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Version: Release Next

Getting Started for System Administrators

System administrators deploy, configure, secure, and operate Digital.ai Release. This guide covers all supported installation methods, high-availability setup, user authentication, server security hardening, security and compliance integrations, Release Runner deployment, and day-to-day server operations.

Who This Guide Is For​

This guide is for users who:

  • Install and upgrade Digital.ai Release on Kubernetes, Docker, or JVM-based environments.
  • Configure databases, clustering, and high-availability setups.
  • Set up user authentication (OIDC, LDAP, SSO).
  • Harden the Release server (certificates, passwords, HTTP security).
  • Integrate Release with secrets management systems (HashiCorp Vault, CyberArk Conjur, AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault).
  • Integrate Release with security scanning and policy enforcement tools (Checkmarx, Black Duck, Fortify, OPA).
  • Perform day-to-day server operations: starting, stopping, logging, and maintenance mode.

For application-level administration (managing users, roles, plugins, and system settings after installation), see Getting Started for Release Administrators.

For configuring CI/CD pipeline integrations and automated task plugins, see Getting Started for DevOps and Pipeline Engineers.

Prerequisites​

Before installing Release, verify that your environment meets the minimum requirements. The full requirements page covers supported operating systems, databases, JDKs, Kubernetes platforms, and browsers.

caution

Release does not support non-LTS JDK versions.

For the full requirements list, see Installation Prerequisites.

For production environments, use PostgreSQL as the external database. The embedded database bundled with Release is for evaluation and trial use only.

Choosing an Installation Method​

Digital.ai Release supports three installation methods. Choose based on your infrastructure and operational requirements.

note

Release is also available as a SaaS offering. For more information, see Release SaaS.

MethodBest For
Kubernetes (Operator-based)New production deployments, cloud-native environments — recommended by Digital.ai
JVM (VMs or Bare Metal)Existing VM-based infrastructure without Kubernetes
DockerSingle-node or multi-node deployments using Docker Compose

Kubernetes Installation​

Release on Kubernetes is managed by a dedicated operator. Setup and installation is through the xl kube command in the XL CLI.

OpenShift​

OpenShift uses a different installation path from the other platforms below. It requires additional configuration for security context constraints and a Certified Operator pulled from the Red Hat Marketplace. See OpenShift Configuration and AWS OpenShift Installation.

Supported Platforms​

  • AWS EKS
  • Azure AKS
  • GCP GKE
  • OpenShift
  • On-premises Kubernetes

Installation Steps​

  1. Install the XL CLI. See Install the XL CLI.
  2. Review the planning guide before running any commands. See Plan Your Kubernetes Setup.
  3. Run xl kube install and follow the interactive prompts. The command asks for your cluster type, namespace, database configuration, storage settings, and image registry details.
  4. Verify that all pods are running in the target namespace.

For cloud-provider-specific instructions, see Cloud Provider Installation.

For all available installation parameters, see Installation Options Reference.

Custom Image Registry​

If your cluster pulls images from a private registry, configure the registry settings before installation. See Setup Custom Image Registry.

Post-Install Configuration on Kubernetes​

After the initial install, the operator supports further configuration through custom resource keys:

For Kubernetes-specific troubleshooting, see Kubernetes Troubleshooting.

JVM Installation (VMs and Bare Metal)​

Use this method for existing VM-based or bare-metal infrastructure without Kubernetes.

Trial Installation​

For evaluation and non-production use, run a trial install. See Trial Install.

Production Installation​

  1. Review the prerequisites, including Java and database requirements.
  2. Follow the steps in Production Environment Installation.
  3. Configure the external database connection. See Configure the SQL Repository.

Cluster Mode​

To run multiple Release nodes sharing a single database for load distribution:

  1. Complete the production installation on the first node.
  2. Configure clustering. See Cluster Mode.
  3. Configure shared S3 storage for reports and logs across cluster nodes. See Store Reports and Logs on S3 — JVM Cluster.

Multi-DC High Availability​

For multi-datacenter deployments, see Multi-DC Setup.

Upgrading on JVM​

  1. Back up the database and installation directory before upgrading.
  2. Follow the upgrade steps in Upgrade Release — JVM.

Docker Installation​

ScenarioGuide
Single-node setupSingle Node Docker Deployments
Multi-node setupMulti-node Docker Deployments
Upgrade single-nodeUpgrading Single Node Docker Deployments
Upgrade multi-nodeUpgrading Multi-node Docker Deployments

For information on available Docker images and configuration options, see Use the Release Docker Images.

Kubernetes Upgrade and Migration​

  1. Back up Release before upgrading. See Back up Release — Kubernetes.
  2. Run the upgrade using the XL CLI. See Upgrade Options Reference.
  3. For patch-version upgrades, see Upgrade Patch Version of Release.

For configuration key changes introduced during an upgrade, see Upgrade and Migration.

Setting Up User Authentication​

Configure how users authenticate to Release. Choose one method based on your organization's identity infrastructure.

MethodUse Case
Built-in UsersSmall teams, evaluation environments
OIDCOrganizations using an identity provider such as Okta, Azure AD, or Keycloak
Digital.ai PlatformOrganizations using multiple Digital.ai products with a shared identity layer
LDAPOrganizations with legacy LDAP servers for authentication

For guidance on selecting an authentication method, see Authentication Options.

Hardening the Server​

Apply the following security configurations for all production deployments.

Certificates​

Passwords​

Account and Session Security​

HTTP Security​

For the full list of security configuration topics, see Release Security.

Security and Compliance Integrations​

The plugins in this section extend Release with secrets management, policy enforcement, and security scanning. Install them through the Plugin Manager. See Plugin Management.

Secrets Management​

Secrets management plugins retrieve credentials from an external vault at runtime, so secrets are not stored as plaintext variables or in configuration files.

HashiCorp Vault

  • HashiCorp Vault Plugin — Configures a connection to a HashiCorp Vault server and retrieves secrets from Vault as automated tasks in a release pipeline.

CyberArk Conjur

Two plugins are available:

  • Conjur Plugin — Retrieves a secret from a Conjur server and populates a release variable for use in subsequent tasks.
  • Conjur Connection Plugin — Configures Conjur as a connection provider.

AWS Secrets Manager

The AWS Secrets Manager Plugin retrieves secrets from AWS Secrets Manager for use in release pipeline tasks.

Azure Key Vault

The Azure Key Vault Integration retrieves secrets from Azure Key Vault for use in release pipeline tasks.

Policy Enforcement​

Open Policy Agent (OPA) — The OPA Integration connects Release to an OPA server. It evaluates inputs against policies written in REGO, allowing you to enforce deployment gates and compliance checks as automated tasks in a release pipeline. For an end-to-end setup example, see Application Security Using OPA.

Security and Code Quality Scanning​

Security and code quality plugins run scans as automated tasks in a release pipeline and can gate progression on scan results.

PluginToolGuide
Checkmarx PluginCheckmarxCheckmarx Plugin
Black Duck PluginBlack DuckBlack Duck Plugin
Fortify SSC PluginFortify Static Code AnalyzerFortify SSC Plugin
Fortify on Demand PluginFortify on DemandFortify on Demand Plugin
SonarQube PluginSonarQubeSonarQube Plugin
Sonatype Nexus IQ PluginNexus LifecycleSonatype Nexus IQ Plugin
Change and Risk Prediction PluginAI-based change risk scoringChange and Risk Prediction Plugin

For the full list of security and compliance plugins, see Security and Compliance Plugins.

Deploying Release Runner​

Release Runner is required for container-based plugin tasks. It runs separately from the Release server and communicates over TLS 1.2 or higher.

For an overview of what Release Runner does and how it works, see Overview of Release Runner.

Deploying AI Assistant​

AI Assistant is deployed separately from the Release server. For deployment options and requirements, see Production Deployment Using Docker.

Day-2 Operations​

Day-2 operations cover the ongoing management, monitoring, and maintenance tasks required to keep Release running after the initial deployment.

Starting and Stopping the Server​

See Start and Shut Down Release for operating system-specific commands.

Maintenance Mode​

Put Release into maintenance mode before performing upgrades or migrations to prevent user access during the operation. See Run Release in Maintenance Mode.

Database High Availability​

Configure PostgreSQL streaming replication to create a standby server that can take over if the primary fails. See PostgreSQL Streaming Replication.

Caching​

Enable caching to reduce database load and improve UI response times. See Enable Caching.

Logging​

Configure log levels, log file locations, and log rotation. See Configure Logging.

File Upload and Compression​

SMTP and Notifications​

Configure the SMTP server so Release can send email notifications for task assignments and release events. See Configure Notifications.

Troubleshooting​

Once the server is running, the Release Administrator configures users, roles, plugins, and system settings. See Getting Started for Release Administrators.