> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.13/install-cortex-xsoar/install-cortex-xsoar-on-a-vm-deployed-on-hyper-v/task-2.-deploy-your-virtual-machine-on-hyper-v.md).

# Task 2. Deploy your virtual machine on Hyper-V

The following is an example of deploying your VM on Hyper-V from a VHD image.

If you set your Cortex XSOAR environment as a standalone (single node), you cannot add nodes to it and switch to a cluster. If you deploy three nodes, you can later add nodes and expand the cluster. For more information, see [Manage nodes in a cluster](/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.13/install-cortex-xsoar/post-installation/optimize-performance-and-robustness-from-the-textual-ui/manage-nodes-in-a-cluster.md).

{% hint style="info" %}

### Important

To implement built-in High Availability, deploy a cluster with three nodes (VMs), with each VM on a different hypervisor. This ensures that if one hypervisor fails, the other VMs continue to operate.

You then need to:

* Establish trust between all nodes in the cluster (Task 6).
* Set the **Cluster FQDN** to the either the virtual IP address or to the reverse proxy/ingress controller IP address (Task 7). The virtual IP or the reverse proxy/ingress controller serves as a single entry point to distribute traffic across the nodes in the cluster.

To use backup and restore functionality, deploy a second cluster in a secondary data center. For more information, see [Set up backup and restore in Cortex XSOAR](/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.8/onboard-cortex-xsoar/back-up-and-restore-cortex-xsoar/set-up-backup-and-restore-in-cortex-xsoar.md).
{% endhint %}

1. Open the Hyper-V manager.
2. Create a new hard disk. This additional hard drive will contain the application data.
   1. In the Hyper-V manager menu select Action → **New** → **Hard disk** → **next**.
   2. Select **VHD** and then **fixed size**.
   3. Name the new drive and set its location to the dedicated hard disk you prepared to contain to the application data.
   4. Select **Create a new blank virtual hard disk** and set its size. For more details, see the [System requirements](/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.14/install-cortex-xsoar/system-requirements.md).
   5. Click **finish**. This may take a few minutes to complete.
3. Create a new virtual machine.
   1. In the Hyper-V manager menu select Action → **New** → **Virtual Machine** and follow the instructions.
   2. Name your machine.
   3. Choose **Generation 1**.
   4. Disable storage DRS for the virtual machine.
   5. Set the memory size. For more details, see the [System requirements](/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.14/install-cortex-xsoar/system-requirements.md).

      <div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="info" class="hint hint-info"><h3>Important</h3><p>Every virtual machine is provided with a 256 GB hard disk to run the OS. Add a separate hard disk for each application instance.</p><p>All virtual machines in a cluster must have the same storage size.</p><p>Ensure the disks meet the <a href="/spaces/CkR7os5WSdK8uJZdAMGp/pages/GFXOfjei9DOdpuplJQoH">System requirements</a>.</p></div>
   6. Choose the relevant virtual network switch.
   7. Choose **Use an existing virtual Hard Disk** and browse to the location of the VHD image.
   8. Click **finish**.
4. Configure the virtual machine.
   1. Right click the virtual machine and select **Settings**.
   2. Under **Processor**, set the number of processors. For more details, see the [System requirements](/cortex-xsoar-8-on-prem/8.14/install-cortex-xsoar/system-requirements.md).
   3. Under IDE controller 0 → **Hard drive**, click **add** → **virtual hard disk**. Choose the hard disk created in step 2.
5. Start the virtual machine.
6. Repeat this procedure from Step 2 for each additional virtual machine in the cluster.
7. For first time login, the default user name and password is `admin`.

   * If you log in from the web console, you are prompted for your username and password.

     ![opp-first-login.png](/files/PjrK740dHoUPFAt4W1Kv)
   * If you log in from an external terminal, use the `ssh admin@<server ip address>` command to SSH log in.

     ![opp-oci-cloud-shell.png](/files/NjoYvvpI63YniLWyGAzb)

   Give the admin a new password as follows.

   <div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="info" class="hint hint-info"><h3>Important</h3><p>Save the SSH password securely. If you lose this password you cannot recover or change it, and to use SSH you will need to redeploy the cluster.</p></div>

   The password must be at least eight characters long and contain at least:

   * One lower case letter
   * One upper case letter
   * One number, or one of the following special characters: !@#%

   If this is not a first time login, you can log in from the web console or from a terminal using the `ssh admin@<server ip address>` command to SSH log in.

   The textual UI menu opens with all the configuration and installation options.

   <div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="info" class="hint hint-info"><h3>Tip</h3><ul><li>To start using the textual UI, click anywhere on the screen.</li><li>To navigate between the menu items, use the up and down arrow keys. To select a menu item, press the Enter key.</li><li>To navigate between fields within a menu item, use the Tab key. To save settings, tab to the <strong>Save</strong> button and press the Enter key.</li><li>To go back to the menu from a specific menu item field, press the <strong>esc</strong> key.</li></ul></div>


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