Cozystack is an open-source (Apache 2.0) cloud platform that fits a narrow set of K-12 education cases: large school districts and regional consortia with student-data sovereignty mandates, EdTech teams building their own LMS/SIS/analytics, and AI or analytics workloads on student data that cannot run on hyperscaler endpoints. It runs virtual machines and containers on one Kubernetes API via KubeVirt, with Cilium (eBPF) networking, LINSTOR/DRBD storage, and Tenant-CRD multi-tenancy that maps cleanly to district-central, per-school, and per-classroom isolation. Ænix, which created Cozystack and co-maintains it, delivers Ænix Private Cloud Platform (quoted per RFP) plus support on top. For most K-12 districts, hyperscaler-managed services and standard EdTech tools remain the better fit, and Ænix says so openly.
K-12 education has different infrastructure needs than universities. School districts handle student data with strict residency / privacy regulations (FERPA in US, GDPR + national rules in EU), often serve 10,000-100,000+ students across many schools, and operate on long budget cycles. Most K-12 districts are well-served by hyperscaler-managed services. The exception cases — large districts with sovereignty mandates, AI/EdTech platforms processing student data on-premise, district consortia building shared infrastructure — are where Cozystack can fit.
Pairs with: Ænix Private Cloud Platform for sovereignty-mandated student-data handling at large district / ministry-of-education scale.
When Cozystack fits K-12
- Large district / regional consortium with student data sovereignty pressure
- Multi-tenant model — district central + school-level + classroom-level isolation
- EdTech platform development — districts building their own LMS / SIS / analytics
- AI / analytics on student data — where hyperscaler endpoints aren’t acceptable
- Procurement-mandated sovereignty — some EU member states + non-EU jurisdictions
For most K-12 districts, hyperscaler-managed services + standard EdTech tools is a better fit. We’re explicit when this is the case.
What we cover for fitting K-12 cases
District workloadsLMS / SIS / analyticsAI / analytics on student data
run on
CozystackOne Kubernetes API (KubeVirt)Tenant-CRD multi-tenancyStudent-data residency
isolates
District / school / classroomCentral operationsPer-school isolationClassroom-level separation
- Multi-tenant district platform — central operations + per-school isolation
- FERPA / GDPR-aligned architecture — opt-in encryption + audit + residency
- AI infrastructure for analytics, learning-pattern AI on local data
- Student-data residency on infrastructure the district or ministry controls
- Long-budget-cycle planning — Apache 2.0 platform fits district budget cycles
How to start
Ænix created Cozystack (CNCF Sandbox project) and co-maintains it with maintainers from other companies.
Frequently asked questions
Does every K-12 school district need a sovereign cloud platform like Cozystack?
No. Most K-12 districts are well-served by hyperscaler-managed services and standard EdTech tools. Cozystack fits the exception cases: large districts or consortia with sovereignty mandates, EdTech teams building their own platforms, or AI/analytics on student data that cannot use hyperscaler endpoints.
How does Cozystack help with FERPA and GDPR for student data?
Cozystack supports a FERPA/GDPR-aligned architecture through opt-in volume encryption, audit logging, and student-data residency. Data stays on infrastructure the district or ministry controls, which addresses residency and privacy requirements that hyperscaler endpoints may not satisfy.
Can one platform isolate a district, its schools, and individual classrooms?
Yes. Cozystack’s Tenant CRD provides hierarchical multi-tenancy, so a district can run central operations with per-school isolation and, where needed, classroom-level separation on shared infrastructure rather than provisioning separate clusters per school.
What does it cost, and how does licensing affect long district budget cycles?
Cozystack itself is Apache 2.0 with no per-CPU or per-core licensing, which suits multi-year district budgets. Ænix Private Cloud Platform is quoted per RFP. Support tiers for self-run Cozystack start at $1,250 per 10 nodes per month (Basic, billed annually) — see the pricing page.
Can Cozystack run AI and analytics on student data on-premise?
Yes. Cozystack provides GPU infrastructure (NVIDIA GPU Operator) for analytics and learning-pattern models that run on local, district-controlled data, which is the relevant option when hyperscaler AI endpoints are not acceptable for student-data handling.
How is the K-12 case different from universities?
K-12 districts handle student data under FERPA or GDPR plus national rules, serve tens of thousands of students across many schools, and operate on long budget cycles, so the multi-tenant district/school model and residency requirements differ from a university’s research and departmental computing needs.
