---
title: Choosing Your Datadog Topology
description: Decide between single-org and multi-org Datadog topology for your enterprise.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Getting Started > Access for Enterprises > Choosing Your Datadog
  Topology
---

# Choosing Your Datadog Topology

## Overview{% #overview %}

The first decision in your access strategy is how many Datadog organizations your enterprise needs. This decision affects everything downstream: how you define roles, restrict data, share dashboards, and manage identity. Getting it right up front avoids costly migrations later.

## Start with a single org{% #start-with-a-single-org %}

Datadog recommends a **single organization** where possible. A single org maximizes the power of connected observability workflows. Traces link to logs, logs link to infrastructure, and dashboards can span your entire estate. Datadog's access controls (including [Data Access Control](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/rbac/data_access.md), [granular access controls](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/rbac/granular_access.md), and [custom roles](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/rbac/permissions.md#custom-roles)) provide enterprise-grade data segregation within a single org, even in regulated industries.

## Evaluate segmentation before splitting orgs{% #evaluate-segmentation-before-splitting-orgs %}

Instead of adding multiple organizations, ask whether **Teams and Data Access Control** can provide the isolation you need within a single org. You can operate dozens of internal business units, agencies, or subsidiaries within a small number of orgs, using Data Access Control to restrict data visibility and granular access controls to protect resources. This approach preserves cross-cutting observability while still maintaining strict boundaries.

The key question is: *Do these groups need to share any operational context?* If teams trace requests across each other's services, share infrastructure, or participate in the same incidents, a single org with strong internal segmentation is the better path.

## When multiple orgs are appropriate{% #when-multiple-orgs-are-appropriate %}

There are some cases where multiple organizations are justified:

- **Separate companies or acquisitions** that do not share infrastructure, services, or personnel. If there is no shared operational context, a shared org provides little value.
- **Hard compliance boundaries** requiring complete data isolation between divisions. For example, a defense division whose standard metrics and infrastructure must be invisible to commercial users, even at the metadata level.
- **Distinct billing or contractual requirements** where usage must be tracked and invoiced independently.

You can also use multiple orgs as a workaround when within-org access controls don't yet cover all products. As Datadog's access controls expand, you can consolidate orgs over time.

## Recommendations{% #recommendations %}

- **Default to a single org.** Use Teams and Data Access Control for internal segmentation. Only create additional orgs when there is a clear isolation requirement that cannot be met within a single org.
- **Evaluate the isolation question honestly.** If the answer to "Do these groups share any services, infrastructure, or operational context?" is yes, they likely belong in the same org.
- **Plan for consolidation.** If you have orgs that were created as workarounds for access control limitations, revisit whether they're still needed as Datadog's within-org controls expand.
- **Org migrations have limitations.** If you choose to migrate your org setups in the future, it is possible to move configurations and assets like dashboards and monitors, but not historical telemetry data.

For a detailed comparison of single-org and multi-org architectures, including access control models and decision criteria, see [Organization Topology](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/organization_topology.md).

## Further reading{% #further-reading %}

- [Organization Topology](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/organization_topology.md)
- [Multi-Organization Account Management](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/multi_organization.md)
- [Data Access Control](https://docs.datadoghq.com/account_management/rbac/data_access.md)
- [Getting Started with Teams](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/teams.md)