When selecting a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), one of the biggest decisions manufacturers face is whether to deploy the solution on-premise, in the cloud, or as a hybrid model. Each approach comes with its own advantages and trade-offs, depending on factors like scalability, cost, security, and operational resilience.
At Kanoa, we’ve helped manufacturers implement cloud, on-prem, and hybrid MES solutions, and we’ve seen firsthand how different deployment models impact efficiency and costs. More importantly, Kanoa MES’s unique licensing model—per Ignition Gateway—unlocks new possibilities for manufacturers looking to scale across multiple sites without ballooning costs.
Unlike traditional MES licensing models that charge per user, per screen, per data point, or per site, Kanoa MES’s per-gateway licensing model eliminates artificial barriers to scalability.
All of this to say: scaling by gateway/server is so much simpler. It scales based on real-life scenarios, like load balancing or needing local instances. Most importantly, it’s generous—designed to give manufacturers a lot of power, rather than limit their ideas.
In this blog, we’ll break down the differences between cloud and on-prem MES, when a hybrid model makes sense, and how Kanoa MES enables manufacturers to optimize performance while keeping costs under control.
Traditionally, MES solutions have been deployed on-premise, meaning the software is installed on servers physically located at the manufacturing facility. This approach has been the default choice for decades due to concerns around latency, security, and operational uptime.
If your manufacturing operations demand ultra-low latency, strict data control, or the ability to run without internet access, an on-premise MES is often the best choice. However, when enterprise-wide reporting and multi-site coordination become a priority, a cloud-based or hybrid approach starts to look more attractive.
Cloud MES solutions shift the infrastructure burden to off-site servers, often hosted in platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Instead of running the software on local hardware, manufacturers access the system via the internet.
One of the fastest ways to deploy Ignition and Kanoa MES in the cloud is by using Ignition Cloud Edition. This version of Ignition is specifically designed for cloud environments, allowing manufacturers to rapidly implement MES solutions without worrying about server infrastructure. By leveraging Ignition Cloud Edition, companies can achieve scalability, rapid deployment, and enterprise-wide visibility with minimal IT overhead.
Most MES solutions are licensed per site, per user, or per data point, making cloud deployments expensive as manufacturers scale. Kanoa MES is different.
Kanoa MES is licensed per Ignition Gateway, meaning manufacturers can install a single Kanoa MES license on a single cloud server and use it to run MES across multiple sites.
📌 Real-World Example: We have customers running Kanoa MES across 5 sites and 400+ assets using just one cloud-hosted Ignition Gateway. This model provides massive cost savings compared to traditional MES pricing models that charge per site or per user.
If this were a per-site model, the cost could be 5 sites × $20,000 per site = $100,000. If it were priced per asset, at $200 per asset for 400 assets, the total cost would be $80,000. However, with Kanoa MES, it's a single server license for just $20,000, delivering the same or better functionality at a fraction of the cost.
To get the most out of a cloud MES deployment, we strongly recommend using MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) for sending data from the manufacturing floor to the MES. MQTT is a lightweight, efficient protocol that ensures fast and reliable data transmission, even over unstable networks.
For many manufacturers, the choice isn’t just cloud vs. on-prem—it’s both. A hybrid MES setup allows manufacturers to balance resilience, performance, and enterprise-wide visibility.
While a hybrid MES offers many benefits, it does introduce some additional complexities:
Increased System Complexity – Managing both on-prem and cloud-based MES means carefully defining where functionality belongs. Questions like "Should this logic run on-site or in the cloud?" come up frequently.
Additional Infrastructure Costs – Running both on-site and cloud servers means higher infrastructure and maintenance costs compared to a purely cloud or on-prem solution.
Most manufacturers don’t start with a hybrid architecture. Instead, they begin with either an on-premise or cloud deployment and extend to a hybrid model when the use case presents itself.
📌 Example: Some of our customers choose to install Kanoa MES both on-site and in the cloud. The on-site server keeps local operations running smoothly, while the cloud instance consolidates data from multiple plants for reporting and analytics.
Beyond deployment models, several technologies within the Ignition ecosystem can enhance MES performance and data connectivity:
Choosing between on-prem, cloud, or hybrid MES depends on your operational needs, IT infrastructure, and budget. The good news? With Kanoa MES, you’re not locked into one approach. Our flexible architecture supports all three deployment models, allowing manufacturers to scale cost-effectively while ensuring operational resilience.
📞 Want to explore the best MES deployment for your business? Let’s talk. Contact us to see how Kanoa MES can optimize your manufacturing operations.