> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.defguard.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.defguard.net/2.1/deployment-strategies/deploying-to-production.md).

# Deploying to Production

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**Gain knowledge**

Before you start your deployment, take a moment to learn about Defguard.

The following articles will help you make deployment decisions and understand which features you may want to configure afterward. Make sure to read them carefully.

* [Defguard’s features](/2.1/about/features-overview.md)
* [Defguard’s architecture](/2.1/in-depth/architecture.md)
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**Choose your deployment strategy**

Decide which deployment approach best fits your infrastructure and security requirements. Choose from different [deployment strategies](/2.1/deployment-strategies/overview.md#choose-your-deployment-strategy) and their recommended use cases.
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**Prepare your environment**

Make sure your infrastructure meets all [system and network requirements](/2.1/deployment-strategies/hardware-os-network-and-firewall-recommendations.md).
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**Deploy using the chosen strategy**

Deploy your instance using the chosen [strategy](/2.1/deployment-strategies/overview.md#choose-your-deployment-strategy). Make sure to follow the right [deployment sequence](/2.1/deployment-strategies/overview.md#initial-deployment-sequence).
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**Test if everything works as expected**

Follow our [guide](/2.1/deployment-strategies/production-deployment-verification-guide.md) to test if your deployment is secure and works as expected.
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**Configure features**

Follow detailed descriptions of [Defguard’s features](https://github.com/DefGuard/docs/blob/v1.6/deployment-strategies/broken-reference/README.md). As you follow along, you can adjust the configuration directly within your instance.

For a detailed list of all configurable things through environmental variables, options or configuration files follow [this reference](/2.1/deployment-strategies/configuration.md).
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**Your secure infrastructure is ready for use**

Optional but recommended additional steps:

* [Configuring backups](/2.1/deployment-strategies/overview.md#backup)
* [Setting up for high availability and failover](/2.1/deployment-strategies/high-availability-and-failover.md)
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