stays yours. That predictability extends to a productized commercial model rather than effort-based or per-project billing that is hard to forecast.
Swiss sovereign by default
The platform runs on Swiss sovereign infrastructure, starting with Cloudscale, a Swiss provider operating data centers exclusively in Switzerland. Your data and control plane stay in Switzerland, under Swiss law, with no hyperscaler dependency. Sovereignty without the cost and overhead of an enterprise platform.
A clear responsibility line
You always know exactly what we operate and what stays with you. VSHN owns the platform lifecycle; you own your workloads and their behavior. This bounded model is deliberate: it keeps the service simple, lower cost, and honest about where platform responsibility ends and application responsibility begins.
A dedicated cluster, not a shared slice
You get a dedicated Kubernetes cluster, not a tenant slice of a shared platform. That matters for advanced teams: you can install your own custom operators, cluster-wide CRDs, admission webhooks, and node-level configuration that multi-tenant platforms have to restrict. You get full control of the cluster, with VSHN still running the platform underneath.
Who runs what
The responsibility line is drawn on purpose, and we make it explicit. VSHN operates the platform lifecycle. You operate your applications. Nothing in between is left ambiguous.
VSHN operates
- Control plane and worker node availability within the managed scope
- Kubernetes version upgrades on a defined maintenance schedule
- Talos immutable OS updates and base configuration
- Core platform components: Cilium networking, Gateway API ingress, Rook / Ceph storage, OIDC access
- Baseline security patching of the platform
- Platform-level monitoring and incident reaction
The service runs on standardized configurations during business hours, with reactive support rather than around-the-clock operations. That bounded scope is what keeps it simpler and lower cost than enterprise platforms. If you need continuous coverage or regulated-grade guarantees, Managed OpenShift is the better fit.
The platform we operate for you
Immutable, API-driven OS base on Talos Linux: no SSH, no configuration drift
Cluster lifecycle management via Cluster API
Autoscaling of worker nodes
Full, unrestricted Kubernetes API access: standard kubectl and cluster-admin, no proprietary abstraction layer
Networking with Cilium (open source)
Ingress via the Kubernetes Gateway API, with cloud load balancing
Persistent storage via Rook / Ceph
Identity and access: OIDC single sign-on with Kubernetes RBAC
Cloud-native integration: CSI storage drivers and the cloud controller manager (CCM)
Basic observability: platform logs and metrics
API-first, built entirely on open-source components with no enterprise licensing
Managed Kubernetes FAQ
What is Managed Kubernetes from VSHN?
Managed Kubernetes is a standardized, lifecycle-managed Kubernetes platform operated by VSHN on Swiss sovereign cloud. VSHN provisions the cluster, runs version upgrades, updates the immutable Talos operating system, and operates the core platform components, so your team can run production workloads without operating the cluster themselves.
How is this different from a managed control plane like Exoscale SKS or STACKIT?
A managed control plane runs the API server and etcd, and some now patch worker node OS and Kubernetes versions automatically too (STACKIT and IONOS both do). Ingress, storage, network and observability around the cluster stay yours to choose, run and keep compatible with each new version. Managed Kubernetes extends responsibility into the full platform lifecycle: VSHN runs that stack for you and upgrades Talos, Kubernetes, Cilium, the Gateway API and Rook / Ceph as one set, validated together on its own clusters before it reaches yours. Whether your applications run on the new version stays with you in both models, unless you add Application Operations.
How is this different from Managed OpenShift?
Managed OpenShift is the enterprise option: continuous operations, higher service levels, and the broader tooling that regulated industries need. Managed Kubernetes is deliberately simpler and lower cost, with a bounded scope and business-hours support. It targets non-regulated teams for whom an enterprise platform is more than they need.
Which operating system and components run on the platform?
The platform is built on Talos Linux, an immutable, API-managed Kubernetes OS with no SSH and no configuration drift. Networking uses Cilium, ingress uses the Kubernetes Gateway API, persistent storage uses Rook and Ceph, and access uses OIDC. Cluster lifecycle is driven by Cluster API, all from open-source components.
Where does it run, and is my data sovereign?
VSHN Managed Kubernetes runs on Cloudscale, a Swiss cloud provider operating data centers exclusively in Switzerland. Its information security management is certified to ISO/IEC 27001, 27017 and 27018. Your workloads and the cluster control plane stay in Switzerland, under Swiss law, with no hyperscaler dependency. VSHN is a Swiss company too, so every contract between you and the data center is with a Swiss company, and the Swiss-only support option keeps all access to your systems in Switzerland. Additional Swiss sovereign providers may follow based on demand from early-access participants.
What service level and support can I expect?
Managed Kubernetes is a baseline-tier service operated during business hours, with reactive support and platform-level monitoring rather than continuous around-the-clock operations. This bounded service model is intentional and keeps the platform affordable. Teams that need continuous coverage should look at VSHN's enterprise platforms instead.
Who is responsible for my applications?
VSHN operates the platform lifecycle: control plane and node availability, Kubernetes and OS upgrades, and the core components. You remain responsible for your workloads, their compatibility across upgrades, scaling and resilience, and application-level security. The responsibility line is explicit so nothing falls through the cracks.
Is the platform built on open source?
Yes. Every layer of VSHN Managed Kubernetes uses open-source components: Talos Linux, Cluster API, Cilium, the Gateway API, and Rook with Ceph. There is no enterprise licensing in the stack, which avoids vendor lock-in on the orchestration layer and keeps the cost structure of the service lower than license-heavy enterprise platforms.
How do I get started, and when is it available?
Managed Kubernetes is in active development. Register your interest to join the early-access group, tell us about your clusters and workloads, and help shape the platform, the supported providers, and the service scope. We will follow up to discuss whether the platform fits your needs and your timeline.
Who holds the infrastructure contract, us or VSHN?
VSHN, by default. The nodes, storage and network the cluster runs on are procured by VSHN from Cloudscale, so the platform and the machines under it reach you as one service with one SLA behind both. If your organization requires the cloud tenant to be in its own name, keep the subscription and VSHN operates inside it. That choice decides who receives the infrastructure invoice and nothing else about the service.
Register your interest in Managed Kubernetes
Managed Kubernetes is in active development. Tell us about your clusters and workloads to join the early-access group and help shape the platform. We will follow up to discuss fit and timing. There is no commitment.
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