If you’re planning a RightFax upgrade or migration in 2026, the architecture decision is the one that will shape everything else: implementation timeline, IT overhead, cost structure, compliance posture, and long-term flexibility.
This guide lays out the four main options clearly, without oversimplifying. The right answer depends on your organization’s specific infrastructure, compliance requirements, and internal IT capacity—and we’re happy to help work through that in more detail once you have the lay of the land.
On-premises means the full RightFax stack runs on servers that your organization owns and manages. Telephony is either analog (which is increasingly difficult to sustain in 2026) or IP-based.
Hybrid means the RightFax server software and data remain on-premises, but telephony moves to cloud-based SIP trunking. Your team manages the server layer; the telephony layer is handled by a service provider.
Private Fax Cloud® (managed) means RightFax runs on private cloud infrastructure—AWS, Azure, VMware, Hyper-V, or similar—under an individualized managed services agreement with Paperless Productivity. We handle configuration, maintenance, telephony, and support. You retain full control over data center location and configuration decisions.
Public cloud fax means a SaaS fax service hosted on shared infrastructure under general terms of service. Your team configures and manages it within the constraints of the vendor’s platform.
| Criterion | On premises | Hybrid | Managed (Private Fax Cloud®) | Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT support effort | Reduced vs. paper faxesand physical devices | On-prem benefitsplus reduced telephony management | Offloaded to vendor underindividualized terms of contract | Offloaded to vendor undergeneral terms of service |
| CapEx vs. OpEx | CapEx | Mixed (CapEx for server software; OpEx for telephony) | OpEx | OpEx |
| MFP integration | Native (Ricoh, Xerox,Konica Minolta)Universal (SMTP,XML) | Native (Ricoh, Xerox,Konica Minolta)Universal (SMTP,XML) | Native (Ricoh, Xerox,Konica Minolta, Canon,Brother, Epson, etc.)Universal SMTPand XML | Generally SMTP |
| Software application integration | Many native integrations Multiple APIs SMTP | Many native integrations Multiple APIs SMTP | Many native integrations (can be pre-configured) Multiple APIs SMTP | Generally APIs and SMTP |
| System uptime service level agreement | Managed by internal IT | Server and software: managed by internal IT Telephony: offloaded to vendor under general terms of service | Offloaded to vendor underindividualized terms of contract | Offloaded to vendorunder general terms of service |
| Data sovereignty/ownership | Full control over server location | Full control over server location | Full control over data center location | Generally limited control, if any |
| Factor | On premises | Hybrid | Managed (Private Fax Cloud®) | Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local server hardware/VM | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Telephony equipment | Yes | No | No | No |
| Implementation timeline | Weeks to months(typical of enterprise software)May require additional timeto connect telephony | Weeks to months(typical of enterprise software)No significant telephony deployment | Days to weeks | Days(if vendor provides new numbers)Weeks(if existing numbers transferred from provider) |
| Implementation complexity | Highest | Medium-high(depends on existing telephony) | Low(requires engagement with decisions and planning,but not hands-on implementation) | Lowest(minimal configuration decisions) |
| Customization flexibility | High(several APIs and complete control over servers) | High(several APIs and complete control over servers) | High(several APIs and complete control over servers,via vendor) | Low(limited to vendor's features and roadmap) |
| Expense type | Deployment location | On premises | Hybrid | Managed | Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital | Fax server software | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Capital | Fax boards or "soft" boards | Yes | Not necessary(on-site telephony is optional) | No | No |
| Operating | Monthly hosting fee | No | No | No | No |
| Operating | Charges per user | No | No | No | Yes |
| Operating | Charges per number | No(but telco may have separate charges) | Yes | Yes | N/A(included with per-number charges) |
| Operating | Charges per fax page | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating | License support and maintenance | Yes | Yes(for server software only) | No(factored into service cost) | No(responsibility of application vendor) |
Private Fax Cloud® uses usage-based telephony billed in 6-second increments, which avoids the billing spikes that per-page models create during high-volume periods. Intra-cloud faxes between users on the same deployment are typically free or heavily discounted, since they don’t traverse the public telephone network.
On-premises carries the lowest ongoing telephony cost for high-volume organizations, but the upfront capital investment and ongoing IT overhead need to factor into the total cost of ownership calculation.
Public cloud fax carries the lowest entry cost but the least flexibility, and per-user and per-page charges can add up quickly at scale.
Healthcare introduces compliance requirements that affect the architecture decision in meaningful ways. HIPAA’s requirements for audit controls, access management, and data integrity favor solutions that offer granular configuration—specifically, role-based access controls, detailed audit logging, and documented retention policies. On-premises and Private Fax Cloud® both deliver these; public cloud fax services vary widely, and the most capable configurations are not always available under standard plans.
Data sovereignty is also a consideration. Under HIPAA and many state privacy laws, covered entities need to know where PHI is stored and who has access to it. On-premises and Private Fax Cloud® both give organizations full control over data center location. Public cloud fax services typically do not.
The right architecture depends on your organization’s specific situation: existing infrastructure, IT capacity, compliance requirements, growth plans, and budget constraints. It’s rarely a simple comparison.
At Paperless Productivity, we’ve helped healthcare and enterprise organizations through this decision many times. We’re glad to discuss your specific situation and help you think through the tradeoffs before you commit to a direction. Contact us to schedule time with a solutions architect.