In part 1 and part 2 of this series, we explored running workloads in NetApp-owned accounts and customer-owned cloud accounts. For our final installment, we examine a third deployment model: running Instaclustr workloads entirely on-premises in your own data center. This approach provides an extreme level of control and addresses specific regulatory requirements, while still leveraging NetApp’s expertise in managing open source technologies.
The on-premises deployment model
The on-premises deployment option enables organizations to host NetApp-managed clusters within their own physical data centers or private cloud environments. This model is particularly valuable for organizations with strict data sovereignty requirements, specialized hardware needs, or existing investments in data center infrastructure.
Key components of the on-premises architecture
1. Infrastructure layer
In the on-premises model, your organization provides and manages the entire physical infrastructure stack. This begins with compute resources—either physical servers or virtualized environments—with specifications appropriate for your specific workloads and performance requirements. Your storage systems, whether NetApp arrays or compatible solutions, must provide the performance characteristics and capacity needed for your data workloads, including appropriate IOPS, throughput, and latency profiles. The networking layer encompasses all internal connectivity, including required security zones, firewall configurations, and any specialized networking hardware needed for optimal performance.
2. Management layer
While you manage the infrastructure, NetApp provides the expertise and tooling to manage the data technologies running on that foundation. The Instaclustr Management Platform is deployed in a secure fashion to communicate with and manage your on-premises clusters, providing the same level of expert oversight available in cloud deployments. Small monitoring agents collect operational metrics and transmit them securely to NetApp, enabling proactive management and performance optimization. Secure management connectivity creates protected channels through which NetApp experts can administer your systems, ensuring your databases run optimally while maintaining appropriate security boundaries.
3. Security and compliance controls
The on-premises model provides enhanced security and compliance capabilities that are particularly valuable for organizations with stringent requirements. Complete data containment ensures all your data remains physically within your own facilities, eliminating concerns about cross-border data transfers or cloud provider access. You maintain full control over both physical and network access to the infrastructure, allowing implementation of security measures specific to your organizational policies and compliance requirements. End-to-end encryption protects any management traffic between your data center and Instaclustr, securing the administration channel. A comprehensive audit trail with detailed logging of all administrative actions supports compliance requirements and provides complete visibility into system management.
Benefits of the on-premises deployment model
1. Maximum control and data sovereignty
The on-premises model provides the highest level of control over where and how your data is stored. With complete data locality, your information never leaves your premises. You can leverage your existing physical security protocols and certifications while maintaining a consistent security posture across all of your systems. The freedom to select specific hardware optimized for your unique workloads means you’re never constrained by cloud provider hardware limitations. Additionally, you maintain full control over network design, security, and performance characteristics, allowing you to architect precisely for your organization’s needs.
2. Integration with existing infrastructure
Seamlessly incorporating NetApp-managed services into your current environment creates significant operational advantages. Your business-critical legacy systems that cannot be migrated to the cloud can have direct connectivity to your database services, eliminating complex hybrid architectures. Applications that are particularly sensitive to latency can benefit from direct access to data services, removing the network hops and variability introduced by cloud deployments. On-premises deployment allows you to utilize existing infrastructure investments while still gaining NetApp’s expert management, maximizing the return on your hardware spending. Your established backup and recovery systems can be directly integrated with NetApp-managed technologies, maintaining consistency in your disaster recovery processes and reducing operational complexity.
3. Specialized compliance requirements
Organizations in highly regulated industries face complex compliance challenges that on-premises deployments are uniquely positioned to address. Financial services, healthcare, government, and defense contractors often operate under strict, industry-specific regulations that mandate tight control over data location and access. On-premises deployment helps navigate the growing patchwork of regional data laws and sovereignty requirements that vary widely across global jurisdictions. Many specialized industry certifications explicitly require on-premises hosting with specific physical and logical security controls that can be difficult or impossible to verify in shared cloud environments. With your infrastructure under your direct control, you can implement organization-specific security controls that go well beyond what’s available in standard cloud offerings, creating a truly customized security posture aligned with your unique risk profile and compliance needs.
4. Performance optimization
When milliseconds matter and consistent performance is essential, on-premises deployments shine through customized infrastructure optimization. On-premises deployments allow you to implement specialized storage solutions, such as NetApp’s high-performance systems, tailored precisely to the I/O patterns and performance characteristics of your specific workloads. The ability to fine-tune every aspect of your network architecture for optimal data flow means you can engineer for minimum latency and maximum throughput exactly where your applications need it most.
Conclusion
As we conclude our three-part series on NetApp Instaclustr offerings, it’s clear that organizations have multiple deployment options to choose from based on their specific requirements.
NetApp-owned accounts provide maximum simplicity and minimal operational overhead and are generally intended for proof-of-concept (POC) situations, quick tests, and for customers who want the service to operate as a SaaS platform.
Customer-owned cloud accounts offer greater control, potential discounts based on customer cloud agreements, and seamless integration options with existing cloud resources, while still leveraging NetApp’s expertise in managing complex database technologies.
On-premises deployment delivers the optimal solution for organizations with strict compliance requirements, specialized performance needs, or significant existing data center investments.
When selecting the right model for your organization, start with a clear definition of your regulatory, performance, and operational requirements. This foundation will guide all subsequent decisions. Design your architecture with future scaling needs in mind. Take full advantage of NetApp’s experience in managing complex open source technologies, allowing you to focus on your applications and customers.
Regardless of which deployment model you choose, NetApp Instaclustr provides the expertise, tools, and support needed to maximize the value of open source data technologies while minimizing operational complexity. By selecting the right deployment architecture and following implementation best practices, your organization can build a robust, scalable, and efficient data infrastructure tailored to your unique requirements.
