On-Premise Installation Features

An on-premise installation of the platform is typically used by large organizations to manage costs and to take advantage of additional features.

The fundamental benefits of an on-premise installation include:

• Fixed cost

  Although the initial cost is higher, it costs nothing extra to add additional users--and additional tenants, which can be a benefit for a very large and/or commercial organization.

• Firewall protection

  Since the platform is running behind the corporate firewall, providing an additional layer of security and data privacy.

• Deterministic upgrades

  The version of the platform that is running in the cloud is upgraded once or twice a month. Those upgrades provide fixes and new features, but they may also introduce new issues, and may include interface changes. For an organization that requires maximum stability, an on-premise installation provides consistent behavior that is upgraded only when the organization deems it prudent.

• Custom installation

  The platform runs across multiple servers. For high-volume applications, many additional servers can be added to eliminate bottlenecks. An on-premise installation allows the organization to monitor server loads and customize the installation for maximum performance.

• Application control

  The applications that are available for installation by a tenant can be limited to those you select.

Additional features available in the installable version include:

• Custom Domain

  An on-premise installation is available at the domain you designate. For example: http://service.yourCompany.com.

• Multiple Tenants

  An organization can create multiple distinct tenants, selectively sharing data among them and automatically updating applications. A commercial venture could have multiple independent clients for a single application. Or a large organization could have different tenants for different departments, effectively isolating them from one another while sharing data in strictly determined ways.

• User Communications: When users log in, they see a message you have crafted for them.

• Custom Java Libraries

  The organization's libraries can be integrated directly into the platform--for example, to access enterprise applications.

• Introspection and Reflection

  The standard Java libraries that provide these advanced features expose public cloud users to unnecessary risk. But while leaving them out provides an extra layer of protection for cloud users, it also introduces some limitations for Java programmers. For example, to build a general-purpose data display tool, it is necessary to ask "What kind of object is this?", and then use the appropriate display mechanism for say, a HashMap or an ArrayList. But the libraries that let you ask those questions are not available in the public cloud. (They're only needed for the most sophisticated of applications, but when they're really needed, they're indispensable.)

Learn more:

• Service Provider Settings
• Using External JARs
• Platform Installation Guide
• Platform Installation Guide (printable)