Shared vs Standalone vs Dedicated Solr -- Clear & Simple Guide
1. Shared Solr
- Multiple customers on the same machine/container.
- System resources are shared.
- Security is isolated --- not a concern.
- Lower cost, ideal for normal traffic.
- Possible downsides:
- Heavy bot traffic can consume bandwidth and trigger upgrade
alerts.\
- In rare cases, a "noisy neighbor" may require relocating your
index to another shared instance (few minutes of downtime to
switch hostname).
2. Shared Resilient Cluster
- Multiple dedicated servers working together (load balancing +
replicas), but resources are still shared across all customers.
- Better performance under heavy load.
- Bot traffic still consumes bandwidth, but the performance impact is
lower.
- Designed for customers with higher traffic who don't want the cost
of a fully dedicated cluster.
3. Dedicated Standalone
- One machine/container dedicated to a single customer.
- No noisy neighbors.
- Cheaper than a full dedicated cluster, more expensive than shared.
- Great for stable, predictable performance without interference from
other users.
4. Dedicated Cluster Environment
- A full cluster (multiple dedicated machines) exclusively for one
customer.
- You can create any number of indexes/cluster indexes inside this
dedicated environment.
- Ideal for corporate-grade workloads, high traffic, mission‑critical
applications.
- Offers redundancy, replication, scalability, and multi-region
options.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Can we host all 5 sites inside one dedicated cluster?
Yes. You only need one dedicated cluster environment. Inside it, you
can create as many indexes as needed.
Can another customer's bot traffic affect our performance on shared?
Rarely, but possible. We monitor these events and may relocate your
index to another instance if needed.
For complete isolation, use Dedicated Standalone or Dedicated
Cluster.
What are the risks of using the Shared Solr 8.11 Cluster in US‑EAST if our servers run in US‑WEST?
- Only network latency (~80--130ms).\
- You can test this easily during the free trial.\
- Normal performance will be similar to dedicated, unless you're under
very heavy load.
Is there any security concern on shared environments?
No. Indexes are fully isolated.
6. Quick Comparison
Option Cost Performance Isolation Best For
Shared Low Medium Low Normal traffic
Shared Medium High Medium High traffic
Resilient without big budget
Cluster
Dedicated Medium‑High Very High Very High Avoiding noisy
Standalone neighbors
Dedicated High Excellent Maximum Enterprise &
Cluster mission‑critical
workloads
Summary
Shared = cheap but shared resources.
Shared Cluster = stronger, still shared.
Dedicated Standalone = private, fast, stable.
Dedicated Cluster = top tier, enterprise-grade.
