---
title: "STACKIT Compute Engine"
description: "Enterprise-grade virtual machines providing scalable Linux and Windows compute instances built on an open OpenStack architecture."
scfAsset:
  category: "service"
  managed: true
  marketplaceUrl: "https://marketplace.stackit.cloud/en/products"
  tags: ["Compute", "IaaS", "VM", "OpenStack", "Infrastructure"]
  maintainers:
    - user: "alexander.gabert"
source_url: "https://framework.stackit.cloud/architecture/assetcontainer/stackit/stackit-service-compute-engine/"
source_file: "docs/architecture/assetcontainer/stackit/stackit-service-compute-engine.mdx"
---

The STACKIT Compute Engine delivers flexible, enterprise-grade Virtual Machines (VMs) for hosting development, testing, and production workloads.

## Service Overview
- **Cost-Effective**: Pay-as-you-go model with minute-by-minute billing precision.
- **High Flexibility**: Rapid automated instantiation of custom Linux and Windows machine flavors in seconds.
- **Sovereign Infrastructure**: GDPR-compliant operation hosted in secure, certified German data centers (BSI C5).

## Technical Details
- **Architecture**: OpenStack-based sovereign cloud infrastructure with Terraform and REST API control.
- **Network & Access**: Security groups for port/protocol filtering, public/private IP attachments, and central SSH key management.
- **Ecosystem Integration**: Native integration with STACKIT DNS, Block Storage, Backup, and STACKIT Network Areas (SNA).
- **Automation**: Management via STACKIT Portal, CLI, Terraform Provider, and STACKIT Server Agent (Run Command).

## Limitations & Constraints
- **No Native Bare-Metal**: Extreme workloads (>6 TB RAM) hit hypervisor limits; dedicated bare-metal instances are unavailable.
- **Cross-Project Networking**: OpenStack networks cannot cross project boundaries directly; require routing via STACKIT Network Areas (SNA).
- **Service Account Linking**: Lacks standard portal UI binding for linking IAM service accounts directly to VMs.
- **Fixed Overcommit**: CPU overcommitting ratios are system-fixed at 1:4 to 1:6 by default.

<LinkCard title="STACKIT Compute Engine Documentation" href="https://docs.stackit.cloud" />