Getting Started
Deploy your first infrastructure with Siovos Desktop
Siovos Desktop is the result of years of expertise in infrastructure deployment. We've condensed all that know-how into an application that gives you a professional infrastructure in just a few clicks - secure VPN, SSL certificates, private DNS, Kubernetes, Docker registry, CI/CD - all on your own server.
This guide walks you through your first deployment, from preparing your server to accessing your new infrastructure.
Requirements#
Your server:
- Debian 13 (Bookworm) freshly installed
- Minimum 2 GB RAM (4 GB+ recommended depending on the chosen profile)
- At least 20 GB disk space
- An IP address accessible from your machine
- Root SSH access with a key (not password)
- Port 22 (SSH) open
If you don't have a server yet, any VPS provider works: Hetzner, OVH, DigitalOcean, Scaleway... When ordering, select Debian 13 as the operating system and add your SSH public key during setup.
Siovos automatically configures the firewall. Only the SSH port (22) needs to be open initially - all other required ports are configured during deployment.
Installing Siovos Desktop#
Download the application from our download page for your operating system.
Open the .dmg file and drag Siovos Desktop to your Applications folder. On first launch, macOS will show a security warning because the app isn't from the App Store. Right-click the app and select "Open" to bypass this, or go to System Settings → Privacy & Security to allow it.
Run the installer and follow the prompts. Windows SmartScreen may show a warning for new applications. Click "More info" then "Run anyway" to proceed.
The AppImage format works on most distributions. Make it executable with chmod +x and run it directly.
Activating your license#
On first launch, Siovos Desktop works in Free mode - you can deploy a basic Kubernetes cluster without a license.
To access full features (VPN, SSL certificates, Harbor, Rancher...), activate your license. If you don't have one yet, choose a plan on our pricing page.
After purchase, you'll receive your license key by email and a user account is automatically created at account.siovos.com.
Open Siovos Desktop and navigate to Licenses in the sidebar. Click Add License and enter:
- Your license key (from the email or from account.siovos.com)
- The email address you used to purchase
The app validates your license online and unlocks the features included in your plan. This only takes a few seconds.
Creating your first deployment#
With your license active, click Deployment in the sidebar to start the wizard.
Connecting to your server#
Enter your server's IP address and select your SSH private key. Siovos will test the connection before proceeding. If the connection fails, check that:
- The IP address is correct
- Your SSH key matches the one on the server
- Port 22 is open and SSH is running
The wizard shows a green checkmark when the connection succeeds.
Choosing a deployment profile#
Profiles are pre-configured combinations of services tailored for different use cases. See the dedicated profiles page for details.
| Profile | Ideal for | Minimum RAM |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Discover Siovos | 1 GB |
| Minimal | Limited servers, learning | 2 GB |
| Light | Development, personal projects | 2-4 GB |
| Standard | Technical teams, staging | 4-6 GB |
| Developer | Solo developers, prototyping | 3-4 GB |
| Complete | Production with CI/CD | 8 GB+ |
You can always add more services later from the application catalogue.
Configuring options#
Each profile has configurable options: the DNS suffix for your internal services (default .internal), service passwords, and the option to add a development database.
The defaults work well for getting started, but you can customize them if needed. Take note of any passwords you set - they're stored locally in Siovos Desktop.
Running the deployment#
Click Deploy to begin. The wizard shows real-time progress as it installs and configures each component. A typical deployment takes 3-7 minutes depending on the profile and your server's performance.
Important: Stay on the deployment screen during the entire process. Leaving this page interrupts the deployment.
The process is idempotent: if something fails (network interruption, timeout), you can retry and it will continue from where it left off.
After deployment#
When the deployment completes, you'll see a success screen with the next steps.
Installing the SSL certificate#
Your infrastructure uses a private certificate authority to issue SSL certificates. For your browser to trust these certificates, click Install Certificate and follow the prompts.
This is a one-time setup per device. After installation, all your internal services will show as secure in your browser.
Connecting to the VPN#
Your services aren't exposed to the public internet - they're only accessible through the VPN. Siovos Desktop includes a built-in VPN manager.
Click the VPN icon and select Connect. Once connected, you can access your services using their internal URLs like https://rancher.internal.
Exploring your infrastructure#
With the VPN connected and certificate installed, open your browser and navigate to Rancher at https://rancher.internal (or whatever DNS suffix you configured).
Log in with username admin and the password you set during deployment.
From here you can:
- Deploy applications using the Rancher UI or kubectl
- Push container images to Harbor at
https://registry.internal - View cluster metrics in Grafana (if you chose the Complete profile)
What's next#
Now that your infrastructure is running, explore these guides:
- Understanding the architecture - Learn how the components fit together
- Managing services - Overview of included services
- Adding VPN clients - Share access with your team
- GitHub integration - Set up CI/CD
- Troubleshooting - Solutions to common issues
If you run into problems, check the FAQ or contact support through your customer portal.