# Register Your Confluent Platform Cluster Register a self-managed Confluent Platform cluster with USM to monitor and govern it from the Confluent Cloud Console. For an overview of USM, see [Unified Stream Manager in Confluent Cloud](../overview.md#cloud-usm-overview). ## Before you begin Ensure that you meet the following requirements before starting the registration process. ### Confluent Platform requirements Your Confluent Platform cluster must be version 7.9.6 or higher within the 7.9.x series, or version 8.1 or higher. If you have an existing deployment, you must upgrade it before proceeding. ### Confluent Cloud requirements * Your Confluent Cloud user account must have the `OrgAdmin` role. This role provides full administrative control over the entire Confluent Cloud organization. * Your Confluent Cloud account must include the [Advanced Governance package](../../stream-governance/packages.md#stream-gov-packages), which is required for USM. To upgrade, see the [upgrade instructions](../../stream-governance/packages.md#stream-gov-packages). * Your Confluent Cloud environment must have a private network connection to your Confluent Platform cluster. Choose the option that matches where your Confluent Cloud environment is deployed: [AWS PrivateLink](usm-network.md#usm-network) or [Azure Private Link](usm-network-azure.md#usm-network-azure). #### NOTE USM requires private networking. Public networking isn’t supported. USM also doesn’t support Google Cloud. ## Choose your starting point The registration starts differently depending on whether you already have a Confluent Cloud account. * **New Confluent Cloud users** You must sign up for [Unified Stream Manager](https://confluent.cloud/usm/signup) and create an account on Confluent Cloud. After you sign up, Confluent Cloud creates a new user account and automatically assigns the `OrgAdmin` role. After you verify your email, a setup wizard guides you through the registration process. * **Existing Confluent Cloud users** If you already have a Confluent Cloud account, ensure that it meets the requirements listed in the [Before you begin](#before-you-begin) section. If a payment method is already configured for your account, the setup wizard lets you skip the billing steps and proceed to the next step: configure a private network connection using [AWS PrivateLink](usm-network.md#usm-network) or [Azure Private Link](usm-network-azure.md#usm-network-azure). ## Initiate the registration To start the registration, navigate to the **Clusters** page in your Confluent Cloud environment: 1. Log in to Confluent Cloud Console at [https://confluent.cloud](https://confluent.cloud). 2. Select the environment where you want to register your Confluent Platform cluster. 3. In the navigation menu, click **Clusters**. 4. On the **Clusters** page, click **Start Unified Stream Manager setup**. ![image](images/usm-start-registration.png) Click this button to launch the registration wizard. ## Starting the registration wizard After you click **Start Unified Stream Manager setup**, the wizard presents several screens to guide you through the initial setup and help you make configuration choices. The wizard opens with a welcome screen that introduces Unified Stream Manager and highlights its key capabilities. ![image](images/usm-welcome.png) Click **Next**. If your Confluent Cloud environment does not have the [Advanced Governance package](../../stream-governance/packages.md#stream-gov-packages), the wizard prompts you to upgrade. ![image](images/usm-upgrade-prompt.png) The Advanced Governance package is required for USM. If you have the Essentials package, you must upgrade it to the Advanced package. Click **Upgrade**. The wizard prompts you to choose whether to deploy a new USM Agent or use an existing one. ![image](images/usm-agent-choice.png) * **New agent**: Deploys a new USM Agent in the Confluent Platform environment where the Kafka cluster resides. * **Existing agent**: Reuses an already deployed USM Agent to register additional clusters. Click **Get started** to proceed to the detailed registration steps. ## Registration process overview After you complete the initial wizard screens, the registration process includes the following tasks. If you selected **Existing agent**, steps 3 and 4 are skipped because the agent is already deployed: 1. [Sign up for Confluent Cloud and set up a payment method](payment-method.md#usm-payment), if required. 2. Establish a private network connection using [AWS PrivateLink](usm-network.md#usm-network) or [Azure Private Link](usm-network-azure.md#usm-network-azure). 3. [Create a service account for the USM Agent](usm-service-account.md#usm-sa). 4. [Deploy the USM agent in your Confluent Platform environment](deploy-agent.md#usm-agent). 5. [Complete the cluster registration](complete-registration.md#complete-registration). ## Related content * [Unified Stream Manager in Confluent Cloud](../overview.md#cloud-usm-overview) * [Set Up a Payment Method](payment-method.md#usm-payment) * [Configure AWS Private Networking for USM Agents](usm-network.md#usm-network) * [Configure Azure Private Networking for USM Agents](usm-network-azure.md#usm-network-azure) * [Configure a Service Account for the USM Agent](usm-service-account.md#usm-sa) * [Deploy the USM Agent](deploy-agent.md#usm-agent) * [Complete the Cluster Registration](complete-registration.md#complete-registration)