Aquifer has several options for extracting and loading data to APIs, databases, and files located within a customers infrastructure, typically called “on-premise”. This could mean within not only hardware they own and operate, but public clouds such as AWS and Azure.

Here’s a quick comparison of options, in the order of difficulty to implement and manage:

Aquifer connects directly to the database, API, or anything that supports a Transport Layer Security (TLS) based connection using a public IP. Also known as SSL. | Requires a valid certificate chain from either a known Certificate Authority (such as DigiCert, LetsEncrypt, Azure, or AWS), or from a private CA file imported into Aquifer. | | Network Agent | Aquifer recommendation for customer hosted on-premise connectivity.

Customer runs an agent that provides secure connectivity to the target database, API, or other service and only that target host and port. | Unlike a VPN connection, the network agent can only access the target host and port, which is configured by the customer.

Customer must work with Aquifer to diagnose any issues. If an issue occurs with the customer’s environment and not the Aquifer agent code or service running in the cloud, it is the customers’s responsibility. | | Connector Agent | Customer runs an agent that contains the code to extract and load data, the full connector. The connector then communicates with Aquifer via HTTPS. | Customer must work with Aquifer to diagnose any issues. If an issue occurs with the customer’s environment and not the Aquifer agent code or service running in the cloud, it is the customers’s responsibility.

The connector agent is running much more complex logic than the network agent and is more prone to management issues. | | VPN Connection | Aquifer configures and runs an isolated network with a customer specific instance of the connector in our cloud environment. Then Aquifer uses a site-to-site VPN (IPSEC) to connect to the customer’s infrastructure. | A specific edition of the Aquifer platform may be required or additional costs may be incurred. Please contact your sales representative or account manager for more information. |