Deployment Models
Comparison between the Shared Model (SaaS) and the Enterprise Model (Dedicated) — infrastructure, authentication, data isolation, and SLA
SSM.ro is available in two deployment models with distinct technical architectures and features. This page is the canonical source for the differences between the two models; the rest of the documentation marks with a badge only the sections that actually differ depending on the model.
Badge convention
On pages where behavior differs between models, you will find a Shared Model (SaaS) or Enterprise Model (Dedicated) badge. Pages without a badge apply to both models.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Shared Model (SaaS) | Enterprise Model (Dedicated) |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Managed Heroku + AWS S3 | Dedicated AWS resources per client |
| Multi-tenancy | Yes — shared instance, logical isolation per organization (tenant) | Dedicated installation per client; internally, one or more organizations (tenants) with separate data |
| Data isolation | Logical per organization (enforced server-side) | Physical between clients (dedicated infrastructure); logical between organizations within the installation |
| Domain | *.appssm.ro subdomain (per organization) | Own domain clientdomain.ext; organizations on subdomains |
| Branding | SSM.ro branding | Full white-label: logo, domain, platform contact details, email messages, document headers |
| Authentication | OIDC per organization: email/password + SSO, or SSO only; optional TOTP 2FA (code from an authenticator app or sent by email) | SAML on the main domain + email/password for external accounts; access to organizations via roles |
| AWS services | S3 + API Gateway + Lambda + CloudWatch (shared infrastructure) | S3 + API Gateway + Lambda + CloudWatch (dedicated per client) |
| Database | Heroku Postgres (shared, per-tenant isolation) | Dedicated AWS RDS PostgreSQL in the client's infrastructure |
| Monitoring | New Relic (application logs) + Sentry (errors) + CloudWatch (signing log) | CloudWatch (application logs + signing log, 5 years) + Sentry (errors) |
| Third-party data processing | Transactional email via Postmark (third-party provider); the rest of the data on Heroku + AWS | No third parties for client data — everything in dedicated AWS (email via AWS SES) |
| Backup & DR | Continuous PITR + daily snapshot (30 days) + S3 CRR | AWS RDS — automatic daily backup (30-day retention) + S3 CRR |
| SLA | 99.9% guaranteed monthly availability | 99.9% guaranteed monthly availability |
| Maintenance | Shared scheduled windows | Contractually negotiated (e.g. 8h/month planned, 4h unplanned) |
| Target audience | SMEs and standard volumes | Large organizations with isolation/compliance requirements |
Where client data ends up
In the Enterprise Model (Dedicated), client data is processed entirely within the client's dedicated AWS infrastructure (including email, via AWS SES) — with no third-party subprocessors for client data. The Shared Model (SaaS) uses, in addition to Heroku and AWS, a limited set of third-party providers — notably Postmark for transactional email. Canonical list: Subprocessors.
Shared Model (SaaS)
Shared Model (SaaS)
Multi-tenant platform hosted on Heroku, with document storage in AWS S3. All clients run on the same instance, with strict logical isolation per organization (tenant). A client can have multiple organizations, each on its own subdomain.
- Access via
*.appssm.rosubdomain, one per organization - SSO via OIDC, configured per organization; each organization can allow email/password + SSO or SSO only; optional TOTP 2FA (code from an authenticator app or sent by email)
- Document storage in AWS S3; AWS microservices (API Gateway, Lambda, CloudWatch) for processing and logging; database on Heroku Postgres
- Backup and recovery managed at the platform level (PITR + daily snapshots)
- Suitable for most organizations, with cost per employee
Enterprise Model (Dedicated)
Enterprise Model (Dedicated)
Dedicated AWS infrastructure per client — resources are not shared with other clients. Runs on the client's own domain, with SSO via SAML and full white-label branding.
- Dedicated AWS infrastructure (RDS PostgreSQL, ElastiCache, S3, ECS, API Gateway, Lambda, CloudWatch, SES) per client
- Own domain
clientdomain.ext(e.g.ssm.companie.ro); the installation can host one or more organizations, each on its own subdomain, with separate data - Full white-label: own logo, platform contact details, customized email messages, document headers — the platform appears under the client's visual identity
- SSO via SAML, a single configuration for the main domain; email/password authentication remains available for external accounts; access to organizations is managed internally via roles
- Backup and DR: AWS RDS with automatic daily backup (30-day retention) + PITR; documents in S3 with versioning + cross-region replication
- Signing audit log in CloudWatch Logs (append-only, 5-year retention)
- 99.9% guaranteed monthly availability SLA; contractually negotiated maintenance windows
- Suitable for large organizations with strict requirements for data isolation, compliance, and their own visual identity
Which model suits you?
| You need... | Recommended model |
|---|---|
| Predictable cost per employee, fast deployment | Shared (SaaS) |
| Physical data isolation and dedicated infrastructure | Enterprise (Dedicated) |
| Own domain and white-label branding (logo, email, documents) | Enterprise (Dedicated) |
| OIDC SSO (optional or exclusive) per organization | Shared (SaaS) |
| SAML federation for the entire domain, on your own domain | Enterprise (Dedicated) |
| Own contractually negotiated maintenance windows | Enterprise (Dedicated) |
For technical architecture details (diagrams, data flows, components), see System Architecture.