Build your own agent stack, or use a managed platform?

What building it yourself really includes

Running your own agent stack is more than installing a runtime. For every client you take on the operational surface, not just the agent.

• Servers, runtime installs, and updates.
• Isolation and secret storage per client.
• Monitoring, logs, alerts, and process restarts.
• A recovery plan when an agent or dependency breaks.

What a managed platform handles

A managed platform moves the infrastructure work out of your delivery loop. You still define each agent's scope, credentials, schedule, and review process, but not the servers underneath.

• Managed environments for each client.
• Per-client isolation without server work.
• A dashboard for configuration and monitoring.

The cost that scales with every client

The real question is what happens at client number ten. Self-hosting multiplies operations with each client. A managed platform keeps onboarding a client closer to a deployment than a new system to run.

When building your own stack is the right call

Building your own stack can be right when host-level control is part of what you sell, when you have strict residency or compliance needs that require it, or when you have the operations capacity to run it well. If that is your offer, own the stack on purpose.