Stylite AG
For almost 15 years, we have relied on PFALZKOM’s physical security, uninterrupted operation and high-performance internet connectivity. The certified data centers and regional proximity are crucial for us and our customers, especially within the pharmaceutical industry. We have thus found a coherent concept for our medium-sized users from the ‘KRITIS’ [critical infrastructure] sector.
Sovereign Cloud Services – A Long-Standing Partnership for Digital Sovereignty
Since 2010, STYLiTE AG has been operating its platform for business-critical applications in PFALZKOM’s high-availability Data Centers. What began with CEO André Keller’s strategic decision to relocate the company’s own platform to the then-newly built Data Center Rhein-Neckar I in Mutterstadt has evolved over the years into a steadily growing partnership on substantive, technical, and personal levels – thanks in part to the cornerstones defined from the outset, such as physical security, uninterrupted operation, high-performance connectivity, and data centers certified to the ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and Tier IV standards.
The shared infrastructure consisting of PFALZKOM Data Centers, networks, and connectivity forms the foundation that makes these independent services possible in the first place. André Keller, Executive Board Member and CEO of STYLiTE AG, emphasizes:
This foundation provides us with the security, availability, and connectivity that our customers in the SME sector, social services, and healthcare expect. Building on this foundation, we offer services and operational models that operate locally, are GDPR-compliant, and do not involve the transfer of data to third parties. This is precisely what our partnership with PFALZKOM stands for.
IT Outsourcing with a Personal Touch
STYLiTE AG is headquartered in Bensheim, within the Rhine-Main-Neckar region. As a specialized IT outsourcing partner, the company focuses on small and medium-sized businesses, associations, social service organizations, and medical and pharmaceutical institutions – including, among others, highly regulated and KRITIS-relevant sectors. Its range of technological services extends from enterprise storage solutions such as TrueNAS, Open-E, and ZFS, to virtualization with VMware and Proxmox, as well as complex network management, all the way to modern firewalling using open standards such as OPNsense/pfSense or Securepoint.
The company’s approach is characterized by a consistent openness to technology, a strict avoidance of vendor lock-in, a clear focus on open-source solutions, and the cultivation of sustainable customer relationships. This approach is underpinned, among other things, by the comprehensive implementation of extensive technical and organizational measures in accordance with the GDPR.
Increasing Pressure in the Cloud Market
The market for modern IT infrastructures is currently characterized by a noticeable surge in demand for digitally sovereign cloud services – a trend that PFALZKOM, as a regional infrastructure specialist, is experiencing firsthand through direct engagement with companies. This trend is driven primarily by regulatory frameworks such as the GDPR, the NIS 2 Directive, ongoing Schrems II debates, and significant cost and licensing pressure from large U.S. hyperscalers. In this dynamic environment, more and more customers are expressing a clear desire to know exactly where their business-critical data is physically located.
They require highly available Data Center capacity that complies with German standards, as well as local partners who are readily accessible – requirements that PFALZKOM meets with tailored solutions thanks to its regional presence and technological expertise.
The Ready-to-Go-Cloud, for example, was designed specifically to meet this set of requirements as a turnkey service bundle that combines STYLiTE’s software expertise with PFALZKOM’s robust infrastructure. These solutions are operated exclusively in PFALZKOM’s high-availability Data Centers – and delivered with seamless data localization within the region. Wim Bonis, CTO of STYLiTE AG, explains the motivation behind this close integration of application and infrastructure:
With BigBlueButton, Mattermost, Nextcloud, and OpenProject, we offer four key building blocks for modern corporate communication – all fully open source and anchored in the secure, high-performance infrastructure of PFALZKOM’s Data Centers. Maximum transparency and no vendor lock-in – that’s what sets us apart from traditional hyperscaler solutions.
The “Ready-to-Go-Cloud” Service Bundle
The Ready-to-Go Cloud offers companies a fully-fledged and completely independent alternative to proprietary U.S. systems. It combines modern open-source applications from STYLiTE with PFALZKOM’s highly available and geo-redundant Data Center infrastructure. At its core, the service bundle consists of four coordinated solutions that can be flexibly integrated into existing IT infrastructures and are provided entirely under regional control:
- BigBlueButton (video calls) is a fully browser-based, privacy-compliant solution that, unlike MS Teams, requires no app installation and integrates seamlessly with Nextcloud. Hosting in PFALZKOM’s ISO-certified Data Centers ensures that all video streams and conference data never leave the region.
- Mattermost (team messenger): A secure messenger for internal communication with flexible channels and chats. It operates on a dedicated, closed server platform within PFALZKOM’s highly secure network environment, ensuring that companies’ business-critical information remains fully protected and does not end up on foreign servers.
- Nextcloud (file sharing): This central platform for document storage and collaborative editing replaces solutions such as Google Drive and OneDrive. It is cross-platform and fully customizable. All data is physically stored on PFALZKOM’s high-performance storage infrastructure, which guarantees customers maximum data sovereignty in accordance with German standards.
- OpenProject (project management): A comprehensive platform that combines traditional and agile methods. As a robust alternative to Jira or Asana, the application runs entirely within PFALZKOM’s secure and fail-safe Data Center, ensuring that even highly sensitive project and customer data is strictly governed by European law.
The Five Core Strategic Values of Collaboration
The measurable added value for end customers is based on five key pillars that define the strategic direction of the partnership between PFALZKOM and STYLiTE (both members of the rhein-neckar.io consortium):
- From the region – for the region: The physical proximity of the Data Centers in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region ensures short distances and personalized, hands-on support on an equal footing.
- GDPR-compliant “by design”: The seamless implementation of all measures in multi-certified German Data Centers systematically eliminates data protection risks.
- 100% open source: The deliberate decision to avoid proprietary software (“black box”) guarantees customers maximum transparency and traceability of all processes.
- No vendor lock-in: By consistently using open standards, companies retain full digital freedom of choice and avoid artificial dependence on individual manufacturers.
- Absolute data sovereignty: There is absolutely no data transfer to non-European hyperscalers or advertising networks – a protective measure that is particularly critical for highly regulated KRITIS customers in the healthcare and social services sectors.
