# Cloud, hybrid and on-premises deployment architectures

*MuleSoft Integration Foundations Study Guide · Explain the common technical complexities and patterns in integration development · Last updated November 2, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-integration-foundations/technical-complexities-and-patterns-in-integration-development/cloud-hybrid-and-on-premises-deployment-architectures*

How cloud, hybrid and on-premises architectures differ in where management and runtimes run, who supplies and patches the infrastructure, and where data stays, and why hybrid is the usual middle ground.

- Certification: Salesforce MuleSoft Integration Foundations
- Exam section: Explain the common technical complexities and patterns in integration development
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-integration-foundations

**Official exam objective:**

> Describe the differences between cloud, hybrid, and on-premise deployment architectures.

## What the exam expects

- Classify a deployment as cloud, hybrid or on-premises from where its management layer and its runtimes run.
- Compare the three on control, data location, infrastructure effort and who applies security updates.
- Explain why hybrid integration suits companies that keep legacy systems and sensitive data inside the firewall while adopting SaaS.
- Recognize when regulation rules out every cloud component, including the management console.

Key terms:
- **Control plane**: the management layer where you design, deploy and manage APIs and apps.
- **Runtime plane**: where the apps actually run, including the Mule runtime engine.
- **Cloud (MuleSoft-hosted)**: MuleSoft supplies and runs the servers.
- **Hybrid**: a cloud management console runs apps on the customer's own servers.
- **Fully on-premises**: management and runtimes both sit in the customer's environment.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Planes are independent | Control plane location, runtime option and runtime region are separate choices | [Hosting Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/hosting-home/) |
| CloudHub hosting | No hosting environment to configure; resources set by contract | [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies) |
| Hybrid setup | Register servers with the Runtime Manager agent, then deploy | [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies) |
| Hybrid data to cloud | Only agent metadata by default; no application data | [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies) |
| Hybrid patching | Runtime security updates applied manually | [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies) |
| PCE purpose | Strict regulatory or compliance limits on cloud use | [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies) |
| PCE connectivity | No external interactions or internet connectivity required | [PCE Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/private-cloud/latest/) |
| Standalone on-premises runtime | No control plane connection; suits air-gapped sites | [Hosting Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/hosting-home/) |

## Check yourself

- Why might a team planning PCE need another messaging option?
- When you move from CloudHub to hybrid, who applies runtime security updates?
- How often does CloudHub update Mule for a running app?
- Which Kubernetes platforms does PCE 4.x run on?

## Sources

- [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies)
- [Anypoint Platform Hosting Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/hosting-home/)
- [Hybrid cloud integration platform and solutions](https://www.mulesoft.com/integration/hybrid-cloud-integration-solution)
- [Enabling a hybrid cloud with an application network](https://www.mulesoft.com/legacy-system-modernization/application-network-enabling-hybrid-cloud)
- [Anypoint Platform PCE Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/private-cloud/latest/)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 3 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the MuleSoft Integration Foundations pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams