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Answers to questions customers have asked us

Each entry is based on a question from a project. Our own figures are identified as such; external studies are cited with their source and date.

What inquiries usually start with

Six posts that we include most frequently in quotes and reply emails. The selection is reviewed at the beginning of each month.

Custom Software or Off-the-Shelf Software: A Decision-Making Guide Based on 12 CriteriaAn offer is on the table, but no comparison has been madeTwelve evaluative questions help you decide between custom software and off-the-shelf software, covering everything from the degree of process standardization to exit scenarios. Includes real-world cost estimates and a cautionary example from real-life practice.Software Project in Trouble: Decision Tree for the First 14 DaysThe date is up in the airA structured 14-day plan for projects in trouble: from assessing the situation and identifying stakeholders to making an informed decision on whether to continue, restructure, or halt the project.CTO Suddenly Out: Filling a Leadership Vacancy in 72 HoursLack of technical leadershipA 72-Hour Plan for the Absence of Technical Leadership: Secure access, stabilize critical projects, and find the right interim solution.IT Skills Shortage: Nearshoring as a Capacity SolutionOur own people aren't enoughThere are 109,000 unfilled IT positions in Germany, and it takes an average of 7.7 months to fill them. How nearshoring works as a capacity solution—and where its limitations lie.Generative AI in Industry and Retail: Three Entry Projects with Measurable BenefitAI Pilot Set to Go LiveThree projects to get started with generative AI in your company: RAG document search, proposal support, and knowledge assistance for customer service, including costs and timelines based on recent studies.Predictive Maintenance: What It Can and Cannot DoThe plant is down more often than plannedPredictive Maintenance Explained: What predictive maintenance actually does, where its limitations lie, and at what level of downtime costs it becomes worthwhile to implement.

By Topic

If your question isn't listed here, please write it to us in two sentences. You'll receive a response within one business day, directly from a developer. Get in touch

How much VRAM a language model needs depends on quantisation, context length and concurrent requests. That calculation is handled by the LLM Finder for the GPU you intend to use.

Latest posts

October 12, 2026 · Decision

LoRaWAN, 5G, or Wired: A Comparison of Sensor Connectivity Options

Eight criteria, one table, one clear recommendation. This is how production management and IT can work together to find the right connection for new measurement points.

October 9, 2026 · Basics

Ollama in the Workplace: Running Language Models Yourself

Ollama brings language models to your own hardware, without the need for an external API. This article compares Ollama with vLLM and LM Studio and shows where local models reach their limits.

October 8, 2026 · Warning Signs

Key-Person Risk: When System Knowledge Depends on a Single Person

A key-person risk in IT arises when system knowledge depends on just one person. This article discusses the bus factor as a metric and effective countermeasures.

08.10.2026

Mistral Large 4: What the trillion-parameter model means for in-house AI operations

Mistral Large 4 has 1.05 trillion parameters, the open weights are due by the end of October 2026, and the license is still open. What hardware in-house operation requires and when the API or a smaller model is enough.

October 7, 2026 · Schedule

IP Protection in Nearshoring: Access, Repositories, Offboarding

An NDA governs confidentiality. In day-to-day project work, access rules, separate repositories, and a standardized offboarding process protect the code. Here’s how we organize this in a nearshore team.

07.10.2026

AI Hardware in 2027: Buy, Rent, or Wait?

On October 2, NVIDIA raised the price of the 128 GB DGX Spark to $6,950; TrendForce expects DRAM contract prices to rise by 10 to 15 percent in the fourth quarter. What this means for hardware planning for a proprietary language model in 2027.

06.10.2026

Cyber Resilience Act: What the Reporting Obligation Now Requires of Machine Builders

As of September 11, 2026, manufacturers of connected machines and software must report actively exploited vulnerabilities within 24 hours, including for devices in the field. The technical requirements for this include: an SBOM for each version, daily reconciliation, and a standardized reporting process.

October 6, 2026 · Decision

Agile Contracts: Fixed Price or Time and Materials?

The choice between a fixed-price contract and a time-and-materials contract determines the level of flexibility and risk allocation in agile software projects. An overview based on German law, including common hybrid models.

05.10.2026

Grid Fees for 2027: What the Preliminary Rates Mean for Industrial Sites

The preliminary 2027 transmission grid fees rise on average from 2.86 to 3.54 cents per kilowatt-hour, capacity charges by up to 30 percent. What plant and energy managers should now check in their own load profile.

October 5, 2026 · Basics

Remotely Managing Edge Locations: Keeping Branch Offices and Remote Locations Under Control

Branch offices and remote locations can be maintained remotely without an in-house IT team, as long as a console, virtual media, and monitoring are available. This article explores the practical applications and limitations of lights-out operations.

05.10.2026

Kolibri by Aleph Alpha: What the German Open-Weight Model Means for Businesses

An Overview of Kolibri by Aleph Alpha: 78 billion parameters, German and English, Apache 2.0. What hardware your business needs and how the model is suited for small and medium-sized businesses.

October 2, 2026 · Basics

Improving OEE: Key Metrics from Real-Time Data

The first automatically measured OEE is almost always lower than the estimated figure from the shift log. That is precisely the starting point for sustainable improvement.

