Future-Proof Scalable Automation: Flowable’s Deployment Options for Modern Enterprises

Business process automation is currently projected to grow globally by over 38% from $2.6 billion to $3.6 billion by 2027. Accelerating adoption and the speed at which supporting technologies are evolving, make choosing the right integration model a critical decision for enterprise CIOs. 

Having a flexible process orchestration architecture in place, however, can future-proof scalability and agility needs as business operations face oncoming growth or adaption. This decision should consider enabling ongoing functionality regardless of existing infrastructure, the seamless integration of new tools as they come to market, and the option to combine — or to migrate — to a new deployment model if process automation needs should change.  

Whether maximum control over business infrastructure is paramount, or a focus on simplicity and scalability is a high priority, with Flowable’s open orchestration architecture a suited deployment option is always available. But more importantly, it provides smooth transition between models should needs evolve further down the road. 

Flowable Cloud: seamless scalability and flexibility 

Flowable Cloud is a fully managed cloud offering, providing businesses with an effortless solution for process automation without the need to manage infrastructure and operations. 

Flowable Cloud comes with a seamless scalability promise, thanks to its included SLA-based availability guarantee. The managed service package automatically adjusts as a business's needs change to accommodate fluctuating workloads, ensuring maintained performance even during peak periods. This elastic-style scaling requires no client-side intervention and comes as a standard feature of the cloud pricing model. Other key benefits of Flowable Cloud include:  

• Flexible integration: Flowable leverages its strengths as a process orchestration platform to communicate with other cloud systems, or on-premise solutions, while utilizing various secure integration patterns. This hybrid architecture allows harmonious integration into existing system landscapes. 

• Reliable system maintenance: Flowable Cloud ‘s subscription-style pricing model includes an all-round maintenance service. Our engineers constantly develop and ensure access to the latest product features and security fixes, without needing to invest their own time or resources in system maintenance. 

• Enterprise level security: Flowable Cloud offers industry-standard security features, including real-time threat detection and encryption, providing superior security levels to comparable on-premise solutions. 

Customer-managed cloud: control meets cloud agility 

For companies looking for the added power of cloud computing but still wanting more control over their infrastructure, Flowable’s cloud-ready architecture enables the platform to be deployed to a chosen cloud service provider such as: AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud for example. This provides the choice of whether to manage Flowable Platform operations with an in-house team or to leave this in Flowable’s hands. 

This approach maintains the scalability and cost-efficiency of cloud service integration, while prioritising the in-house oversight of critical components. Which can be a great option if it's a necessity to keep customization and connectivity close to home, and in-house work support is readily available. 

On-premise deployment: control and customization 

On-premise, self-managed deployment offers the highest level of control to meet stringent regulatory and compliance requirements that may be in place in select instances and industries. By hosting the Flowable Platform on owned data centres, businesses maintain complete oversight of their data, security, and infrastructure management. This integration option can boost in-house systems to assist these in handling increasing data and customers, in cases where off-premise deployment is not considered an option. 

While on-premise deployment provides the control certain businesses seek, the belief that on-premise systems are inherently more secure than cloud solutions is not always a reality. Cloud providers now offer advanced security measures such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, geo-redundant backups, and real-time threat monitoring — features that are often costly or difficult for large enterprises to implement internally. Indeed, 94% of organizations report improved security after migrating to cloud service integration due to supporting features such as better encryption methods, constant monitoring, and automated updates. 

The power of choice 

 While on-premise and customer-managed cloud deployments are both viable options, externally managed cloud services are rapidly becoming the dominant model for enterprise applications. They provide optimal scalability, simplified client-side management, and continuous access to new features, making them an attractive option for businesses wanting to level-up performance and agility. 

Serverless architectures, microservices, and low-code/no-code platform features that work together with cloud services are allowing businesses to build and scale modular automation solutions faster and with additional developer expertise. They also result in more flexibility, combine tool integrations into one orchestration source, and can provide a powerhouse of holistic data analysis. 

Flowable Cloud provides the perfect platform for today and the future, with the ongoing ability to add new technologies such as emerging AI integrations, without requiring underlying infrastructure upgrades: empowering organizations to stay ahead of the innovation curve. 

But ultimately, the best deployment model for a given organization depends on the point of time in its own growth and its unique needs and goals. Flowable provides the flexibility to choose, and crucially, the ability to transition between different deployment options as an organization evolves. And in a world where agility is critical, this enables the versatility modern enterprises need to succeed.