---
title: "Installer Hosting Options"
slug: "installer-hosting-options"
description: "Choose between Self-Hosting and IIS Hosting for Decisions, configure domains and ports, and secure access with SSL."
tags: ["V8", "IIS", "Installation", "Self Hosting", "Installer Hosting", "Installer Hosting Options"]
updated: 2026-06-29T13:10:22Z
published: 2026-06-29T13:10:22Z
canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/installer-hosting-options"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installer Hosting Options

## Overview

Two installer options are available for web application hosting:

- [**Self-hosting**](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/installation-guide#self-hosting) - recommended for root platform installations e.g. "http://domain.com"
- [**Internet Information Services (IIS) Hosting**](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/installation-guide#:~:text=first.%20Click%20Next.-,IIS%20Hosting,-Provide%20the%20Portal) - Portal URLs requiring a Virtual Directory e.g. "http://domain.com/decisions" require IIS hosting

Local installations default to [](http://localhost/decisions,)localhost with HTTP (Port: 80) or HTTPS (Port: 443).

To overwrite, specify the desired **Domain Name** e.g. "example.com" and/or **Port**(s). In the absence of IIS, manually open the **Windows Firewall** port(s) on the server.

Regardless of the hosting option, it is recommended to use [SSL](/version-10/docs/configuring-the-server-for-ssl-https) for added security.

---

## Self Hosting

**Self Hosted Installations** utilize a **Windows** **Service** called **Decisions** **Server** allowing for a quick running single application setup. This setup provides users the functionality of a full-fledged application server without having to communicate with an additional external server.

The following table provides key features and associated considerations of Self-Hosting.

| Feature | Consideration |
| --- | --- |
| Leverages Kestrel Web Hosting to host Decisions as Windows Service called Decisions Server; this allows for a faster running Web Server. | Choosing Self Hosting over IIS sacrifices some security features such as the ability to filter and limit requests, and Windows Authentication. |
| Supports both HTTPS and HTTP/2 | Does not allow [Port Sharing](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/wcf/feature-details/net-tcp-port-sharing). |
| Self Hosting allows for a simplified installation process. | Requires Windows Firewall Ports to be [opened manually](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-firewall/create-an-inbound-port-rule). |

### Self Hosted Diagram

The following diagram demonstrates the how a **Self** **Hosted** Decisions environment interacts with elements such as the **Decisions Server**, **Database**, **File** **Storage**, and **External** **Integrations** (such as **Web** and **REST** **Services**, and **External** **Databases**).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/4be511b5-d929-4def-93f3-0f0bb44b6b31.jpg)

---

## IIS Hosting

**Internet Information Services (IIS)** Hosting uses the [ASP.NET Core Hosting Bundle](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/6.0) to communicate between the Web Server and an IIS Application Pool. This installer hosting option may be configured using one of two methods:

- Automatically via the **Application** **Pool** panel of the IIS Hosting option in the **Decisions** **Installer**
- Manually via **IIS** **Manager**. For more information, refer to [Prerequisite for IIS Hosting](https://documentation.decisions.com/version-10/docs/prerequisite-for-iis-hosting).

The following chart describes considerations for each of the features provided by IIS Hosting.

| Feature | Consideration |
| --- | --- |
| Virtual Directory Support | Platforms that use Portal URLs with virtual directories e.g." domain/decisions" require IIS Hosting. |
| No Windows Service (such as Service Host Manager) | Restarting IIS Hosted v9 environments requires recycling the App Pool or an administrative level Windows command prompt to run the iisreset command with an optional /noforce parameter. |
| Port Sharing Support | Port Sharing requires a v9 IIS-hosted installation. In some environments, Port Sharing is used to allow worker processes to utilize (ie. "share") the same port(s). |

### **IIS Hosted Diagram**

The following diagram demonstrates how an IIS Hosted environment interacts with other elements such as the **IIS** **Application** **Pool** i.e., where the environment is hosted, **Database**, **File** **Storage**, and **External** **Integrations** such as Web and REST Services, and External Databases.

### ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/IISHostedDiagram.drawio02092022.png)