> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developer.harness.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developer.harness.io/self-managed-enterprise-edition/new-to-self-managed-enterprise-edition/smp-overview.md).
# Self-Managed Enterprise Edition
Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition is an on-premises solution that allows you to install and run Harness on your own infrastructure. It gives you full control over your data, security, and compliance while leveraging Harness's powerful software delivery tools.
Self-Managed Enterprise Edition helps your organization achieve its objectives while staying within governance boundaries.
### Architecture overview
Self-Managed Enterprise Edition runs within your environment alongside existing services. As shown below, you connect to Harness through a load balancer. It forwards requests to the load balancer in the Harness namespace and then to the appropriate services.
It offers extensive customization through configuration files. You can extend its functionality. Go to [What's supported](/self-managed-enterprise-edition/new-to-self-managed-enterprise-edition/smp-supported-platforms.md) to review supported platforms and technologies.
The following diagram shows the Harness Self-Managed Enterprise platform architecture. It details internal services, data stores, networking components, and their interactions in Kubernetes.
#### Reference architecture
Reference architectures make it easier for you to set up Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition. However, choosing the right one for your organization requires careful evaluation of your specific needs. The reference architecture ensures optimal performance and scalability. It enables you to handle varying workloads and deploy applications quickly and efficiently. It also helps you keep your applications running smoothly during unexpected failures.
It allows you to customize Harness to fit your needs. You can integrate it with your workflows and streamline your deployment process. Use the following image to identify the option that best suits your needs.
There are six types of reference architectures to help you set up a robust system for your application deployment:
1. **Demo mode**: Designed for demonstration and learning purposes and includes an in-cluster database, but does not include backup and restore.
2. **Prod 1 replica mode with in-cluster DB and Backup and Restore**: Designed for organizations that use Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition in production but do not require HA.
3. **Prod 3 replica mode with in-cluster DB and Backup and Restore**: Designed for organizations that,
* Use Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition in production
* Require HA
* Do not have the ability to manage external DBs
4. **Prod 3 replica mode with self-managed external DB:** Designed for organizations that,
* Use Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition in production
* Require HA
* Do not have the ability to manage external DBs
5. **Prod 3 replica mode with external cloud-based DBs**: Designed for organizations that,
* Use Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition in production
* Require HA
* Do not need self-managed external DBs.
6. **Disaster recovery with warm standby**: Designed for organizations that,
* Use Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition in production
* Require HA
* Have the expertise to manage external DBs
* Require self-managed external DBs
* Require DR when a Kubernetes cluster or cloud region fails
### Why choose Self-Managed Enterprise Edition
Choose Harness Self-Managed Enterprise Edition over the SaaS version when you prioritize greater control over data security, deeper customization options, and integration with existing on-premises systems. It supports highly regulated industries with strict data residency and compliance requirements. You manage the infrastructure and incur higher setup costs.
Key reasons to opt for Self-Managed Enterprise Edition:
* **Enhanced Data Security**: Complete control over where data is stored and processed, allowing for stricter compliance with industry regulations by keeping data within your own network perimeter.
* **Customizability**: Ability to tailor the Harness platform to specific needs by modifying configurations and integrating with unique internal systems that might not be readily accessible through a SaaS model.
* **On-Premises Integration**: Seamless connection with existing on-premises infrastructure and applications, which can be challenging with a cloud-based SaaS solution.
* **Offline & Air-Gapped Capabilities**: Deploy in fully isolated environments without external network dependencies.
* **Network Optimization**: Fine-tune network settings and performance for optimal efficiency based on your specific environment.
However, there are certain trade-off with Self-Managed Enterprise Edition:
* **Higher Setup and Maintenance Costs**: Requires dedicated IT personnel to manage the infrastructure, including installation, updates, and troubleshooting.
* **Increased Complexity**: More technical expertise needed to configure and maintain the self-hosted platform.
### Stay updated with release cadence
Harness continuously updates the system with more secure and faster libraries, releasing the Self-Managed Edition every month. Also, to maintain the stability, we regularly identify and fix issues through periodic releases, which you can find in the [Self-Managed Platform release notes](/release-notes/self-managed-enterprise-edition.md).
To stay informed on the latest updates, we strongly recommend [subscribing via RSS](https://developer.harness.io/release-notes/self-managed-enterprise-edition/rss.xml).