Can V5 Ultimate run on Windows Server?

Both. V5 Ultimate runs as a hosted service operated by us (Cloud, or Private Cloud with an isolated application and database), or as V5 Ultimate On-Premises — a containerised, air-gap capable deployment in your own environment, where you own the database and encryption keys. The application code is the same; hosting responsibility and key custody differ. Hosting details are in the Security & Trust reference.

Only relevant at regulated (GxP) sites. The Enterprise IQ/OQ package covers the Linux-VM pattern — a Linux guest on Windows Server Hyper-V, or on VMware, Nutanix or Proxmox hosts — at no extra cost. Docker Desktop is not an alternative on Windows Server — Docker does not support Docker Desktop on server editions of Windows — so validating any other stack for a regulated site would be scoped separately. Non-regulated plants don't need an IQ/OQ pack — pick whichever option fits IT.

No. The V5 application ships as Linux OCI container images — there is no Windows-native binary of the app tier. On Windows Server it runs inside a Linux guest VM on a Windows hypervisor such as Hyper-V. Docker Desktop is not an alternative there, because Docker does not support it on Windows Server editions; on client Windows 10/11, Docker Desktop uses WSL2 to run Linux containers. Postgres, by contrast, can run natively on Windows Server as the database tier.

It depends on scope: the number of sites, lines and products, how much master data needs loading, any ERP integration and, at regulated sites, your validation approach. A small single-site start with one industry pack and few integrations moves fastest. Your timeline and deliverables are set in your Order or Statement of Work; Enterprise IQ/OQ and validation support are scoped in your quote. We don't publish a standard duration because it depends on your plan and resources.