In recent years, there has been a debate among technology professionals regarding the merit of single-tenant vs. multi-tenant software-as-a-service (SaaS) architecture. Learning Management Systems (LMSs) have not been immune to this discussion as eLearning professionals seek to determine which architecture is right for their organization and will best meet the learning needs of their employees, customers, and partners. In this article, we will look at the technical and functional differences between these two architectures and provide some detail regarding how a multi-tenant LMS works and the unique value it can bring to an eLearning program.
Single-Tenant SaaS Architectures
In SaaS deployments, a single-tenant architecture utilizes a software application and a database for each of its clients or “tenants”. In a single-tenant architecture, each client has their own database instance and these clients cannot share the database or application between them. A single-tenant architecture entails a specific design that is unique in that it enables a single instance for each SaaS server. Single-tenant allows for the specific creation of each piece of software for each individual client.
Multi-Tenant SaaS Architectures
A multi-tenant architecture is one in which each instance of a software application is serving multiple tenants. The multi-tenant architecture enables all clients to share the same database and application infrastructure. For SaaS vendors, multi-tenant can bring a great deal of efficiency as updates to the application are delivered to all tenants simultaneously.
The Benefits of Multi-Tenant Architecture for Learning Management Systems
Multi-tenant architecture is emerging as a powerful option for eLearning professionals that are looking to:
Offer unique learning experiences for multiple audiences
Offer unique branding for their various eLearning portals
Measure engagement, activity, and ROI separately for different learning audiences
Offer different internal training requirements based driven by location, department, or some other measure
Build unique eLearning portals for employees, customers, and partners
Leverage a dynamic eLearning platform that will allow them to “spin up” new environments quickly, on-demand
Gain the efficiencies associated with managing multiple eLearning environments from a single, centralized “super admin” console
LMS Portals Multi-Tenant Learning Management System
LMS Portals offers a cloud-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows our clients and partners to launch and manage multiple unique learning portals, all from a single, centralized administrative console. And each portal offers its own:
Unique Branding
Add images, logos, favicons, and other branding elements to create a distinct look-and-feel for each portal you launch
Learning Paths
Create learning paths based on the desired learning objective for each portal or group of users within a portal
User Onboarding
Manage the process and messaging for bringing new users onto a portal and into the specific courses that are relevant to them, based on their job role or learning objective
Messaging and Collaboration
Offer internal tools to support online learning through user collaboration and messaging between students and instructors
Analytics
Capture the detailed engagement and success data from each portal to independently evaluate the success and ROI of that group and program
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