Managed IoT Hosting & Operations

Build and operate production-ready IoT platforms - reliably and without operational overhead.

Schedule a callView pricing

What is Managed IoT Hosting?

Managed IoT Hosting means more than running software in the cloud. It includes architecture, setup, day-to-day operations, monitoring, updates and long-term responsibility for IoT platforms in production.

At merkaio, managed hosting always includes both: building the platform and operating it reliably over time.

merkaio acts as a long-term partner for building and operating your IoT infrastructure.

Why self-hosted IoT platforms often fail in practice

Hidden operational complexity beyond initial setup

Missing monitoring and alerting infrastructure

Unclear ownership for updates and security patches

Scaling issues beyond pilot deployments

No SLA or operational guarantees

Managed hosting shifts responsibility from your team to a dedicated operations partner.

merkaio ops

Build and operate IoT platforms

merkaio ops combines infrastructure engineering and ongoing operations. We don't just host IoT platforms - we design, deploy and operate them as long-term infrastructure.

Architecture & setup
Secure cloud deployment
Continuous operations & monitoring
Updates, backups & security
SLA-backed responsibility

Technologies we manage

merkaio ops is built around a focused, production-proven technology stack.

For these technologies, we take responsibility for setup, operations and long-term management as a Managed Service.

ChirpStack Managed Hosting

ChirpStack Managed Hosting

Managed ChirpStack hosting for LoRaWAN networks - including setup, operations, monitoring and scaling.

View ChirpStack Managed Hosting
Grafana Managed Hosting

Grafana Managed Hosting

Managed Grafana for IoT dashboards, alerting and observability - fully integrated into your IoT stack.

View Grafana Managed Hosting
ThingsBoard Managed Hosting

ThingsBoard Managed Hosting

Managed ThingsBoard for application logic, rule engines and device-level workflows.

View ThingsBoard Managed Hosting

From initial setup to long-term operations

Every managed hosting engagement starts with a solid foundation. merkaio designs and builds your IoT platform first - then operates it reliably in production.

01

Architecture

Requirements & design

02

Setup

Platform deployment

03

Go-Live

Validation & handover

04

Operations

Continuous SLA

05

Scaling

Extensions & growth

Security, reliability and responsibility

  • Secure cloud environments
  • Network isolation & VPNs
  • Monitoring & alerting
  • Backup & recovery
  • SLA-backed availability

We take responsibility for the platform - not just for the deployment.

SLA-backed Operations

Every merkaio ops engagement comes with defined service levels, response times and escalation paths. You know exactly what to expect.

Who benefits from managed IoT hosting

Companies scaling IoT beyond pilots
Teams without dedicated IoT operations
Infrastructure & utility projects
Global deployments & emerging markets
Organizations requiring long-term stability

Transparent. Fair. No hidden costs.

One price for your complete private cloud deployment. No limits, no surprises.

Private Cloud
from99.90€ / month

excl. VAT

Get started
Isolated private cloud deployment
VPN-secured access
Custom subdomain
Unlimited devices
Unlimited gateways
Unlimited users
Managed updates & backups
SLA-based support

FAQ - Managed IoT Hosting & Operations

Common questions about architecture, operations and security of our IoT infrastructure.

With traditional cloud hosting, you only rent empty infrastructure (servers, containers). Installation, configuration, networking, and especially ongoing operation of IoT applications remain 100% your responsibility. With merkaio Managed IoT Hosting, you get a ready-to-use, maintained technology stack. We don't just ensure the server runs - we ensure ChirpStack, ThingsBoard, and Grafana are correctly configured, communicate with each other, and stay up-to-date security-wise. You're not buying server capacity - you're buying functioning IoT operations.
We do both, and that's our core approach. Many service providers build a 'project' and then hand it over. This often leads to Day-2 operations problems (updates, scaling, security). merkaio acts as your long-term infrastructure partner. We design the architecture (Build), bring it live (Deploy), and then take full responsibility for availability, updates, and security (Run). We're not a project consultant who disappears after go-live.
Yes, absolutely. Our philosophy is based on open-source technologies (ChirpStack, Grafana, ThingsBoard, MQTT). We don't use proprietary 'black box' platforms where exporting your data is difficult. Should you ever decide to leave merkaio, you can export the entire stack and all data to operate yourself or with another provider. There is no technological lock-in.
Our Managed ChirpStack Service includes provisioning a dedicated or multi-tenant LoRaWAN Network Server. We handle connecting your gateways (e.g., Milesight), device management, Packet Forwarder integration, and data forwarding via MQTT or HTTP to your application layer. We ensure the ChirpStack server performs stably even as the number of sensors increases.
Yes. We offer Managed Hosting for ThingsBoard (Community & Professional Edition). We handle database deployment (PostgreSQL/Cassandra), configure message queues, and ensure regular updates. This is ideal for customers using ThingsBoard for device management and complex rule chains, but who don't want to handle the operational overhead of Java-based microservices themselves.
As part of merkaio ops, we provide a fully configured Grafana instance connected to your data source (e.g., InfluxDB or Prometheus). Through merkaio dev, we can also assist with creating complex panels, alerts, and reports. You get full access to build your own dashboards without worrying about server updates or plugin compatibility.
Yes. Although we recommend Milesight due to quality and deep integration with our core stack, our infrastructure is hardware-agnostic. As long as your gateways and sensors use open standard protocols (LoRaWAN, MQTT, HTTP, CoAP), we can integrate them into the merkaio infrastructure.
By default, we host our infrastructure in data centers in Germany or the EU (e.g., via Hetzner, Open Telekom Cloud, or AWS Frankfurt) to ensure full GDPR compliance. For specific latency requirements or international deployments, we can also deploy infrastructure in other regions (US, APAC). You decide where your data is stored.
Security is part of our 'Core' architecture. We use VPN tunnels (e.g., WireGuard) or encrypted MQTTS (TLS/SSL) connections between gateways and cloud infrastructure. We also isolate tenants at the network level and implement strict firewall rules and Identity Access Management (IAM) to prevent unauthorized access.
Yes. For our Managed Hosting customers, we offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs). These define guaranteed availability and response times for incidents. Our operations team uses Prometheus-based monitoring to proactively detect anomalies (e.g., gateway offline, disk space low), often before they impact business operations.
That's 100% merkaio's responsibility. Outdated IoT stacks are a massive security risk. We apply security updates for the operating system (Linux), container environment (Docker/K8s), and applications (ChirpStack, Grafana, etc.) regularly and in a controlled manner to minimize downtime.
Absolutely. That's one of the main reasons for merkaio. You can start with a small 'pilot stack' (e.g., 5 gateways, 50 sensors). As your project grows, we scale the underlying resources (CPU, RAM, storage) and architecture (e.g., introducing load balancers) without you having to rebuild the platform.
In many cases, yes. We call this a 'brownfield migration.' We analyze your existing stack. If it's based on compatible technologies (LoRaWAN, MQTT, standard databases), we can migrate it into the merkaio ops structure, stabilize it, and take over operations.
We use transparent fixed pricing rather than unpredictable 'pay-per-message' models that explode at scale. Our pricing is based on infrastructure size (number of gateways/devices) and chosen service level. This gives you planning certainty for your opex costs (operational expenses).
Yes, through our merkaio dev division. If you need special data parsers, custom API interfaces to your ERP system (e.g., SAP), or tailored visualizations, we extend the standard stack for you. The core remains standardized and updateable, while extensions connect cleanly via interfaces.

Let's discuss your infrastructure. Digital and on-site.

Whether it's IoT platform development, hardware selection, managed hosting for ChirpStack, ThingsBoard, Grafana or NetBird VPN, or migration from a self-hosted setup - we'll find the right solution for your use case. Book a free 30-minute consultation, no commitment required.

Timo Wevelsiep

Your contact

Timo Wevelsiep

Founder, merkaio

15 minutes, no commitment, directly with Timo.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy.