Customer data glossary

Air-gapped deployment

By Art Kukharenko · Published 2026-10-17 · Updated 2026-10-18

An air-gapped deployment runs on a network with no physical or automated logical connection to other networks, so data and updates move only by manual, controlled transfer.

Part of the Learn hub and the customer data glossary.

What it means in practice

The NIST glossary, citing CNSSI 4009-2022, describes an air gap as an interface between two systems at which they are not connected physically and any logical connection is not automated, so data crosses only manually, under human control 1. In practice an air-gapped deployment sits in a network enclave with no route to the internet or to other networks, and anything entering or leaving moves through controlled media or an inspected transfer station.

For a customer data platform (CDP) this changes the design. SaaS destinations are out of reach, so activation targets systems inside the enclave. Updates arrive as signed packages carried in. Licence activation and telemetry must work offline. AI features must use locally hosted models, because external model APIs cannot be called. Patching is slower, so the software should update in batches without fuss.

Air-gapped is stricter than on-premise. On-premise servers usually keep network links, and a private cloud VPC is not air-gapped either. The pattern appears in defence, intelligence and some critical infrastructure, and wherever connection to external networks is not allowed.

Example (government): an agency that sends eligibility notices from an enclave with no internet route runs its platform and its language model inside that enclave. Updates and exports cross by approved media only, and each transfer is logged.

Self-hosted customer data platform (CDP): the prerequisite deployment model.
Single-tenant vs multi-tenant: isolation inside the enclave.
Data sovereignty: a common driver.
Data egress: controlled to near zero.
AI agent: must run on local models.

Where it matters

FedRAMP and air-gapped deployment patterns: for engagement systems.
On-premise LLM deployment for marketing personalization: local models and hardware.

Back to the customer data glossary or the Learn hub.

Frequently asked questions

Is air-gapped the same as on-premise?

No. On-premise describes where it runs; air-gapped describes network isolation. An on-premise system with internet access is not air-gapped.

Can AI run in an air-gapped environment?

Yes, with models hosted inside the enclave. Cloud AI APIs are unavailable, so model updates and evaluation must also be done offline.

How do updates work?

By controlled transfer: signed packages are inspected, carried in and installed under change control. Plan release cadence around that process.

Sources

NIST Computer Security Resource Center glossary, "air gap" (source: CNSSI 4009-2022) Open source