Single vs Multiple Orgs: A Comprehensive Comparison for Your Salesforce Production Environment

Single vs Multiple Orgs: A Comprehensive Comparison for Your Salesforce Production Environment

When it comes to managing your Salesforce production environment, one crucial decision you need to make is whether to have a single org or multiple orgs. This choice can have a significant impact on your system's scalability, security, and overall efficiency. The discussion of having a global instance or having separate instances per region or business often pops ups when working for large global enterprises.

Let us look at some of the key aspects which can help make such decisions:

Business Segmentation

If your organization has multiple business units or divisions that operate independently and have distinct processes, data requirements, or security needs, it may be beneficial to have separate Salesforce orgs for each unit. This allows for better customization and control over the org's configuration to meet specific business requirements.

Regional or International Operations

If your company operates in different regions or countries with varying regulatory requirements, language preferences, or localized processes, setting up separate Salesforce orgs for each region can provide better flexibility and compliance. It enables you to tailor the orgs to meet local needs while still maintaining some global consistency through shared data or integrations.

Mergers and Acquisitions

When organizations merge or acquire other companies, it's common to have separate Salesforce instances for each entity initially. This allows for easier integration and consolidation of data, processes, and systems at a later stage. Having multiple orgs helps keep the data and configurations of each entity separate until the consolidation efforts are complete.

Development and Testing Environments

It's standard practice to have separate orgs for development, testing, and production environments. This ensures that changes and enhancements can be thoroughly tested in a controlled environment before being deployed to the production org. Maintaining separate orgs for these purposes helps maintain stability and minimizes the risk of disrupting critical business operations.

Scalability and Performance

If your organization is rapidly growing or has high transaction volumes, having multiple orgs can help distribute the load and improve system performance. Splitting the workload across multiple orgs can prevent performance degradation and provide a more seamless user experience.

Restrictions on data residency

If there are strict restrictions that one region/business data cannot be hosted in other regions etc.

Ultimately, the decision to use multiple Salesforce orgs for production depends on the specific needs, complexity, and structure of your organization. It is recommended to thoroughly analyze the requirements, consider the benefits and trade-offs, and consult with Salesforce experts or architects to determine the most suitable approach.

When designing a multi-org production environment in Salesforce, several architectural considerations should be considered. Here are some key considerations:

Data Integration and Sharing

Determine how data will be integrated and shared across the orgs. Evaluate whether you need real-time or batch data synchronization, and consider using Salesforce's integration tools like Salesforce Connect, Data Loader, or APIs to establish data connections. Define data-sharing rules, and security settings, and establish a data governance framework to ensure data consistency and security across orgs.

User Experience and Single Sign-On (SSO)

Aim for a seamless user experience across multiple orgs. Consider implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions like Salesforce Identity, SAML, or OAuth to enable users to access different orgs with a single set of credentials. Use Salesforce's Lightning Experience or Community Cloud to provide a unified interface for users, allowing them to navigate between orgs effortlessly.

Application and Code Management

Determine how applications, customizations, and code will be managed across multiple orgs. Consider adopting a version control system, such as Salesforce DX, to manage the development and deployment of code changes across orgs. Implement a release management process to ensure controlled and coordinated deployments across the different environments.

Security and Access Control

Establish a robust security model to ensure appropriate access control across orgs. Define roles, profiles, and permission sets consistently across orgs. Consider using Salesforce Shield or other security features to enhance data protection and compliance. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) and regular security audits to mitigate security risks.

Reporting and Analytics

Determine how reporting and analytics will be handled in a multi-org environment. Evaluate whether you need centralized reporting or if each org will have its reporting capabilities. Consider using Salesforce's Reporting and Analytics tools, such as Einstein Analytics, to consolidate data from multiple orgs for unified reporting and insights.

Change Management and Governance

Establish change management processes and governance frameworks to ensure consistency, control, and coordination across multiple orgs. Define standards, naming conventions, and development guidelines to maintain a coherent architecture. Implement change control boards and release cycles to manage changes effectively across orgs.

Disaster Recovery and High Availability

Consider the disaster recovery and high availability requirements for your multi-org environment. Implement backup and recovery strategies for each org, including regular data backups and redundancy measures. Evaluate options like Salesforce's Data Recovery Service or utilizing external backup solutions to ensure business continuity.

Scalability and Performance

Architect the environment for scalability and optimal performance. Consider factors such as org partitioning, resource allocation, and load balancing to distribute the workload across orgs and avoid performance bottlenecks. Optimize data models, queries, and system configurations to ensure efficient performance in each org.

These considerations should be tailored to your organization's specific requirements and constraints. It is recommended to involve Salesforce architects or consultants to assist in designing and implementing the architecture for a multi-org production environment.

For expert assistance in designing and implementing a multi-org production environment for Salesforce, Reach out to our Salesforce consultants at Instellars.

Blog Written by:

Naveen Kumar M
Salesforce Practice Head