Security & deployment
What is self-hosted deployment?
A self-hosted deployment runs the software on infrastructure the customer operates, such as its own servers or private cloud, rather than on infrastructure operated by the vendor.
Also known as: on-premise, on-prem, private deployment
What self-hosting actually changes
- Data residency: files and records never leave a network you control, which is frequently a procurement requirement rather than a preference.
- Access path: the platform can be placed entirely inside a firewall, reachable only from the institutional network or VPN.
- Key custody: encryption keys remain in your environment.
- Lifecycle control: you decide when to upgrade, rather than being upgraded.
What it costs
Self-hosting moves operational responsibility to your team: provisioning, backups, TLS certificates, and upgrades become yours. For an organisation with existing infrastructure and an IT function, this is usually marginal. For a small lab without one, hosted operation is often the more honest choice.