Self-Hosting vs Managed Repositories: Hyrax, Hyku, and HykuUP Explained
- Eitan Steinberg-Tatman
- Aug 1
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 29
Institutional repositories and digital archives are vital for preserving and sharing a university’s scholarship. When planning a repository, libraries must decide whether to self-host their system or use a hosted service (SaaS, whether open or closed-source). Open-source platforms like Samvera Hyrax and Hyku offer flexibility and no license fees, but they require resources to build and maintain. In fact, one study notes that although open-source systems are free, “the cost to build and support an open source institutional repository” is significant, and libraries typically need more staff time for an open-source system than for a proprietary one. In this guide, we explore the trade-offs of self-hosting versus managed hosting, compare Samvera’s Hyrax and Hyku platforms, and discuss hosted options like hykuUP (Notch8’s hosted Hyku service) and how a service provider can help.
Self-Hosting vs Managed Services
Self-Hosting (On-Premises) – You run the servers and software yourself. This gives full control and unlimited customization (no recurring license fees), but also means all technical work falls on your team. You must install, configure, and upgrade the repository software, secure the servers, and fix problems when they arise. For example, Samvera Hyrax is meant to be installed locally; you have to make many implementation choices “on your own (e.g. database, authentication, workers)”. In practice this requires hiring or dedicating system administrators and Ruby/Rails developers. As one Samvera developer guide warns, Hyrax “requires some degree of expertise in system administration as well as Ruby and Rails development” to operate and maintain. In short, self-hosting saves on vendor fees but demands significant staff time and technical skill. Studies of academic repositories have noted that libraries must be prepared to “fully support the repository” and that adequate IT support is crucial for open-source systems.The largest risks here lie in ensuring ongoing sustainability, and preventing technical linchpins - people who know how your particular system is configured and customized, and are key to its ongoing functionality. If they leave, you’re in trouble.
Hosted/SaaS Solutions – A vendor manages the infrastructure, updates, backups, and core platform for you. This can free your staff to focus on collections instead of servers. For instance, Notch8’s hykuUP is a fully-managed Hyku service; the company describes it as “a hosted Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) version of Hyku, eliminating the need for local infrastructure and technical maintenance”. Using a hosted service means paying subscription or hosting fees, and you have less direct control over the environment. However, it shifts the burden of system upgrades, security patches, and uptime to the provider. Many libraries find this attractive if they lack a dedicated development team. (As one repository study notes, today there are commercial support models for open-source systems “ranging from hourly vendor support to full software-as-a-service offerings”.) Hosted services also usually include customer support and expertise, which can be invaluable when issues arise. The trade-off is that you must evaluate a vendor’s reliability and commit to their planned features and schedule. Further, you want to prevent vendor lock-in. The best way to do this is to discuss this with your vendor, and ensure:
All of your data is as easy to export as it is to import
Ask what happens if your vendor gets acquired, sold, or if they close shop.
Comparing Samvera Repositories: Hyrax vs Hyku
📌NOTE: We offer a full Hyku vs. Hyrax Q&A; this is a very brief overview.
Hyrax – The Samvera Hyrax project is a flexible repository engine that you customize and deploy yourself. You or your developers build a Hyrax application for your institution, defining metadata, workflows, and UI. Hyrax supports multiple custom workflows (deposit, review, embargo, etc.) so you can tailor it to your policies. Because Hyrax is highly configurable, it is often chosen when an institution needs deep customizations and has deep pockets, with a mandate to maintain in-house the solution for the foreseeable future. However, that flexibility comes with responsibility: you must handle all the technical pieces (database setup, authentication, background jobs, etc.) as well as ongoing upgrades. The Hyrax documentation notes you’ll need to make many implementation decisions and have the expertise to maintain them. In practice, using Hyrax self-hosted means you need system administrators and Ruby/Rails developers on your team. On the plus side, libraries that have the staff (or hire consultants) can mold Hyrax exactly to their needs and integrate it tightly with campus systems. The biggest benefits of using Hyrax under these circumstances are that you will be able to create a bespoke, highly customized digital repository experience with no overhead of reconciling your decisions with the community developers. While this carries risks with it (you may miss out on future features), if you understand your needs well and have a good engineering team, this is the way to go.
