Self-hosting is a deployment option WalkMe offers in order to enhance the security of WalkMe on your site. Self-hosting allows you to keep all of your WalkMe content files on your servers to disconnect dependency on outside servers.
WalkMe customers include SaaS vendors and financial institutions that all value highly secure networks and services. In response to the need for this highly secure architecture, WalkMe offers a self-hosting feature. In this model, WalkMe items are initially created on WalkMe servers and then downloaded and uploaded onto your server.
A self-hosted deployment is commonly used when:
In the self-hosted model, the WalkMe content creation process is done on WalkMe servers. Once the items have been created, they are downloaded as a zipped file (compressed file). This file can then be uploaded to your servers. When an end-user accesses your site, WalkMe places a call to your servers directly and not to WalkMe servers.
In order for WalkMe to point to your servers, your Account Manager must configure your snippet. Every time a change is made to your WalkMe content, it must be re-published and the WalkMe files re-downloaded.
WalkMe provides two solutions for self-hosted customers with the advanced element recognition model, also known as DeepUI, each with its own benefits and limitations.
Depending on the security requirements, DeepUI can operate separately from the rest of the WalkMe code or be included in the self-hosted package.
The hybrid solution allows DeepUI to operate separately from the self-hosted files and requires connection to WalkMe CDN (cdn.walkme.com & papi.walkme.com). It uses data analysis and constantly improves element recognition based on the user feedback.
The full solution takes a snapshot of DeepUI files at the moment of publish and includes them in the general self-hosted package. This means you can host DeepUI while data analysis and dynamic element recognition updates are disabled.
Functionality | Hybrid | Full |
Dynamic updates (includes elements, lexicon, etc) | Yes | No |
Requires access to WalkMe servers | Yes | No |
Can be loaded locally / from customer server | No | Yes |
Builder Assistant | Yes |
Yes* Requires republishing content and downloading a new self-hosted package after the Builder Assistant ticket is resolved. |
Shield | Yes | Yes |
Lexicon | Yes | Yes |
Engaged elements | Yes |
Yes* Access to WalkMe servers can't be blocked - it is required to send statistics to Insights. |
Adaptive flows | Yes |
Yes* Requires downloading a new self-hosted package to receive the update - a settings or content publish isn't required. |
Application version release updates | Yes |
Yes* Requires republishing content and downloading a new self-hosted package to receive the update. |
Reach out to Support or your Customer Success Manager for further information.