mirror of
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Streamlined site-to-site docs in new dedicated section. Removed old u… (#585)
* Streamlined site-to-site docs in new dedicated section. Removed old use-case guide and added redirects
* restructure use-cases, move network use cases to network sections
* Reorganize network routes and networks documentation structure
- Restructure use cases into by-scenario and by-configuration folders
- Reorganize images to match new doc structure (concepts, by-scenario, by-resource-type)
- Add screenshots for site-to-site guides (home, office, cloud)
- Add policy screenshots for networks use cases
- Update site-to-site docs to use two separate policies instead of bidirectional
- Fix Access Control Groups to use correct destination groups
- Move "Self-Hosted vs Cloud" page to about section
- Update navigation and add redirects for moved pages
- Add CLAUDE.md for Claude Code guidance
* cleaned up network docs/image folder structure
* Align site-to-site use case links and redirects
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
* Update CLAUDE.md with accurate project details
Fix Next.js version (14 → 16), add React 19/Tailwind/Pages Router
details, document MDX page conventions, image paths, and note
absence of test suite.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* Fix broken images and hydration error on networks page
- Restore 6 network index images accidentally deleted in 4116092
- Fix keycloak image filename typo (keycloack -> keycloak)
- Fix hydration mismatch by replacing invalid <p><div> nesting with <div>
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* Fix 4 broken internal links found in PR review
- Fix missing by-scenario/ segment in site-to-site-home and
site-to-site-office Tile hrefs (network-routes use-cases index)
- Fix lazy-connections typo to lazy-connection (implement-zero-trust)
- Update stale redirect link to direct path for access-control
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Jack Carter <128555021+SunsetDrifter@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ all outgoing traffic, and that may affect how NetBird clients connect to the [co
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and negotiate the peer-to-peer connections.
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<Note>
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Allowing the outbound **P2P (STUN)** service below is **recommended** in more restricted networks for reliable peer connections. This will also improve the reliability of your [High Availability Routes](https://docs.netbird.io/manage/network-routes/routing-traffic-to-private-networks#high-availability-routes).
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Allowing the outbound **P2P (STUN)** service below is **recommended** in more restricted networks for reliable peer connections. This will also improve the reliability of your [High Availability Routes](https://docs.netbird.io/manage/network-routes#high-availability).
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</Note>
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<Note>
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Allowing the outbound **Relay (TURN)** service below is **recommended** in more restricted networks for reliable peer connections. This will also improve the reliability of your [High Availability Routes](https://docs.netbird.io/manage/network-routes/routing-traffic-to-private-networks#high-availability-routes).
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Allowing the outbound **Relay (TURN)** service below is **recommended** in more restricted networks for reliable peer connections. This will also improve the reliability of your [High Availability Routes](https://docs.netbird.io/manage/network-routes#high-availability).
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</Note>
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<Note>
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If using `fail2ban` or similar, you should whitelist each netbird.io endpoint below.
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101
src/pages/about-netbird/self-hosted-vs-cloud.mdx
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101
src/pages/about-netbird/self-hosted-vs-cloud.mdx
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@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
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# Self-hosted vs. Cloud-hosted NetBird
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NetBird can be used in two ways: self-hosted and cloud-hosted (SaaS). The self-hosted version is a standalone version
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that can be installed on your own servers while the cloud-hosted version is a SaaS (Software as a Service) that is hosted
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on our servers.
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Often times, the question arises: what is the difference between the two? This post gives a short overview of the
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differences between the two versions.
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## Before Choosing to Self-Host NetBird in Production
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When we first created NetBird, our goal was to simplify network administration — freeing admins from the headaches of
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configuring firewalls, opening ports, managing VPN gateways, handling certificates, and so on. We wanted to provide a
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tool that lets teams completely close off their network from the outside world, while still enabling devices to seamlessly
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discover and connect to internal resources just by installing the client apps. However, as is often the case with easy-to-use tools,
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a lot happens behind the scenes. NetBird relies on a range of interconnected components that work together to ensure secure
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peer-to-peer connectivity, fallback relayed connections through a network of geographically distributed relay servers,
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and overall system reliability and availability. It is not an easy task to deploy and maintain such infrastructure in
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a reliable manner. NetBird is not just one VPN server. You can read more about how NetBird works [here](/about-netbird/how-netbird-works).
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## What's New: No External IdP Required
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Starting with version 0.62, self-hosting NetBird has become significantly easier. Previously, self-hosting required setting up and maintaining a separate identity provider (like Zitadel, Keycloak, or Auth0). Now, the Management service supports **local user management** directly, which means:
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- **No external IdP required** - Create and manage users directly in NetBird
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- **Fewer containers** to deploy and maintain (4-5 vs 7+ previously)
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- **Lower resource requirements** (~1GB RAM vs 2-4GB previously)
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- **User management directly in the Dashboard**
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- **Optional external IdPs** - Connect Google, Microsoft, Okta, etc. if you want SSO
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- **Multiple IdPs supported** - Configure multiple OIDC providers simultaneously
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This makes self-hosting a more viable option for homelabs, small teams, and proof-of-concept deployments.
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## Installation and Maintenance
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NetBird platform is a combination of [multiple components](/about-netbird/how-netbird-works) that make it possible for
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machines to establish direct point-to-point connections and for network administrators to manage the network,
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e.g., control network access.
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When running the self-hosted version, you are responsible for installing and maintaining all the components as well as backing up
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and securing the data. With local user management built into the Management service, this burden is significantly reduced—you no longer need to maintain separate identity provider infrastructure.
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The cloud-hosted NetBird only requires you to install the client software (NetBird agent) on your machines and log them in to the network.
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The cloud-hosted version is more suitable for organizations that want a hassle-free solution that is easy to set up and maintain.
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## Features
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While the self-hosted and cloud-hosted versions share the same core connectivity features, the cloud-hosted version has
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some additional features that are targeted at business customers and help with network automation and management. These features include:
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- **[Users and groups provisioning](/manage/team/idp-sync)** from your identity provider (IdP).
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- **[Traffic events logging](/manage/activity/traffic-events-logging)** of connections to internal resources for audit and analysis.
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- **[Event streaming](/manage/activity/event-streaming)** to 3rd party platforms and SIEM systems.
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- **[Integrations with EDR](/manage/access-control/endpoint-detection-and-response)** like CrowdStrike and others.
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- **[Peer approval](/manage/peers/approve-peers)** to join the network.
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- **[User invites](/manage/team/add-users-to-your-network#direct-user-invites)**.
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- **[MSP functionality](/manage/for-partners/msp-portal)** for managing multiple tenant networks from a single account.
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<Note>
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SCIM provisioning and some enterprise features require a [Commercial License](https://netbird.io/pricing#on-prem) for self-hosted deployments.
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</Note>
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## Geo Distributed Relay Servers
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NetBird uses relay servers to establish connections between machines when a direct point-to-point connections isn't possible.
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When using the cloud-hosted version, you benefit from the geo-distributed relay server clusters that are located in multiple regions
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around the world ensuring that your machines can always establish a connection. The NetBird agents pick the closest relay server.
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When using the self-hosted version, you need to set up your own relay servers. This a complex task and requires additional
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maintenance effort.
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## Highly Available Management Layer
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When using the cloud-hosted version, you benefit from highly available control plane servers (Management) providing stability for
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your critical network infrastructure.
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## Quick Comparison
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| Aspect | Self-Hosted | Cloud-Hosted |
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|--------|-------------|--------------|
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| **Setup time** | ~5 minutes with local users | Instant |
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| **Infrastructure** | You manage | We manage |
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| **Identity provider** | Built-in local users (+ optional external IdPs) | Managed |
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| **Multiple IdPs** | Yes, OIDC-compatible | Yes |
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| **Relay servers** | Single instance (or DIY geo-distribution) | Geo-distributed globally |
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| **High availability** | DIY | Included |
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| **SCIM provisioning** | Enterprise license | Included (Business+) |
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| **Cost** | Your infrastructure costs | Subscription |
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| **Best for** | Homelabs, air-gapped networks, compliance requirements | Teams wanting hassle-free setup |
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## Get started
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<p float="center" >
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<Button name="button" className="button-5" onClick={() => window.open("https://netbird.io/pricing")}>Use NetBird</Button>
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</p>
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- [Self-hosting Quickstart](/selfhosted/selfhosted-quickstart) - Get started with self-hosted NetBird in 5 minutes
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- Make sure to [star us on GitHub](https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird)
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- Follow us [on X](https://x.com/netbird)
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- Join our [Slack Channel](/slack-url)
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- NetBird [latest release](https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/releases) on GitHub
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