Introduction
The adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) has grown exponentially across nearly every industry. By eliminating the need to buy, build, and maintain costly infrastructure, SaaS allows organizations to run modern, sophisticated applications on a flexible, pay-as-you-go model.
In many cases, it seems that SaaS has become the default, almost to the point where organizations feel there’s no real choice but to opt for cloud-based systems. However, even in this cloud-first era, a growing number of organizations are recognizing the value of infrastructure-agnostic software solutions that can operate in both cloud and self-hosted environments. With technologies like Kubernetes, building scalable, cloud-native applications that are also suitable for self-hosted deployments is entirely possible.
In this article, we explore a comparison of IDHub’s deployment options and help you understand which approach best aligns with your organization’s identity and access management strategy. These strategies are essential components of strong identity and access management (IAM) systems that deliver scalable and secure digital frameworks.
Deployment Modalities
There are four basic modes of installing and operating IDHub:
As-a-Service Hosted by Sath on a Public Cloud Provider
IDHub SaaS hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), fully managed by Sath’s Operations Team.
Self-Hosted on a Physical/Virtual Node Kubernetes Cluster
Deploy IDHub on your own physical or virtual infrastructure using a Kubernetes cluster in your data center or IaaS environment.
Self-Hosted on a Managed Kubernetes Cluster from Cloud Providers
Use a managed Kubernetes service from AWS, Azure, or GCP to deploy IDHub.
Hybrid Configurations
A combination of on-premise and cloud-hosted components to meet specific business requirements.
Parity in features of Cloud and Self Hosted Identify Management Software
Most self hosted IAM software was built before the last decade in a monolithic way. These software typically do not scale to cloud levels with millions of users, terabytes of data, and massively parallel workflows. Generally, when a cloud version is released, it's a vastly different software, with different databases, different code base, and different features and functionalities; even with the same name and from same vendor, they are significantly different.
IDHub stands apart with true cloud-native architecture built on CNCF platforms, with feature parity across all deployment modalities.
Due to it's same codebase, a self hosted deployment is natively multi-tenant capable. On a self hosted deployment, without any additional effort, multiple tenants can be created with completely isolated data and processes.
What is Best For Your Organization?
Several key factors influence the decision between cloud and self-hosted IAM deployments:
1. Security and Regulatory Requirements
Many industries must comply with strict security regulations and regulatory requirements, especially in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government. These regulations often demand enhanced security, privacy controls, audit capabilities, and data residency assurances that may not be possible in a purely cloud-based model.
2. Data Sovereignty Organizations
With hard requirements around data residency, privacy, and ownership often lean toward self-hosted deployments. When access to applications and digital identities must stay within specific boundaries or infrastructures, self-hosting is typically the best solution. Protecting sensitive access privileges is also a driving factor behind this decision, along with maintaining secure access across critical environments.
3. Infrastructure Management Capabilities
Some organizations have internal IT teams capable of managing full infrastructure operations, including server administration and support. In such cases, a self-hosted deployment may offer greater customization and alignment with internal practices. However, cloud deployment offers a way to streamline user provisioning, improve user experience, and reduce operational burdens. It also allows for enhanced scalability and secure access through centralized identity governance.
4. Cost Considerations
The total cost of ownership varies between models. While cloud deployments involve predictable subscription pricing, self-hosted systems may require higher upfront investment but provide long-term savings. Organizations must align cost with business requirements to ensure optimal ROI.
Additionally, cost predictability becomes a critical differentiator for enterprises planning for future expansions. While cloud offers scalable cost models, self-hosted environments allow for controlled investments and better cost governance.
Cloud Deployment Benefits
Deployment and Maintenance Process
Deploying IDHub in the cloud eliminates the need for purchasing and maintaining hardware or hiring a dedicated server team. Cloud deployments take care of everything from software installations to system updates and patching. With just a few clicks, you’re ready to begin managing the user lifecycle of access control, user provisioning, and user roles with role-based access control policies. The flexibility of this access management solution is what makes it ideal for organizations with limited IT resources seeking to deliver secure access across diverse environments.
