Deployment flexibility is important for scalability, cost-effectiveness, accessibility, security, and compliance. A flexible deployment model enables businesses to choose a deployment that best suits their security, compliance, administrative, and cost needs. Deployment options include on-premises, multitenant (public) cloud, single-tenant (private) cloud, hybrid cloud, FedRAMP, and others.

Generally speaking, organizations that need to share sensitive content like financial information, contracts, and customer or patient records will want an on-premises or private cloud deployment that offers sole encryption key ownership. This provides organizations complete control over the content they store and share; neither the cloud provider nor law enforcement have access to the content. A cloud-based solution, whether it’s a public or private cloud deployment, provides end-to-end encryption and compliance with industry-specific regulations that enable secure access to files from anywhere while maintaining control over access and permissions. The deployment option should also include strong authentication measures, such as multi-factor authentication, to ensure that only authorized users have access. Any deployment option should include regular security updates and patches to mitigate any potential vulnerabilities and ensure the continued security of the system.

The best deployment option for a secure file transfer solution like managed file transfer (MFT) or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) would depend on several factors like scalability, flexibility, cost, compliance requirements, data sovereignty requirements, and sensitivity of the content to be transferred. An organization can choose from on-premises, private cloud, hybrid cloud, or FedRAMP virtual private cloud. Generally speaking, organizations that need to transfer sensitive content like customer or patient records and financial information will want an on-premises or private cloud deployment that offers sole encryption key ownership, ensuring complete control over the content they share and transfer.

A cloud-based deployment model offers several benefits for a secure file sharing solution, such as cost-effectiveness, scalability, and accessibility. With a cloud-based solution, businesses can scale up or down quickly based on their needs and pay only for the resources they use. Cloud-based solutions also allow for access from anywhere, making it easier for employees to communicate and collaborate. Additionally, a cloud-based deployment typically has built-in security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection, to protect the content stored and shared on the solution. By partnering with a managed security service provider (MSSP) or implementing a cloud access security broker (CASB), businesses can further enhance their cloud security and reduce maintenance costs.

An on-premises deployment model offers several advantages for secure file sharing, such as greater control and security. With an on-premises solution, businesses have complete control over the security and access controls of their file sharing system. Additionally, on-premises solutions typically offer faster speeds and greater reliability, as they do not rely on an external network connection. Finally, an on-premises deployment ensures that all content is stored within the organization’s internal network, reducing the risk of unauthorized access that could lead to a data breach or compliance violation. In addition, when organizations choose an on-premises deployment option for their secure file sharing solution, they eliminate the risk of misconfiguration by an MSSP, making all the content stored on the file sharing solution available to anyone with an internet connection.