This guide will walk you through deploying your first infrastructure stack using Siovos Desktop. The entire process typically takes 15-30 minutes depending on your server's specifications.

Before You Begin#

Make sure you have:

Siovos Desktop installed and license activated
A remote server (VPS) with Debian 13 (currently tested OS)
Root SSH access to your server
Your server's IP address
SSH private key for authentication

Recommended Server Specs:

CPU: 2+ cores
RAM: 8GB minimum (16GB recommended)
Disk: 40GB+ SSD
Network: Public IP address

Step 1: Start the Configuration Wizard#

Open Siovos Desktop
Click "New Deployment" from the main dashboard
The configuration wizard will launch

Step 2: Server Configuration#

You'll be asked to provide your server details:

Server Information#

Server IP Address: The public IP of your VPS (e.g., 203.0.113.42)
SSH User: Usually root (or a sudo user)
SSH Port: Default is 22
SSH Private Key: Click "Browse" to select your SSH key file

SSH Key Security: Your SSH key is only used during deployment and is never sent to external servers. It stays encrypted on your local machine.

Test Connection#

Click "Test Connection" to verify Siovos Desktop can reach your server. This will:

Verify the IP address is reachable
Test SSH authentication
Check server OS compatibility
Verify root/sudo access

If the test fails, see the troubleshooting guide.

Step 3: Choose a Deployment Profile#

Siovos Desktop offers pre-configured deployment profiles to simplify your setup. Choose the one that best fits your needs:

Available Deployment Profiles#

Minimal (Starter)

Essential infrastructure for basic Kubernetes workloads:

K3s (Kubernetes)
WireGuard VPN
DNS

Resources: 1-2 cores, 2-4 GB RAM, 20-30 GB storage

Light (Professional)

Minimal infrastructure with management UI:

Everything in Minimal
Rancher UI (Kubernetes management)

Resources: 2-4 cores, 4-8 GB RAM, 30-50 GB storage

Standard (Professional) - Recommended

Complete production-ready infrastructure:

Everything in Minimal
Harbor (Docker registry)
PostgreSQL (database)
Step-CA (PKI certificates)

Resources: 4-6 cores, 8-12 GB RAM, 50-100 GB storage

Developer-Oriented (Professional)

Optimized for development workflows:

Everything in Minimal
Rancher UI
Step-CA (PKI)

Resources: 2-4 cores, 6-10 GB RAM, 40-80 GB storage

Complete Infrastructure (Enterprise)

Full stack with all services:

All available services

Resources: 8+ cores, 16+ GB RAM, 100+ GB storage

Using a Deployment Profile#

Select a profile by clicking "Use this profile"
Or customize passwords by clicking "Customize" before applying

Customizing Passwords (Optional)#

Before applying a profile, you can customize the passwords for included services:

Click "Customize" on your chosen profile

A modal opens showing password fields for WireGuard, Harbor, PostgreSQL, Step-CA

Either enter your own passwords or click the refresh button to generate secure ones

Click "Continue with this profile" to apply

Security Tip: Generated passwords are 16 characters long with a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters.

Step 4: Configure Domain & Networking#

Configure how your services will be accessed:

Base Domain: (Optional) e.g., myinfra.com for service subdomains
VPN Network: Default is 10.8.0.0/24 (usually fine)
Admin Password: Set a strong password for web interfaces

Step 5: Review & Deploy#

Review your configuration summary. The wizard shows:

Selected services
Estimated deployment time (~15-30 min)
Server resources that will be used
Post-deployment access URLs

When ready, click "Start Deployment".

Step 6: Monitor Deployment Progress#

The deployment runs automated Ansible playbooks on your server. You'll see real-time progress including:

Current task being executed
Completion percentage
Detailed logs (expandable)

Be patient: Initial deployments take longer as packages are downloaded and services are configured. Subsequent deployments will be faster.

Deployment Phases#

Phase	Duration	Tasks
System Preparation	~2 min	Update packages, install prerequisites, configure firewall
Core Services	~10 min	Deploy K3s cluster, setup networking, install storage
Selected Services	~10 min	Deploy each selected service, configure integrations
VPN Configuration	~3 min	Setup WireGuard, generate client config

Step 7: Retrieve Deployment Artifacts#

Once deployment completes, Siovos Desktop automatically downloads:

WireGuard configuration file (wg0.conf)
Root CA certificate for HTTPS access
Access credentials for services
Connection instructions

Step 8: Install Root Certificate#

To access HTTPS services without browser warnings, you need to install the Root CA certificate:

Click "Install SSL Certificate" in the Infrastructure page
Follow the prompts to complete the installation

macOS users: Due to Apple's security policies, you'll need to manually approve the certificate in System Settings → General → Device Management. See our detailed certificate installation guide for step-by-step instructions with screenshots.

Step 9: Connect to VPN#

To access your deployed services:

Go to the VPN tab in Siovos Desktop
The WireGuard configuration is automatically loaded
Click "Connect"
Wait for connection confirmation

Step 10: Access Your Services#

With VPN connected, you can now access your services:

Service	Default URL	Credentials
Rancher	`https://rancher.local`	Set during deployment
Harbor	`https://harbor.local`	admin / (deployment password)
Kubernetes API	`https://10.8.0.1:6443`	See kubeconfig

Next Steps#

Congratulations! Your infrastructure is now deployed. You can:

Deploy containerized applications to Kubernetes
Push Docker images to your private Harbor registry
Manage your cluster through Rancher
Store application data in PostgreSQL

Need help? Contact support

First Deployment