On-premise deployment
Servers live in a physical environment controlled by the customer. This can enable local processing but needs capacity, power, cooling, resilience and operational ownership. External dependencies must be explicitly documented and restricted.
Private cloud
The environment is logically separated and access limited to agreed requirements. Verify data locations, administrator permissions, backups and subprocessors. “Private” does not automatically mean physical isolation or compliance.
A disconnected environment
Air-gapped operation needs local models, dependencies, verified artefacts and an update-transfer procedure. Feasibility is assessed for the specific functions. Simply disconnecting an internet cable is not enough.
A modular technical foundation
Separate the application, access control, document processing, index and model server. Select generation and embedding models through evaluation. A new embedding model may require reindexing; replacing it is not just a setting change.
- Validated interfaces and bounded requests.
- Sources, versions and permissions attached to passages.
- Controlled updates and quality monitoring.
Demonstration versus customer installation
The public demonstration uses synthetic material to explain the principles. It is not a customer on-premise installation. Real integrations, hardware, models and operating controls are scoped in a separate engagement.
Three models. Different responsibilities.
| Criterion | On-premise | Private cloud | Air-gapped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Your premises or data centre | Agreed environment at a provider | Separate environment without continuous external connectivity |
| Access and maintenance | Your team and explicitly authorized operators | Shared responsibility with the provider | Local administration and controlled transfer |
| Updates | Approved channel and change window | Approved channel and provider terms | Verified offline packages and media |
| What to verify | Hardware, network rules, backups | Region, subprocessors, keys, egress | The complete operating and update process |
Managed service is an operating responsibility that can accompany different environments. None of these options automatically establishes regulatory compliance.
The information flow
- Application
- Permissions
- Index and data
- Model server
Models and documents run on your infrastructure. Network policies determine permitted connections.