Local ERPNext Deployment with Remote Access Using NGROK

In the world of ERP deployments, there's often a balancing act between keeping infrastructure local for security and cost control, while still enabling remote access. Recently, I had the opportunity to deploy ERPNext locally for a client who needed just that—local hosting combined with the convenience of remote access via their custom domain.

Here’s a look at how I used NGROK to bridge that gap and successfully deploy ERPNext for the client, delivering both local control and global accessibility.

Why Local Hosting Can Be a Smart Choice

While cloud-hosted ERP solutions are popular, there are several reasons why we chose local hosting for this deployment:

• Full Control Over Infrastructure: Keeping everything local gave the client total control, which was critical in terms of data privacy and compliance.
• Enhanced Security: Sensitive data remained within their own server, reducing the risk of exposure to third-party breaches.
• Cost Savings: By avoiding cloud hosting fees, the client benefited from significant cost reductions over time.

However, local hosting typically limits access to the internal network. The challenge was to provide secure, remote access via the client’s custom domain, without compromising security or adding complexity.

The Challenge: Enabling Remote Access

The client needed their ERP system to be accessible from anywhere in the world, but they wanted to keep the infrastructure on their own premises. Normally, achieving this would require opening up the local network through firewall configurations or exposing it to the internet directly—both risky solutions.

So, how do you achieve remote access without compromising the security and simplicity of local hosting?

The Solution: NGROK for Secure Tunneling

After considering various solutions, I turned to NGROK, a secure tunneling tool that exposes local servers to the internet through a public URL—without complex network configurations.

Here’s how it worked:

1. Setting Up NGROK: I installed NGROK on the local server and configured it to create a tunnel to the ERPNext instance. This tunnel provided a public URL that securely routed traffic to the internal server.
2. Custom Domain Mapping: The client wanted to use their custom domain to access ERPNext, so I configured their DNS to point their domain (e.g., erp.clientdomain.com) to the public URL provided by NGROK.
3. SSL Secured Traffic: NGROK also provided automatic SSL for the public URL, ensuring secure HTTPS traffic for all remote users.

With these steps in place, the client could access their ERPNext system from anywhere via their custom domain—without needing to expose their entire network to the internet.

Key Benefits of This Approach

The results exceeded expectations. Here’s why this deployment was a success:

• Cost Efficiency: The client enjoyed the benefits of remote access while avoiding recurring cloud hosting fees.
• Security: Data stayed within their internal infrastructure and only the necessary traffic was routed through NGROK’s secure tunnel.
• Simplicity: NGROK simplified the networking side of things. We didn’t need to worry about opening firewall ports or setting up complex VPNs.

Lessons Learned & Insights

As with any project, this deployment provided a great learning experience. Here are my key takeaways:

• NGROK is a Game-Changer: If you need a quick and secure way to expose local services to the internet, NGROK is an invaluable tool.
• DNS Configuration is Crucial: Mapping the client’s custom domain to the NGROK URL was key to providing a seamless, cloud-like experience.
• Balancing Local Control and Remote Access: It is possible to maintain the advantages of local hosting while offering the convenience of remote access with the right tools.

This ERPNext deployment was a rewarding experience, showing how local hosting combined with NGROK can provide a powerful solution for businesses looking to maintain control over their infrastructure without sacrificing accessibility. If you're considering a similar setup, I’d be happy to share more insights from this experience.