## 5.3.4 Product deployment options 

Guide for Hybrid Cloud , REDP5319 ( http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/redp5319.html?Open ). 

When we make a statement that IBM API Connect is deployed  into a particular 3rd party cloud, we might actually mean a few different things. For example, the topology might be customer managed (in the same way that it would be, if it were on-premises), or it might be managed by IBM. It might be a public managed platform where it is shared with other customers, or it might be dedicated/reserved for the customer. In this section, we walk through the various possibilities of what deploying to cloud can mean, and their relative benefits. 

IBM API Connect installations are provided in Container/Kubernetes and OVA VMware form factors to run virtually anywhere. Keep in mind that OVA installations are based on Kubernetes internally, giving customers some of the benefits of a cloud-native solution without having to install their own Kubernetes environment. 

Therefore, IBM API Connect can be deployed with Kubernetes, IBM Cloud Pak for Integration, and OVA (VMWare) and Red Hat OpenShift for maximum flexibility to enable a true hybrid or multicloud adoption. 

IBM API Connect is available in three different deployment options described in this list: 

1. IBM Managed API Connect on IBM Cloud IBM API Connect is available on IBM Cloud in three different options, which gives you different flexibility and isolation options: 

a. IBM Cloud Public:  This format leverages the advantages of hosting the services on the public IBM Cloud architecture. The Public cloud includes the following key features: 

GLYPH<129> No additional hardware requirements. 

GLYPH<129> No special firewall requirements. 

GLYPH<129> Easy to pair with other IBM Cloud services. 

b. IBM Cloud Dedicated: Cloud Dedicated is a Cloud environment that is set up specifically for your organization and is managed by the IBM operations team. The Cloud dedicated deployment includes the following key features: 

GLYPH<129> No additional hardware requirements. 

GLYPH<129> A single-tenant environm ent that enables a higher level of stability. 

GLYPH<129> More security because you are removed from the public cloud. 

c. IBM API Connect Reserved Instance:  This option offers an individual API Connect instance that runs on IBM-managed infrastructure. Reserved Instance provides value by balancing the flexibility of a shared in Reserved Instance infrastructure with the isolation of a single-tenant deployment based on the topology and functionality of API Connect. Reserved Instance offers the following key features: 

GLYPH<129> Common log-in with other IBM services that use IBMid. 

GLYPH<129> Isolation from other users of the IBM Cloud public service. 

GLYPH<129> Managed, monitored, and operated by the API Connect operations team. 

GLYPH<129> Deployed across multiple pods within the datacenter-zone for resilience. 

GLYPH<129> Optionally deployed as a Hig h Availability (HA) deployment with a 99.95% SLA, for an additional cost. 

