Open VTS System Requirements

Open VTS System Requirements#

Open VTS is a self-hosted vehicle tracking platform. Before installation, make sure your server meets the hardware, operating system, network, and access requirements listed below.

Minimum Requirements#

The minimum server configuration is:

This is the minimum configuration. Production requirements increase according to vehicle count, telemetry frequency, storage duration, reports, users, sensors, alerts, and integrations.

Recommended Server Sizes#

The following ranges are planning guidelines, not fixed capacity limits.

Actual capacity depends on:

• How often devices send data
• How many vehicles are moving at the same time
• How long telemetry is stored
• Number of simultaneous users
• Report frequency and date range
• Sensors and payload size
• Notifications and integrations

For fleets above approximately 2,500 vehicles, perform load testing using the real protocol, reporting interval, users, reports, and retention settings.

Supported Operating Systems#

Production#

Open VTS supports these 64-bit Windows Server versions:

• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2025

Use Windows Server for production deployments.

Testing only#

• Windows 10, 64-bit
• Windows 11, 64-bit

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are suitable for evaluation and testing, but not recommended for production servers.

Linux and Docker#

Linux and Docker installation support is coming soon.

What the Windows Installer Includes#

The Open VTS Windows installer automatically installs and configures the required components:

• Node.js runtime
• PostgreSQL
• TimescaleDB
• PostGIS
• Redis
• Nginx
• Open VTS frontend
• Open VTS backend
• Open VTS listener
• Required databases and schemas
• Initial seed data
• Required Windows services

You do not need to install these components manually before running the Open VTS installer.

Open VTS also detects the available CPU and RAM and adjusts its internal processes according to the server resources.

Storage Requirements#

The minimum storage requirement is 100 GB SSD.

Storage requirements increase according to:

• Number of vehicles
• Device reporting frequency
• Telemetry retention period
• Sensor data
• Reports
• Application logs
• Uploaded documents
• Database backups
• Future fleet growth

Use:

• SSD for minimum and small deployments
• SSD or NVMe for growing deployments
• NVMe for high-volume deployments

Avoid mechanical hard drives for production telemetry databases.

Keep at least 20% of the disk free for database growth, logs, temporary files, and recovery buffering.

Longer telemetry retention requires more storage. Data retention and database backup are different: retention controls how long active data remains available, while a backup is a separate recoverable copy of the database.

Network Requirements#

Open VTS requires:

• A stable internet connection
• A static public IPv4 address
• Inbound access for web and GPS device communication
• Outbound access for configured integrations and services
• Accurate Windows time synchronization

A static public IP is required because GPS devices send data to a configured server IP and protocol port. If the IP changes, devices may stop communicating.

Use an Elastic IP, reserved IP, or another fixed public IPv4 address for production.

Required Ports#

Public ports#

Open only the listener ports required by the GPS protocols used in your fleet.

Remote Desktop#

Restrict Remote Desktop to trusted IP addresses, a VPN, or another secure access method.

Private internal ports#

The following ports should not be exposed directly to the public internet:

Public web access should pass through Nginx on ports 80 and 443.

Domain, DNS, and SSL#

Static public IP#

Required for reliable GPS device communication.

Domain name#

Optional during installation, but recommended for production.

Example:

track.example.com

DNS access#

Required when connecting a domain. You should be able to create or update DNS records.

SSL certificate#

Strongly recommended for production.

Use secure access through:

https://

SSL protects passwords, customer information, tracking data, and communication between users and the server.

Supported Browsers#

Use one of the following desktop browsers:

• Google Chrome: latest two stable versions
• Microsoft Edge: latest two stable versions
• Mozilla Firefox: latest two stable versions
• Safari: latest two stable versions

For regular mobile use, use the Open VTS mobile application.

Keep JavaScript, cookies, and local storage enabled in the browser.

Required Server Access#

The person installing Open VTS must have:

• Windows Administrator access
• Remote Desktop access for remote servers
• Permission to install applications
• Permission to install and manage Windows services
• Permission to configure Windows Firewall
• Access to the cloud firewall or security group
• Permission to restart services
• Permission to restart the server
• DNS access when using a domain
• Access to static public IP settings

Do not install Open VTS using a restricted Windows account.

Supported Server Environments#

Open VTS can run on:

• Cloud virtual machines
• Virtual private servers
• Dedicated servers
• Private data-centre servers
• VMware virtual machines
• Hyper-V virtual machines
• On-premises Windows servers

The server must provide full administrator access, dedicated resources, SSD or NVMe storage, a static public IPv4 address, and firewall control.

Do not use:

• Shared web hosting
• 32-bit Windows
• Hosting without administrator access
• Dynamic public IP addresses for production
• Personal laptops as production servers
• Servers that sleep or hibernate
• Hosting where required ports cannot be opened

Before Installation#

Confirm the following:

• Windows Server 2019, 2022, or 2025 is installed
• The operating system is 64-bit
• The server has at least 2 vCPU
• The server has at least 4 GB RAM
• At least 100 GB SSD storage is available
• A static public IPv4 address is assigned
• Ports 80 and 443 are available
• The required GPS device protocol port is identified
• Internal service ports are not publicly exposed
• Windows Administrator access is available
• Remote Desktop is working
• Sleep and hibernation are disabled
• The server has stable inbound and outbound internet access
• A domain and SSL plan are prepared for production
• A database backup plan is prepared

Frequently Asked Questions#

What is the minimum server for Open VTS?#

The minimum is 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD, 64-bit Windows, stable internet, and a static public IPv4 address.

Can I install Open VTS on Windows 11?#

Yes, for testing. Use Windows Server 2019, 2022, or 2025 for production.

Do I need to install PostgreSQL, Redis, or Node.js manually?#

No. The Windows installer installs and configures the required components.

Is a domain required?#

No. A domain is optional during installation but recommended for production.

Is a static public IP required?#

Yes. GPS devices need a stable server address for communication.

Should PostgreSQL and Redis be publicly accessible?#

No. PostgreSQL, Redis, backend, frontend, and internal service ports must remain private.

Is 100 GB enough?#

It is the minimum starting point. More storage is required when the fleet grows, devices report frequently, or telemetry is retained for longer periods.

How many vehicles can an 8-vCPU and 16-GB server support?#

A practical planning range is approximately 500–2,500 vehicles under moderate conditions. Actual capacity must be confirmed through load testing.

Next Step#

Continue to Prepare a Windows Server to create or configure a clean server environment for Open VTS.