Before you turn the page

The list begins below. If you have a specific question, sending an email is faster than scrolling through the list. You'll receive a response within one business day. Get in touch

Directory

Category
Plant MonitoringEnergy ManagementSoftware DevelopmentInterim CTOAI ConsultingNearshoreRemote InfrastructureCompany
Type
CostsDecisionRoadmapBasicsWarning Signs
Tool
LLM Finder

  1. 12.10.2026LoRaWAN, 5G, or Wired: A Comparison of Sensor Connectivity OptionsPlant Monitoring
  2. 09.10.2026Ollama in the Workplace: Running Language Models YourselfAI Consulting
  3. 08.10.2026Key-Person Risk: When System Knowledge Depends on a Single PersonInterim CTO
  4. 08.10.2026Mistral Large 4: What the trillion-parameter model means for in-house AI operationsAI Consulting
  5. 07.10.2026IP Protection in Nearshoring: Access, Repositories, OffboardingNearshore
  6. 07.10.2026AI Hardware in 2027: Buy, Rent, or Wait?AI Consulting
  7. 06.10.2026Cyber Resilience Act: What the Reporting Obligation Now Requires of Machine BuildersSoftware Development
  8. 06.10.2026Agile Contracts: Fixed Price or Time and Materials?Software Development
  9. 05.10.2026Grid Fees for 2027: What the Preliminary Rates Mean for Industrial SitesEnergy Management
  10. 05.10.2026Remotely Manage Edge Locations: Keep Branches and Remote Offices Under ControlRemote Infrastructure
  11. 05.10.2026Kolibri by Aleph Alpha: What the German Open-Weight Model Means for BusinessesAI Consulting
  12. 02.10.2026Improving OEE: Key Metrics Based on Real-Time DataPlant Monitoring
  13. 01.10.2026Launching an AI Pilot Project: A 90-Day MethodologyAI Consulting
  14. 30.09.2026Post-Merger IT Integration: The First 100 DaysInterim CTO
  15. 29.09.2026Customer requirements specification for software: template and exampleSoftware Development
  16. 29.09.2026Ensuring Knowledge Transfer: Documentation to Mitigate the "Bus Factor" RiskNearshore
  17. 28.09.2026Risks of AI-Generated Code: Quality, Liability, SecuritySoftware Development
  18. 25.09.2026Multi-tenant access: Permissions for service providersRemote Infrastructure
  19. 24.09.2026Energy Monitoring: 5 to 25 Percent Savings Through TransparencyPlant Monitoring
  20. 23.09.2026The Cloud Act and the GDPR: Where Your AI Data Should Be StoredAI Consulting
  21. 22.09.2026Technical Due Diligence in Acquisitions: What the Code Reveals About the CompanyInterim CTO
  22. 21.09.2026Onboarding Nearshore Teams: The First 30 Days Are CrucialNearshore
  23. 18.09.2026AI-Powered Software Development: What's Changing for ClientsSoftware Development
  24. 17.09.2026Isolating the Management Network: Redundant Architecture for EmergenciesRemote Infrastructure
  25. 16.09.2026NIS2 in Production: Demonstrating OT SecurityPlant Monitoring
  26. 15.09.2026Data Quality as the Foundation of AI: Data First, Then ModelsAI Consulting
  27. 14.09.2026ERP Projects in Crisis: Typical Patterns and SolutionsInterim CTO
  28. 11.09.2026A Comparison of Nearshoring Locations: Eastern Europe 2026Nearshore
  29. 10.09.2026How to Structure an MVP Correctly: What Should Be Included in the First VersionSoftware Development
  30. 09.09.2026Remote Power Management: Restart Frozen Servers Without On-Site InterventionRemote Infrastructure
  31. 08.09.2026EU Data Act: Access to Machine Data as a Requirement and an OpportunityPlant Monitoring
  32. 07.09.2026AI Funding Programs in 2026 in Germany and AustriaAI Consulting
  33. 04.09.2026Changing Service Providers Mid-Project: Legal and Technical ConsiderationsInterim CTO
  34. 03.09.2026Contract Models in Nearshoring: Fixed Price, Time and Materials, Dedicated TeamNearshore
  35. 02.09.2026Measuring Technical Debt: How to Prioritize Your Refactoring BudgetSoftware Development
  36. 28.08.2026RAG Explained: Connecting Company Knowledge Securely to Language ModelsAI Consulting
  37. 28.08.2026IT Project Budget Overrun: Analyzing the Causes Before Assigning BlameInterim CTO
  38. 28.08.2026Quality Assurance in Distributed Teams: Reviews, Pipelines, StandardsNearshore
  39. 28.08.2026Modernize or Replace Legacy Software? A Decision TreeSoftware Development
  40. 27.08.2026Virtual Media: Installing Operating Systems RemotelyRemote Infrastructure
  41. 27.08.2026Connecting OT and IT: Integration Patterns Without Production RiskPlant Monitoring
  42. 27.08.2026Mistral, Llama, and Qwen: Open-Source Models in Enterprise UseAI Consulting
  43. 27.08.2026Stopping Scope Creep: How Projects Can Regain Control of Their ScopeInterim CTO
  44. 26.08.2026Collaboration Across Time Zones: Asynchronous Processes That WorkNearshore
  45. 26.08.2026Avoiding Vendor Lock-in: Exit Strategies for Software ContractsSoftware Development
  46. 26.08.2026Firmware Updates Across Hundreds of Servers: Centralized ManagementRemote Infrastructure
  47. 26.08.2026Vibration Analysis: Monitoring Bearings, Pumps, and MotorsPlant Monitoring
  48. 26.08.2026On-Prem LLM for Business: Private AI Models for Sensitive DataAI Consulting
  49. 25.08.2026CTO Suddenly Out: Filling a Leadership Vacancy in 72 HoursInterim CTO
  50. 25.08.2026GDPR and NIS2 in Nearshoring: Compliance Checklist for ClientsNearshore

Do you have a question about any of these topics?

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