Custom Deployment

Master this essential documentation concept

Quick Definition

The process of installing and configuring software on your own servers or infrastructure rather than using a hosted solution

How Custom Deployment Works

graph TD A[Documentation Requirements] --> B{Deployment Decision} B -->|Custom| C[Infrastructure Setup] B -->|Hosted| D[Cloud Solution] C --> E[Server Configuration] E --> F[Software Installation] F --> G[Database Setup] G --> H[Security Configuration] H --> I[Integration Setup] I --> J[User Authentication] J --> K[Content Migration] K --> L[Testing & Validation] L --> M[Go Live] M --> N[Monitoring & Maintenance] N --> O[Regular Updates] O --> P[Backup Management] P --> Q[Performance Optimization]

Understanding Custom Deployment

Custom deployment refers to the practice of installing documentation software directly on an organization's own servers or infrastructure, rather than relying on vendor-hosted cloud solutions. This deployment model gives documentation teams complete control over their hosting environment, data storage, and system configurations.

Key Features

  • Full server and infrastructure control
  • Custom security implementations and compliance adherence
  • Direct database access and backup management
  • Integration with existing enterprise authentication systems
  • Customizable server configurations and performance optimization
  • Network isolation and air-gapped deployment capabilities

Benefits for Documentation Teams

  • Enhanced data privacy and regulatory compliance
  • Seamless integration with internal tools and workflows
  • Reduced long-term costs for large-scale deployments
  • Faster performance through optimized infrastructure
  • Complete customization of user experience and branding
  • Independence from vendor service availability

Common Misconceptions

  • Custom deployment is only for large enterprises (small teams can benefit too)
  • It requires extensive technical expertise (many solutions offer simplified installation)
  • It's always more expensive than cloud solutions (can be cost-effective at scale)
  • Updates and maintenance are overly complex (modern tools provide automated update mechanisms)

Documenting Custom Deployment Procedures: From Video Walkthroughs to Searchable Guides

When implementing custom deployments across your organization, clear documentation is essential for successful installations. Technical teams often record detailed video walkthroughs showing server configurations, environment setup, and troubleshooting steps to preserve this specialized knowledge.

However, relying solely on these deployment videos creates challenges. Engineers need to scrub through hour-long recordings to find specific commands or configuration steps. New team members struggle to quickly grasp custom deployment nuances when the knowledge is locked in lengthy videos. And when deployment processes evolve, updating video content becomes cumbersome.

Converting your custom deployment videos into structured documentation solves these pain points. By transforming recordings into searchable guides, your team can easily locate specific deployment steps, reference exact configuration parameters, and maintain up-to-date deployment instructions. For example, a 90-minute custom deployment walkthrough can become a well-organized guide with searchable sections for prerequisites, installation steps, configuration options, and troubleshooting—making future deployments more efficient.

This approach ensures your custom deployment knowledge remains accessible and actionable, rather than buried in video recordings that few have time to watch completely.

Learn how to transform your deployment videos into searchable documentation →

Real-World Documentation Use Cases

Enterprise Compliance Documentation

Problem

Healthcare organization needs HIPAA-compliant documentation system with strict data residency requirements and audit trails that cannot be met by standard cloud solutions.

Solution

Deploy documentation platform on internal servers with custom security configurations, encrypted databases, and integration with existing compliance monitoring systems.

Implementation

1. Assess compliance requirements and infrastructure needs 2. Set up dedicated servers with encryption at rest 3. Install documentation software with custom security modules 4. Configure LDAP integration with existing user management 5. Implement audit logging and monitoring 6. Conduct security penetration testing 7. Train team on compliance procedures

Expected Outcome

Fully compliant documentation system with complete data control, detailed audit trails, and seamless integration with existing enterprise security protocols.

Air-Gapped Government Documentation

Problem

Government agency requires documentation system that operates completely offline without internet connectivity for classified information management.

Solution

Install documentation platform on isolated network infrastructure with custom authentication and content management workflows designed for offline operation.

Implementation

1. Design isolated network architecture 2. Install servers in secure facility 3. Deploy documentation software without external dependencies 4. Configure local user authentication system 5. Set up offline content synchronization processes 6. Implement physical security measures 7. Create offline backup and recovery procedures

Expected Outcome

Secure, offline documentation system that maintains full functionality without internet access while meeting strict government security requirements.

Multi-Tenant SaaS Documentation

Problem

Software company needs to provide customized documentation portals for each client with unique branding, user management, and content isolation.

Solution

Deploy multi-tenant documentation platform with custom tenant management, white-label capabilities, and isolated data storage for each client.

Implementation

1. Design multi-tenant architecture with data isolation 2. Set up containerized deployment environment 3. Install documentation platform with tenant management modules 4. Configure automated tenant provisioning 5. Implement custom branding and theming system 6. Set up automated backup and scaling 7. Create client onboarding workflows

Expected Outcome

Scalable multi-tenant system providing isolated, branded documentation portals for each client with centralized management and automated provisioning.

Legacy System Integration

Problem

Manufacturing company needs documentation system that integrates with 20-year-old ERP system and proprietary databases that cannot connect to external cloud services.

Solution

Custom deploy documentation platform on internal infrastructure with custom APIs and database connectors for legacy system integration.

Implementation

1. Analyze legacy system APIs and data structures 2. Set up internal servers with appropriate OS compatibility 3. Install documentation platform with custom integration modules 4. Develop custom connectors for ERP and database systems 5. Configure data synchronization workflows 6. Test integration with legacy systems 7. Implement gradual rollout with fallback procedures

Expected Outcome

Integrated documentation system that seamlessly connects with legacy infrastructure, providing real-time data synchronization and unified user experience.

Best Practices

✓ Plan Infrastructure Requirements Thoroughly

Conduct comprehensive analysis of server requirements, network architecture, and scalability needs before beginning deployment to avoid costly infrastructure changes later.

✓ Do: Document current and projected user loads, storage requirements, backup needs, and integration points. Plan for 3x growth capacity and redundancy.
✗ Don't: Rush into deployment without proper capacity planning or assume cloud-equivalent performance without optimization.

✓ Implement Automated Backup and Recovery

Establish robust backup procedures with automated scheduling, off-site storage, and regular recovery testing to protect against data loss and ensure business continuity.

✓ Do: Set up automated daily backups, test recovery procedures monthly, maintain off-site backup copies, and document recovery time objectives.
✗ Don't: Rely solely on manual backups or assume backups work without regular testing and validation.

✓ Secure Your Deployment from Day One

Implement comprehensive security measures including encryption, access controls, network security, and monitoring before going live to prevent security vulnerabilities.

✓ Do: Enable HTTPS/TLS, implement strong authentication, configure firewalls, encrypt databases, and set up security monitoring and alerting.
✗ Don't: Deploy with default security settings, postpone security implementation, or assume internal networks are inherently secure.

✓ Establish Update and Maintenance Procedures

Create systematic processes for software updates, security patches, and system maintenance to keep your deployment secure and performant over time.

✓ Do: Schedule regular maintenance windows, test updates in staging environments, maintain update logs, and establish rollback procedures.
✗ Don't: Skip updates due to complexity, update production systems without testing, or ignore security patches.

✓ Monitor Performance and Usage Continuously

Implement comprehensive monitoring of system performance, user activity, and resource utilization to proactively identify and resolve issues before they impact users.

✓ Do: Set up automated monitoring dashboards, configure performance alerts, track user engagement metrics, and regularly review system logs.
✗ Don't: Wait for users to report problems, ignore performance degradation warnings, or monitor only basic server metrics.

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