> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.osohq.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deployment models

Oso supports three deployment models: **Cloud**, **Hybrid**, and **Self-Hosted**. Each model offers different trade-offs in infrastructure control, operational complexity, and fault tolerance.

| Feature                    | Cloud                                 | Hybrid                         | Self-Hosted                         |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------- |
| **Setup Time**             | \< 5 minutes                          | 1-2 hours                      | 1-2 days                            |
| **Operational Overhead**   | None                                  | Low                            | Medium-High                         |
| **Infrastructure Control** | Fully managed by Oso                  | Cloud + on-prem fallback       | Fully customer-managed              |
| **Data Residency**         | Oso Cloud                             | Your choice                    | Your infrastructure                 |
| **Scalability**            | Automatic                             | Automatic + fallback           | Manual scaling                      |
| **Use Case**               | Getting started, most production apps | High availability requirements | Compliance, air-gapped environments |

***

## Cloud Deployment

The **Cloud** model, Oso hosts and manages the authorization service, including infrastructure, scaling, and monitoring.

### When to Choose Cloud

* Getting started with Oso authorization
* Production apps without custom compliance requirements
* Teams that don’t want to manage infra for authorization

### Key Benefits

* **Zero operational overhead**: Oso Cloud handles all authorization requests
* **Global distribution**: Your rules and data are replicated across regions, from Singapore to San Francisco
* **Automatic scaling**: Handles traffic spikes without configuration
* **Built-in monitoring**: Comprehensive observability included
* **Fastest time to value**: Production-ready in minutes

### Steps to Deploy

1. **Create an account** at [ui.osohq.com](https://ui.osohq.com)
2. **Install the SDK** for your preferred language
3. **Define your policy** using Polar syntax
4. **Start making authorization calls** from your application

### Pricing & Billing

Cloud deployment uses usage-based pricing. Billing is handled through the Oso Cloud dashboard with support for enterprise invoicing.

***

## Hybrid Deployment

The **Hybrid** model uses Oso Cloud as the primary service and a local Fallback node for failover.

### When to Choose Hybrid

* High availability requirements that exceed standard cloud SLAs
* Regulatory compliance requiring some on-premises presence
* Disaster recovery scenarios where cloud connectivity might be interrupted
* Organizations wanting cloud convenience with on-premises backup

### How It Works

1. **Primary cloud service** handles all normal authorization requests
2. **Fallback nodes** deployed in your infrastructure sync policy and facts
3. **Automatic failover** when cloud connectivity is lost
4. **Seamless failback** when cloud connectivity is restored

### Key Benefits

* **Maximum uptime**: Authorization continues even during cloud outages
* **Consistent performance**: Local fallback reduces latency during failures
* **Simplified operations**: Most management still handled by Oso Cloud
* **Data sovereignty**: Keep a copy of authorization data on-premises

### Architecture

```
[Your App] → [Oso Cloud] (primary)
     ↓
[Fallback Node] (your infrastructure)
```

### Setup Requirements

* Container orchestration platform (Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or ECS)
* Network connectivity to Oso Cloud for synchronization
* Storage for local policy and data caching
* Load balancer configuration for failover logic

### Steps to Deploy

1. **Enable hybrid mode** in your Oso Cloud dashboard
2. **Download the fallback node** container image
3. **Configure synchronization** with your cloud environment
4. **Test failover scenarios** in your staging environment
5. **Deploy to production** with monitoring

***

## Self-Hosted Deployment

The **Self-Hosted** model runs the full Oso stack in your infrastructure with no external dependencies.

### When to Choose Self-Hosted

* Strict compliance requirements prohibiting third-party services
* Air-gapped environments without internet connectivity
* Full data sovereignty requirements
* Organizations needing complete infrastructure control

### Current Status

Self-Hosted deployment is supported for **AWS-based environments**. Deployment requires engineering resources from your team to complete the integration process.

We're actively developing support for other cloud providers and on-premises environments.

**Interested in non-AWS environments?** [Contact us](https://www.osohq.com/meet-eng?utm_source=cloud-docs\&utm_content=deployment) to discuss your requirements and upcoming availability.

### Compatibility Matrix

| Feature              | Cloud          | Self-Hosted                    |
| -------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------ |
| **Deployment**       | Managed by Oso | AWS (others in development)    |
| **Monitoring**       | Managed by Oso | Datadog, Honeycomb integration |
| **Storage**          | Managed by Oso | S3 + MSK in your AWS account   |
| **Management Tools** | Web UI + CLI   | `oso-manager` CLI tool         |
| **Scaling**          | Automatic      | Horizontal scaling on AWS ECS  |
| **Updates**          | Automatic      | Manual with provided tooling   |

## Next Steps

### Ready to Get Started?

* **Try Oso Cloud:** Create a free account at [ui.osohq.com](https://ui.osohq.com)
* **Explore Hybrid:** [Contact us](https://www.osohq.com/meet-eng?utm_source=cloud-docs\&utm_content=deployment) to discuss Fallback node setup
* **Evaluate Self-Hosted:** [Schedule a technical consultation](https://www.osohq.com/meet-eng?utm_source=cloud-docs\&utm_content=deployment)