A successful learning management platform needs to meet the unique use cases and feature requirements of each company that adopts it. Within today’s market, the first place to start when choosing an LMS is to decide whether or not your company needs a multi-tenant or single-tenant LMS solution.
If the ideal plan is to deliver training and compliance management, while still keeping certain clients or external partners separate, a multi-tenant learning management system may be the best bet. Yet, before making the commitment, it’s essential to break down the differences between a multi-tenant LMS and single-tenant LMS.
Multi-tenant LMS vs. single-tenant LMS: What’s the difference?
Multi-tenancy refers to a software’s mode of operation where multiple independent users, or “tenants,” operate in a shared software environment, though their data is completely secure and isolated from each other.
On the other hand, a single-tenant LMS has a single operating software that serves one client, or “tenant.” Each tenant has its database with no sharing.
One of the simplest ways to understand the differences between a multi-tenancy and single-tenancy LMS is to picture the two types of software operations as buildings. For multi-tenant LMS, each client is a tenant within a single room or floor of the building. They own their own space, which is only accessible by them with no risk to privacy. However, they also have common areas and services within the building that serve other tenants. A single-tenant LMS would be comparable to having the entire building instead of just a specific room or floor in it. Only one tenant exclusively owns every space, including common areas and services.
The most prominent use case for a multi-tenant LMS is for the Extended Enterprise. Extended Enterprise learning typically provides training, development, certification or support to external non-employees. Multi-tenant LMS is the perfect solution for a company that wants to expand their audience beyond employees to include clients, channel distribution partners, resellers or product and service end-users. With distinct “tenant” or department divisions in multi-tenancy, owners can set exactly how each user experiences the LMS. Experience capabilities including:
- Multi-portal functionality
- eCommerce
- Custom branding
- Absorb security and technical support
- Customizable hierarchy
Besides the Extended Enterprise group, organizations with highly differentiated business units--think acquired companies with different products that are all under one corporate umbrella--could be a great fit for this solution as well.
Benefits of a multi-tenant LMS
A fundamental benefit to a multi-tenant LMS is that it offers a broad range of benefits to multiple tenants within a single software platform. If a company has multiple business units, clients, vendors or partners, a multi-tenant LMS can host each user group in a separate eLearning portal. With Absorb LMS, the multi-tenant LMS owner can then assign different roles, rules, courses and workflows to each user through multi-portal functionality to ensure each has what they need to succeed.
A multi-tenant LMS can be leveraged by a wide variety of businesses to meet professional learning needs and goals, such as government organizations with specific divisions and regulations or global companies with a diverse external network. Take advantage of the following benefits with a multi-tenant LMS:
Separate branding by audience
While tenants may share the same system, the look and feel of each portal can be configured to showcase a tenant’s specific logo, colors, images and so on. For example, if the world’s two largest soda suppliers are housed within your central system, each can have a portal set up to look completely different and hyper-relevant to each.
Increased efficiency and scalability
Companies can launch new eLearning updates and content faster than ever with a multi-tenant LMS since all capabilities are already up and running within the software. No need for sending out physical documentation or relying solely on in-person training.
Share learning content across specific groups
Designate how independent or connected each user group’s learning content is through comprehensive multi-tenant ownership capabilities. This could include assigning content for specific tenants, enabling content for certain shared departments--think sales--for all tenants, etc.
Delegate LMS management
Assign roles, hierarchies, rules and workflows seamlessly with an easy-to-use interface designed to make managing easier than ever. These can differ based on the needs of each client, partner, vendor, etc.
Robust reporting for tenant and owner
Each tenant can report and track their progress, certifications and more through their own eLearning portal. Meanwhile, the owner can access all detailed reporting and analytics for their company’s tenants ensuring data is secure and available only to those who should have access.
Reduce LMS costs
Centralize your product, service, compliance, and other training offerings in one multi-tenant LMS to cut in-person, material, and related training costs. Your business can automate manual learning processes to improve overall ROI.
Multi-tenant LMS solutions from Absorb Software
With Absorb LMS, any company can enjoy all of the benefits of a single or multi-tenant LMS with the additional unique solutions that set our platform apart. Yet, it’s also important to note the additional value that all Absorb LMS customers—and their tenants—can enjoy:
- Award-winning administration capabilities
- Artificial intelligence features
- Fully responsive system as well as a mobile app
- Variety of turnkey system and content library integrations
- Compliance-related features
- And so much more
Discover the full range of Absorb LMS solutions here.
