If your team builds workflows in Alteryx Designer, you now have two ways to run and schedule them centrally: Alteryx Server, hosted on your own infrastructure; or Workspace Execution, hosted by Alteryx in the cloud as part of Alteryx One. The workflow-building experience is nearly identical. What changes is where the work runs, who looks after it, and which data it can reach. So how do you choose? This breakdown covers the differences in hosting, data access, connections, scaling, and licensing, so you can pick the approach that fits your team.
Quick Answer: Choose Alteryx Server if your workflows need internal databases or file shares behind your firewall. Choose Workspace Execution if your data is file-based or reachable from outside your firewall and you want Alteryx to host the compute.
Overview
Alteryx Server is the self-hosted option. You install and maintain it on your own servers or VMs, where it runs, schedules workflows, and serves as the hub for sharing workflows and managing data connections. Because you own the environment, you control sizing, security, and patching, and it sits inside your network next to your data.
Workspace Execution is the cloud option, part of Alteryx One. You link Designer to an Alteryx One workspace, save workflows to the Alteryx One library, and run or schedule them from there. Alteryx describes the experience as very similar to saving and running a workflow on Server today, except Alteryx hosts the compute.
Key Terms
Data Connection Manager (DCM): the Alteryx feature that manages data connections and securely stores credentials. On Server, connections are shared based on permissions. In Alteryx One, they are shared based on roles.
Alteryx Data Plane: the Alteryx-hosted environment where Workspace Execution runs your workflows by default.
Dedicated Data Plane (DDP): an Alteryx-managed, single-tenant add-on environment for Alteryx One Enterprise Edition. See Hosting and Maintenance below.
Key Features Comparison: Alteryx Server vs. Workspace Execution
| Feature | Alteryx Server | Workspace Execution |
| Hosting | Your own servers or VMs | Cloud, on the Alteryx data plane by default or a Dedicated Data Plane (DDP) |
| Maintenance | Your IT team | Alteryx hosts it; a workspace admin enables it |
| Data access | Anything your network can reach | Compatible connectors only on the Alteryx data plane |
| Connections | DCM on Server, permission-based sharing | DCM in Alteryx One, role-based sharing |
| Scaling | Capacity you provision | Scales automatically at peak usage |
| Licensing | Alteryx One Platform (Enterprise Edition Only) | Alteryx One Platform |
| Saving workflows | Published to Server | Saved as a .yxzp package in the Alteryx One library |
In-Depth Comparison
Hosting and Maintenance
Alteryx Server: You run it, so you decide how it is sized, secured, and patched. That gives you full control, and it also means your IT team owns the installation, upgrades, and capacity planning.
Workspace Execution: Alteryx hosts the compute. A workspace admin enables it; virtual machines are deployed to run your Designer workflows, and there is no Server to install or patch. It runs on the Alteryx data plane by default. For teams that need isolation without managing infrastructure, a Dedicated Data Plane (DDP) is coming as an add-on for Alteryx One Enterprise Edition, with general availability targeted for November 30, 2026. DDP is an Alteryx-managed, single-tenant environment: your workflows run isolated from other customers, and Alteryx still handles the infrastructure. It carries a fixed annual platform fee on top of standard credit usage.
Data Access
Alteryx Server: Workflows run inside your network, so they can reach anything your network can reach, including internal databases and file shares.
Workspace Execution: On the Alteryx data plane, workflows are limited to compatible connectors. In practice, that means file-based sources you upload to Alteryx One, or sources reachable from outside your firewall with standard drivers.
Tool and Connector Limitations: Most Designer tools run in Workspace Execution, but connectors must be on Alteryx’s supported list and use DCM. See Limitations below for what won’t run.
Connections and Moving Workflows
Alteryx Server: Server is the sync hub for Designer. Connections are managed centrally with DCM and shared based on permissions.
Workspace Execution: Connections are managed in Alteryx One with role-based sharing, and Designer syncs the connections a workflow uses to your workspace by default. That sync is needed to avoid errors when the workflow runs. Previously synchronized connections are not migrated to DCM, so re-synchronize your Desktop connections after upgrading. Workflows are saved to Alteryx One as .yxzp packages, and from Designer 2026.1 the Alteryx One library is the default save location.
Scaling
Alteryx Server: You get the capacity you provision, so peak periods like month-end need to be planned for in advance.
Workspace Execution: It scales automatically at peak usage, which suits dynamic workloads. On the Professional tier, automated execution is limited to one concurrent workflow.
Licensing and Requirements
Alteryx Server: Licensed as part of the Alteryx One Platform Enterprise Edition only, with the infrastructure costs of running it on top.