Scalability and Elasticity
Cloud environments are built to scale. Whether you face seasonal spikes or plan for future growth, cloud deployment supports elastic scaling. It ensures uninterrupted access to applications, even as demand shifts. Paired with automation, cloud deployments ensure organizations can quickly adapt to changing identity and access management needs and offer a seamless user experience.
Availability and Disaster Recovery
Cloud deployments offer high availability by design, with built-in redundancy and rapid disaster recovery. IDHub leverages distributed backups to minimize downtime and ensure operational continuity, supporting strong access management practices.
Compliance and Regulatory Considerations
IDHub’s cloud platform is designed to meet a broad range of regulatory requirements, including SOC 2 and GDPR. Built-in auditing and reporting features allow organizations to demonstrate compliance requirements effortlessly. Enhanced container security and encryption protocols ensure your data is protected, reducing security risks and preventing unauthorized access.
Self-Hosted Deployment Benefits
Deployment and Maintenance Process
In a self-hosted model, your organization installs and configures IDHub on your own infrastructure. This requires a capable IT team to handle tasks like setting up Kubernetes clusters, installing software, and managing updates. Additionally, your team is responsible for maintaining disaster recovery and backup protocols.
Scalability and Elasticity
Self-hosted environments offer scalability but require advance planning. Hardware limitations and manual scaling procedures can introduce downtime or delays. Organizations with stable workloads may prefer this model to better manage infrastructure costs. Additionally, those with fixed compliance policies often prefer the greater control provided by self-hosting.
Data Sovereignty and Control
One of the strongest advantages of self-hosting is complete data control. When you manage the environment yourself, all identity data, user provisioning, and access to applications stay within your infrastructure. This is particularly important for organizations with strict business requirements around data handling and protection against unauthorized access, while maintaining secure access policies for critical systems.
Compliance and Regulatory Considerations
Self-hosted deployments allow full customization for meeting industry-specific compliance needs. Whether it’s HIPAA, PCI DSS, or GDPR, organizations can tailor their environment to adhere to complex regulatory requirements. Self-hosting also aligns with broader access governance strategies, including role-based access control, privileged access management, and fine grained access control, as part of a robust identity management systems framework.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Cloud Deployment Advantages
Rapid deployment and minimal internal maintenance.
Elastic scalability for growing demands.
High availability and disaster recovery.
Built-in compliance support for multiple frameworks.
Improved user experience.
Supports dynamic access management solution requirements.
Cloud Deployment Disadvantages
May not fulfill specific compliance or data residency mandates.
Automatic resource scaling can lead to unexpected cost increases.
Self-Hosted Deployment Advantages
Complete control over data and infrastructure.
Customized compliance configurations.
Greater flexibility for integrating existing systems and access management solution protocols.
Self-Hosted Deployment Disadvantages
Higher setup and maintenance requirements.
Pre-planned scalability is essential.
Full responsibility for disaster recovery and updates.
Licensing and Cost Models
Cloud Licensing
IDHub’s cloud offering is a yearly subscription model that provides continued access to features, updates, and support. This pricing model supports predictable budgeting while enabling a modern access management solution.
Self-Hosted Licensing Options
Enterprise License
One-time purchase with perpetual use and source code access. Ideal for large enterprises requiring customized IAM systems aligned with long-term business requirements.
Teams License
Annual subscription model for smaller teams seeking scalable access management solution without full code ownership. Includes access to regular updates and priority support.
Conclusion
Choosing between cloud and self-hosted Identity and Access Management systems in 2025 requires a deep understanding of your organization’s infrastructure, access management strategy, and long-term goals. Whether you prioritize quick deployment and scalability or require tighter control over data and compliance, each model offers unique advantages.
By aligning your deployment strategy with your user provisioning needs, compliance requirements, user roles, role-based access control, and access to applications, you’ll be well-positioned to protect your digital assets and improve operational efficiency.
Still unsure which model is right for your organization? Contact us today to explore the best access management solution tailored to your needs.