> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.carto.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.carto.com/carto-self-hosted/planning.md).

# Plan Your Deployment

Before deploying CARTO Self-Hosted, assess your requirements and make key decisions. This section guides you through everything you need to have in place before starting an installation.

{% hint style="info" %}
New to CARTO Self-Hosted? Start with [Getting Started](/carto-self-hosted/getting-started.md) for architecture diagrams, the responsibility matrix, and a glossary of key terms.
{% endhint %}

**Knowledge required:** Familiarity with your cloud environment (GCP, AWS, or Azure), Kubernetes basics (for K8s deployments), and Linux system administration.

## In this section

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Deployment Methods</strong></td><td>Understand the Single Virtual Machine, Standard Orchestrated, and Advanced Orchestrated deployment methods, and decide which fits your team and environment.</td><td><a href="/pages/snCMGwkhzVDkri6kkwuK">/pages/snCMGwkhzVDkri6kkwuK</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Prerequisites &#x26; Checklists</strong></td><td>Hardware, software, database, storage, and network requirements — with topic-specific checklists.</td><td><a href="/pages/OfeDDaS7PdRcgWWfDsWR">/pages/OfeDDaS7PdRcgWWfDsWR</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Compliance &#x26; Security</strong></td><td>Security considerations and compliance frameworks relevant to self-hosted deployments.</td><td><a href="/pages/CUYzGLLwcPZLTBqqh6DX">/pages/CUYzGLLwcPZLTBqqh6DX</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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