Workspace Execution: Workspace Execution is available on the Alteryx One Platform Professional and Enterprise tiers. A workspace admin enables it on the workspace, which deploys the virtual machines that run your Designer-built workflows. You’ll need Designer 2023.1 Patch 1 or newer (2024.1 or newer to run on the Alteryx data plane), plus Data Connection Manager (DCM) to authenticate your workspace in Designer and securely store data source credentials in the cloud. On the Professional tier, automated execution is limited to one concurrent workflow.
Limitations
Workspace Execution:
Workspace Execution runs most Designer tools, but data access is more controlled than on Server. Every data connection must use DCM with DSN-less connections, and input and output files must be packaged with the workflow. Connectors and ODBC drivers must come from Alteryx’s supported lists. These cover many popular cloud sources, including Salesforce, SharePoint, Snowflake, and BigQuery, but not everything your workflows touch today. Adobe Analytics, OleDB, legacy XLS/XLSB files, Server data connections, and Alteryx Data Products such as Experian and TomTom aren’t supported.
Some tools, including Python, Run Command, and Runner, work only with configuration limits. Workflows also run on a fixed set of engine versions, not necessarily the one in your Designer. Because Execution uses a service account, workflows that rely on local paths, mapped drives, or temp directories need rework. Render tool output needs a specific output file, and the output ZIP is capped at 1 GB. Safe and Semi-safe modes aren’t supported.
If you rely on analytic apps, note that they aren’t supported on the Alteryx data plane, chained apps aren’t supported at all, and only a limited set of Interface tools will run. On the Professional tier, automated execution is limited to one concurrent workflow. Audit your workflows against Alteryx’s compatibility lists before you migrate.
If your organization operates under strict regulatory or security requirements, there are a few important things to be aware of. Workspace Execution is not FIPS capable, so teams that require this should keep workloads on Server. Designer workflows also cannot connect to or output to Alteryx One datasets, which can affect how you handle governed data. A workflow’s total size cannot exceed 200 MB to be saved to Alteryx One, so workflows with large, embedded assets may need to be slimmed down.
Choosing Between Alteryx Server and Workspace Execution
Neither option is better in every case. Server gives you control and proximity to your data, while Workspace Execution gives you less to manage and room to scale.
If your workflows depend on internal systems and you have a team to run them, Server remains the right home. If your data is file-based or cloud-reachable and you would rather not manage infrastructure, Workspace Execution is a smart place to start. Many teams will end up running both.
Use this quick checklist to decide:
Where Your Data Lives
- Internal databases and file shares behind the firewall: Alteryx Server
- File-based or cloud-reachable sources: Workspace Execution
Control and Compliance
- Need full control over where and how workflows are processed: Alteryx Server
- Comfortable with Alteryx-hosted compute: Workspace Execution
IT Capacity
- A team that can install, run and patch Server: Alteryx Server
- Want to avoid managing infrastructure: Workspace Execution
Workload Pattern
- Steady, predictable demand: Alteryx Server
- Spiky demand, such as month-end peaks: Workspace Execution
Tools and Connectors
- Rely on connectors or execution features Workspace Execution doesn’t support: Alteryx Server
- Workflows use compatible connectors: Workspace Execution
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Workspace Execution reach internal databases?
Not on the Alteryx data plane. It is limited to compatible connectors, which in practice means file-based sources you upload to Alteryx One or sources reachable from outside your firewall with standard drivers. If your workflows depend on internal databases or file shares, Alteryx Server is the better fit.
Are analytic apps supported?
Analytic apps are not supported on the Alteryx data plane. Chained apps aren’t supported at all, and only a limited set of Interface tools will run.
Which Designer version do I need for Workspace Execution?
You need Designer 2023.1 Patch 1 or newer, and 2024.1 or newer to run on the Alteryx data plane.
Will my existing workflows run without changes?
Not always. Connectors must be on Alteryx’s supported list and use DCM, and workflows that rely on local paths, mapped drives, or temp directories need rework. Audit your workflows against Alteryx’s compatibility lists before you migrate.
Can I use both Alteryx Server and Workspace Execution?
Yes. Many teams will end up running both.
Before you move a single workflow, download our 9-step pre-migration checklist. It walks you through confirming your Alteryx One edition and Designer version, reviewing every connector, removing unsupported items, reworking file paths, and preparing your connections and packaging, so you can find problems before they slow your migration.
Need Help Deciding?
Want help choosing between Alteryx Server and Workspace Execution, or planning a move from one to the other? Request a free Alteryx health check and we’ll help you evaluate your options and scale with confidence.