Hyku – Hyku is a pre-packaged repository application built on top of Hyrax – Hyrax as a turn-key product, if you will. Hyku comes with many decisions already made: it uses a PostgreSQL database by default, Bulkrax bulk import/edit tool is included by default, Docker/AWS deployment scripts are included, and out-of-the-box features like IIIF image support via Universal Viewer are enabled. Hyku is also designed for multi-tenancy – a single instance can host multiple “tenant” repositories. This configurability is not only useful if your organization needs multiple repositories and wants to avoid maintaining multiple instances of Hyrax. It also provides institutions the ability to, with a couple of mouse clicks, spin up a whole new repository sitting on the same production infrastructure that can be used for testing novel configurations of metadata, styling, or new submission workflows. This makes Hyku a good choice if you want one platform serving several departments or collaborative partners. Because of these defaults, getting a basic Hyku repository up and running is way faster than building a separate Hyrax instance from scratch. Past versions of Hyku were significantly more limited with regard to what customizations could be implemented without adding risk to upgrading to a new version down the line. This limitation has been largely solved: Hyku Knapsack provides organizations a place and scaffolding to “pack” their custom features, configurations, and styles without needing to modify core Hyku code. In summary, Hyku offers a turnkey Samvera repository with key features in place, scaffolding, and support for the most common areas of deep customization, and multi-tenant support. All this amounts to less initial development effort, lower costs to maintain, and greater overall community support.
📌NOTE:
For a much more detailed Hyku / Hyrax Q&A, see this post
For a deeper dive into Samvera and its features, read Samvera tech 101
Hosted Hyku and SaaS Services
HykuUP (Notch8) – hykuUP is Notch8’s hosted Hyku service. It provides Hyku as a fully managed SaaS solution: the servers, database, backups, and updates are all handled by Notch8. This means your institution can have a modern Hyku repository without setting up any infrastructure. Notch8 highlights that hykuUP “eliminates the need for local infrastructure and technical maintenance”. You still configure the look-and-feel (themes, metadata fields, access policies) via the Hyku web UI, and even custom styling via the built-in custom CSS panel, but under-the-hood tasks are outsourced. Because it’s a hosted multi-tenant setup, hykuUP can also scale for larger needs. One note: hykuUP is essentially Hyku as provided by Notch8, so you’re using Hyku’s standard codebase on a modern version (e.g. Hyku 6.x). You get all Hyku features, plus Notch8’s support and patch management.
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Professional Support and Expertise
Partnering with Specialists – Regardless of which platform you choose, working with experienced developers can smooth the project. For example, Notch8 is a company with deep Samvera expertise; they have worked with over 30 institutions to develop or support Samvera and other repositories. Notch8’s team has been actively contributing to Hyku’s development: their Samvera services page says the Hyku solution “provides a fully-featured Samvera repository out of the box,” and that they have been “among those leading the continued development” of Hyku. They offer both custom development (for Hyrax or Hyku) and the hosted HykuUP service. In practical terms, this means libraries can hire such a vendor to handle the technical heavy lifting: Notch8 can install and customize Hyrax, migrate content, implement integrations, or manage the hosted environment. This lets library staff focus on collections and user support rather than coding and system administration.
When to Use a Service Provider – Consider getting external help if you lack Rails/deployment expertise or if you prefer a hands-off infrastructure solution. Even if you plan to self-host Hyrax or Hyku, a consulting partner can jumpstart the project (setting up servers, configuring metadata schemas, creating custom features). If you choose a hosted path (like hykuUP), the provider will run most of the system, but you may still want guidance on configuration or data migration. A firm like Notch8 with Samvera experience can also advise on the Hyrax vs Hyku decision itself. For instance, if your institution’s needs align better with Hyrax’s flexibility but you don’t have in-house devs, Notch8 could build a Hyrax instance and teach your staff to use it. Ultimately, the goal is to leverage experts so your repository is stable, user-friendly, and aligned with library goals.
Key Takeaways for Decision-Making
Assess Your Team’s Capabilities: If your library has dedicated developers and infrastructure, deep pockets, sustaining funding, and a deep understanding of your needs, a self-hosted Hyrax (or Hyku on your servers) might make sense. But if you lack that capacity, a hosted Hyku instance, or a managed instance like hykuUP can avoid overtaxing your staff.
Balance Flexibility vs. Maintenance: Hyrax offers unmatched customization (you can build unique workflows and integrations), but this means you must also manage upgrades and fixes. Hyku provides a ready-made solution with many features built in and scaffolding for deeper customizations, which reduces development work and risks to upgradeability.
Plan for Long-Term Support: Remember that any self-hosted system needs ongoing care. Upgrading to new software versions or migrating hardware will eventually be necessary. However, a hosted Hyku service outsources those tasks to a provider.
Leverage Expert Help: Whether you go self-hosted, hosted instance, or managed instance, engaging a specialist can greatly reduce risk. Notch8 has a long track record (30+ academic clients) and offers both development and hosting for Samvera repositories. Their hykuUP service is designed to be turnkey, eliminating the need for local infrastructure, and getting your new repository up in minutes so you can try before you buy.
By weighing these factors: in-house resources, desired level of control, budget, and timeline, your library can choose the repository approach that best fits its needs. A carefully planned strategy with a partner like Notch8 will ensure your new or upgraded repository is robust, maintainable, and user-friendly, helping researchers easily access your institution’s digital collections.
