The difference between Hosted and On-Premises (Onprem) Security Gateway for Email Servers mainly lies in deployment location, management responsibility, scalability, and maintenance.
Let’s break it down clearly:
1. Deployment and Infrastructure
| Aspect | Hosted Security Gateway | On-Premises Security Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Runs on the cloud (hosted by MDaemon Technologies or a partner) | Installed locally on your own server (hardware or VM) |
| Ownership | Managed by the service provider | Fully owned and managed by you |
| Setup Time | Quick setup — no need for local installation | Requires local installation and configuration |
| Hardware Needs | None — runs on provider’s infrastructure | You must provide and maintain server hardware |
2. Security & Filtering
| Aspect | Hosted Gateway | On-Prem Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Spam/Virus Filtering | Uses same filtering engine as MDaemon AV/AS (e.g., MDaemon Security Gateway engine) | Identical filtering rules and quarantine options |
| Policy Control | Centralized management via web dashboard | Full control within your local environment |
| Gateway Position | Acts as external filtering layer before messages reach your MDaemon server | Acts as a local gateway, either on the same machine or internal network |
3. Management & Maintenance
| Aspect | Hosted Gateway | On-Prem Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Updates & Patches | Managed automatically by the provider | You must apply updates and patches manually |
| Monitoring | Handled by the provider | You need to monitor logs, CPU, and storage |
| Backup & Redundancy | Provider ensures uptime and failover | You are responsible for redundancy and backups |
4. Cost and Scalability
| Aspect | Hosted Gateway | On-Prem Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Monthly Subscription | Annual Subscription |
| Starting Price | $1.00 per user per month | $150.00 per year for 5 users |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly | Annually |
| Minimum Users | 25 | 5 |
| Scalability | Easily scalable — just increase mailboxes or domains | Limited by your hardware capacity |
| TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) | Lower upfront, but ongoing fees | Higher upfront, lower long-term cost if maintained efficiently |
5. Use Case Recommendations
Choose Hosted Security Gateway if:
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You want a hands-free, managed solution
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You prefer no local maintenance or hardware
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You need scalability and external filtering before emails reach your server
Choose On-Prem Security Gateway if:
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You have dedicated IT resources and prefer local control
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You want to keep all mail flow internal for compliance or privacy
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You already manage other on-premises infrastructure (e.g., firewalls, servers)
Example Setup Diagram
Hosted Gateway:
Internet → Hosted Security Gateway → Your MDaemon Server (on-prem) |
On-Prem Gateway:
Internet → Your On-Prem Security Gateway → Your MDaemon Server |