Compare To On-Prem

Overview

On-prem software delivery offers customers full control over their data and infrastructure. However, traditional on-prem solutions come with significant challenges, such as high maintenance costs, slow updates, and limited scalability. Tensor9’s Any-Prem approach provides the benefits of on-prem without its typical operational burdens, combining cloud-native ease with the security and control of traditional on-prem.

TL;DR

Traditional on-prem software requires custom engineering, high support costs, and lacks modern observability. Tensor9 modernizes on-prem by enabling vendors to deliver cloud-native software to any customer environment with continuous deployment and continuous observability.

Differences Between On-Prem and Tensor9

CategoryTraditional On-PremTensor9
Deployment ModelDeployed entirely within the customer's infrastructure.Deployed within the customer's environment but with cloud-native observability and support capabilities.
Data ControlFull data control—no external access.Full data control with no external data exposure, even when using private cloud or hybrid setups.
Infrastructure RequirementsRequires significant hardware provisioning and maintenance.Can run in the customer’s private cloud, minimizing hardware provisioning and leveraging elastic resources.
Managed Services CompatibilityRequires vendor rework to remove managed services.Automatically replaces managed cloud services (e.g., S3 → MinIO, DynamoDB → ScyllaDB, ElasticCache → Redis).
Software UpdatesManual updates requiring significant IT effort.Controlled, vendor-packaged updates that customers can approve and deploy easily—no manual rework required.
ObservabilityLimited telemetry unless built into the application.Offers private, secure observability through digital twins that mirror cloud-native telemetry workflows.
Form Factor FlexibilitySupports single, rigid deployment form factor.Supports multiple form factors (e.g., Kubernetes air-gapped, or AWS connected) without vendor re-engineering.
Maintenance CostsHigh cost of maintenance, including manual updates and patching.Lower operational costs with automated deployment workflows and vendor-delivered updates.
Support ModelRequires dedicated internal support teams.Secure, supervised vendor support with audit-logged remote access for debugging deep issues.
Air-Gapped EnvironmentsSupported but difficult to update and monitor.Fully supported with audit-logged offline updates and secure troubleshooting workflows.
ScalabilityDifficult to scale—requires manual provisioning.Supports elastic scaling within private cloud environments or BYOC infrastructure.

Why Choose Tensor9 Over Traditional On-Prem?

  1. Reduced Engineering Effort: Traditional on-prem deployments often require significant rework to replace managed services and enable compatibility. Tensor9 automatically swaps managed cloud services with open-source equivalents (e.g., S3 → MinIO, DynamoDB → ScyllaDB), eliminating the need for vendor-side re-engineering.
  2. Easier Updates: Traditional on-prem requires complex update processes involving manual IT effort. Tensor9 streamlines this by allowing vendors to deliver controlled updates that customers can review and apply with minimal effort.
  3. Improved Observability: Traditional on-prem solutions lack built-in observability. Tensor9’s digital twin approach mirrors cloud-native observability in customer environments without exposing sensitive data.
  4. Deployment Flexibility: On-prem solutions are often designed for a single form factor. Tensor9 supports multiple form factors without requiring vendors to build separate versions of their software.
  5. Lower Maintenance Costs: Tensor9 significantly reduces the need for large internal IT teams by enabling vendor-assisted support through secure, audit-logged remote access.

Summary

Tensor9 redefines on-prem software delivery by combining the flexibility and convenience of SaaS with the security and control of traditional on-prem. Its Any-Prem approach ensures vendors can build once and deploy anywhere—helping them serve markets with stringent data sovereignty, security, and compliance requirements, all while minimizing operational burden.