Administer GitLab Dedicated

Tier: Ultimate
Offering: GitLab Dedicated

Use GitLab Dedicated to run GitLab on a fully-managed, single-tenant instance hosted on AWS. You maintain control over your instance configuration through Switchboard, the GitLab Dedicated management portal, while GitLab manages the underlying infrastructure.

For more information about this offering, see the subscription page.

Architecture overview

GitLab Dedicated runs on a secure infrastructure that provides:

  • A fully isolated tenant environment in AWS
  • High availability with automated failover
  • Geo-based disaster recovery
  • Regular updates and maintenance
  • Enterprise-grade security controls

To learn more, see GitLab Dedicated Architecture.

Configure infrastructure

Feature How it works Set up with
Instance sizing You select an instance size based on your user count. GitLab provisions and maintains the infrastructure. Onboarding
AWS data regions You choose regions for primary operations, disaster recovery, and backup. GitLab replicates your data across these regions. Onboarding
Maintenance windows You select a weekly 4-hour maintenance window. GitLab performs updates, configuration changes, and security patches during this time. Onboarding
Release management GitLab updates your instance monthly with new features and security patches. Available by
default
Geo disaster recovery You choose the secondary region during onboarding. GitLab maintains a replicated secondary site in your chosen region using Geo. Onboarding
Backup and recovery GitLab backs up your data to your chosen AWS region. Available by
default

Secure your instance

Feature How it works Set up with
Encryption (BYOK) You provide AWS KMS keys for data encryption. GitLab integrates these keys with your instance. Onboarding
SAML SSO You configure the connection to your identity provider. GitLab handles the authentication flow. Switchboard
IP allowlists You specify approved IP addresses. GitLab blocks unauthorized access attempts. Switchboard
Custom certificates You import your SSL certificates. GitLab maintains secure connections to your private services. Switchboard
Compliance frameworks GitLab maintains compliance with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and other frameworks. You can access reports through the Trust Center. Available by
default
Emergency access protocols GitLab provides controlled break-glass procedures for urgent situations. Available by
default

Set up networking

Feature How it works Set up with
Custom hostname (BYOD) You provide a domain name and configure DNS records. GitLab manages SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt. Support ticket
Inbound Private Link You request secure AWS VPC connections. GitLab configures PrivateLink endpoints in your VPC. Support ticket
Outbound Private Link You create the endpoint service in your AWS account. GitLab establishes connections using your service endpoints. Switchboard
Private hosted zones You define internal DNS requirements. GitLab configures DNS resolution in your instance network. Switchboard

Use platform tools

Feature How it works Set up with
GitLab Pages GitLab hosts your static websites on a dedicated domain. You can publish sites from your repositories. Available by
default
Advanced search GitLab maintains the search infrastructure. You can search across your code, issues, and merge requests. Available by
default
Hosted runners (beta) You purchase a subscription and configure your hosted runners. GitLab manages the auto-scaling CI/CD infrastructure. Switchboard

Manage daily operations

Feature How it works Set up with
Application logs GitLab delivers logs to your AWS S3 bucket. You can request access to monitor instance activity through these logs. Support ticket
Email service GitLab provides AWS SES by default to send emails from your GitLab Dedicated instance. You can also configure your own SMTP email service. Support ticket for
custom service
Switchboard access and
notifications
You manage Switchboard permissions and notification settings. GitLab maintains the Switchboard infrastructure. Switchboard

Get started

To get started with GitLab Dedicated:

  1. Create your GitLab Dedicated instance.
  2. Configure your GitLab Dedicated instance.
  3. Create a hosted runner.