By George Sarris, CEO of HostingB2B
At HostingB2B, we believe infrastructure should do more than provide computing resources. It should empower businesses to innovate, automate operations and build new digital services with confidence.
Recently, our technical team helped a customer transform a newly provisioned Ubuntu VPS into a self-hosted environment combining n8n, Supabase and PostgreSQL. The objective was to deliver a flexible infrastructure foundation that could support workflow automation today and the development of a future business portal tomorrow. This case study explains how we approached a self-hosted n8n and Supabase deployment, and why the architectural decisions matter as much as the software itself.
The Challenge: Two Applications, One Infrastructure
The customer required two complementary platforms running side by side on a single server:
- n8n would support workflow automation, allowing applications, APIs and business processes to communicate with each other.
- Supabase would provide the application backend, including PostgreSQL, authentication, APIs and the services required by the customer’s future portal.
Security was an important requirement from the outset. Administrative interfaces needed authentication, communication had to be encrypted, and databases should not be directly exposed to the internet.
Building the Foundation with Ubuntu and Docker
Server Specification
We deployed the environment using:
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- 4 vCPU
- 8 GB RAM
- Approximately 126 GB storage
- Docker Engine and Docker Compose
- Persistent Docker volumes
- Caddy reverse proxy with HTTPS
Docker allowed us to separate services into independently managed containers. Each component can be updated or restarted without disturbing the rest of the stack, which makes application maintenance and future expansion considerably easier.
Deploying n8n with Dedicated PostgreSQL
We installed n8n Community Edition as a self-hosted workflow automation platform.
Instead of relying on the default SQLite database, we configured n8n to use a dedicated PostgreSQL 17 container. PostgreSQL is better suited to production workloads than a file-based database, particularly as the number of workflows and stored executions grows.
This database supports n8n’s workflow definitions, application credentials, execution records and internal configuration. Persistent Docker volumes were configured to preserve application data across container restarts and updates.
Deploying Supabase for Application Development
The second phase involved deploying the Supabase platform, which gives the customer’s development team the building blocks it needs for its business portal.
Platform Components
- PostgreSQL 17.6
- Supabase Studio
- Authentication services
- REST APIs
- Realtime services
- Object Storage
- Edge Functions
- Database connection pooling
The deployment included 11 containers, all of which passed their initial health checks.
Importantly, Supabase has its own PostgreSQL instance, completely separate from n8n’s internal database. The customer’s development team can use Supabase to build its business portal without interfering with the automation database.
Security Built into the Architecture
Security formed part of the initial deployment rather than an afterthought:
- Encrypted traffic: We implemented HTTPS using Caddy with automated TLS certificate management.
- Restricted exposure: Application services were configured with internal Docker networking and restricted port exposure. PostgreSQL was not published directly to the internet.
- Access control: Authentication was enabled for the administrative interfaces.
Supabase Studio access was successfully verified. n8n’s backend and authentication proxy were also tested, with final browser-access verification remaining part of the handover.
Why Database Separation Matters
Two independent PostgreSQL environments offer a cleaner operational architecture:
- One supports n8n and its automation workflows.
- The other stores the business application data managed through Supabase.
This separation helps simplify database access, maintenance, development and backup planning. Changes made while building the portal do not touch the automation engine, and each database can be maintained on its own schedule.
Backup Planning Across Both Databases
Separation also means backups must be planned deliberately. Backups must cover both databases and the relevant application storage, encryption keys and configuration files.
Additional Acronis backup protection was identified as a follow-up service and had not yet been activated at the time of the deployment.
The Business Value: More Than a VPS
What makes this project valuable is not simply the technology involved. A VPS is only the starting point.
The real value comes from combining reliable infrastructure with technical implementation, sensible architecture, security controls and operational knowledge. This deployment established the foundation for integrating workflows, developing business applications and expanding digital capabilities through a self-hosted environment.
My Perspective — George Sarris
Over the years, I have seen businesses invest in technology while underestimating the importance of the infrastructure supporting it. Automation, APIs and application databases all depend on secure, properly configured environments.
At HostingB2B, our approach is to bridge the gap between infrastructure procurement and practical implementation. Whether customers require virtual private servers, dedicated servers or more complex cloud environments, our objective remains the same: to provide infrastructure that enables their businesses to grow.
Great infrastructure is not just about keeping servers online. It is about enabling what businesses can build on top of them.
Build Your Next Project with HostingB2B
Planning to deploy n8n, PostgreSQL, Supabase or another containerized application?
Explore our cloud, VPS and dedicated-server solutions at hostingb2b.com, take a look at our Managed VPS Hosting, or contact our technical team to discuss your requirements.
Best Regards, The HostingB2B Team
