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# Getting Started with USM

To use Unified Stream Manager (USM), confirm your environment meets the requirements below,
then choose the deployment pathway that matches your setup.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that your environment meets the following requirements:

* **Confluent Platform version**: USM supports Confluent Platform 7.9.6 or later within the
  7.9.x release series or 8.1.0 or later, but version Confluent Platform 8.0.x is not supported.
  If you have an existing deployment, you must upgrade your on-premises cluster to
  a supported version before you proceed. If you use an unsupported Confluent Platform version,
  the USM Agent fails to connect to Confluent Cloud without reporting an error.
* **Interoperability**: Review the [supported versions and interoperability](../installation/versions-interoperability.md#usm-compatibility) to ensure that
  your Confluent Platform version and deployment toolset are compatible with the USM Agent.
* **Deployment toolset**: You must use one of the two supported toolsets to deploy and manage
  the USM Agent:
  * **Confluent for Kubernetes**: Deploy and manage the USM Agent as a native
    Kubernetes resource (`CustomResource`) in containerized environments.
  * **Ansible Playbooks for Confluent Platform**: Use Ansible Playbooks for Confluent Platform to deploy and configure
    the USM Agent on Linux-based virtual machines (VMs) or bare-metal servers.
* **Operating system support**: For non-containerized deployments, you can use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9
  or later, or RHEL 8 with USM Agent 1.2.0 or later. USM Agent 1.0.x and 1.1.x are not
  compatible with RHEL 8. On those earlier versions, you can deploy the USM Agent on RHEL 8 VMs
  as a container using Podman. For a full list of supported operating systems, see [Supported operating systems](../installation/versions-interoperability.md#usm-os-compatibility).
* **Networking**: The USM Agent supports IPv4 and dual-stack network
  environments. Dual-stack combines IPv4 and IPv6. Dual-stack networking requires USM Agent version 1.1.0 or later
  and Confluent Platform 8.2 or later.

  #### IMPORTANT
  The USM Agent does not support IPv6-only environments. The agent requires
  IPv4 connectivity to communicate with Confluent Cloud.

  To configure dual-stack networking, see [IPv6 and dual-stack networking](networking.md#usm-ipv6-dual-stack).

## Deployment pathways

Choose the pathway that matches your environment.

* **For a new Confluent Platform deployment**: If you are deploying Confluent Platform 7.9.6 or later
  within the 7.9.x release series, or 8.1 or later, for the first time, deploy your
  cluster, then follow the [Registration process overview](#register-overview).
* **For an existing Confluent Platform deployment**: If you have an existing deployment,
  you must first upgrade your cluster to a supported version, Confluent Platform 7.9.6 or later
  within the 7.9.x release series, or 8.1 or later. After the upgrade is complete,
  follow the [Registration process overview](#register-overview).
* **For a hybrid deployment (existing Confluent Platform and Confluent Cloud)**: If you already use both Confluent Platform
  and Confluent Cloud, first upgrade your Confluent Platform cluster to a supported version, Confluent Platform 7.9.6 or
  later within the 7.9.x release series, or 8.1 or later. You might need to upgrade to the
  [Advanced Governance](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/stream-governance/packages.html#stream-gov-packages)
  package in Confluent Cloud. Then, follow the [Registration process overview](#register-overview), from setting up private network configuration.

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## Registration process overview

Register your Confluent Platform cluster with Confluent Cloud for USM management in five high-level steps:

1. Sign up for Confluent Cloud and configure billing.
2. Establish a secure network connection between your on-premises environment and Confluent Cloud.
3. Create a service account in Confluent Cloud with the required roles and generate API credentials for the USM Agent.
4. Deploy the USM Agent in your Confluent Platform environment using your chosen deployment toolset.
5. Complete the registration process to link your Confluent Platform cluster with Confluent Cloud. The agent begins syncing metadata and enables USM management capabilities.

For detailed instructions, see [Register your Confluent Platform cluster with Confluent Cloud](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/usm/register/overview.html).

## Next steps

* Learn how to [Register your cluster with Confluent Cloud](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/usm/register/overview.html).
* Learn how to [Monitor your registered cluster](https://docs.confluent.io/cloud/current/usm/monitor/overview.html).

## Related content

- [Unified Stream Manager (USM) in Confluent Platform](overview.md#usm-overview)
- [USM Agent: Metrics and Metadata Reference](agent-metrics-metadata.md#usm-agent-metrics-metadata)