Deployment Checklist

Seq is extremely fast and easy to set up in its default configuration, and going to production isn't much harder. There are a few things to take care of that will ensure smooth, secure operation of Seq as a critical part of your operations infrastructure.

Use the handy checklist below to make sure nothing is missed.

Task	Description	Find out more
Provision Hardware	Seq needs enough hardware capacity to perform under the expected load. There are some rules of thumb to help make an initial estimate.	System Requirements
Software Prerequisites	Windows Server 2012 R2 or better and .NET 4.6 are needed.	System Requirements
Create a Service Account	It is best practice to use an unprivileged machine account to run the Seq service. This should be a local Windows account on the target server (by default Local System is used otherwise).
Choose a Storage Location	Choose a location on disk where Seq will store log data. On cloud VMs, an option with local redundancy is recommended (e.g. an attached data disk on Azure).
Obtain and Install an SSL Certificate	If Seq is to serve data over SSL, a certificate will be needed for the domain Seq is hosted on.	SSL
Install Seq	Install Seq from MSI on the target server. Skip Install or start the Seq service when prompted, or run `seq.exe stop && seq.exe uninstall` afterwards to remove the default http://localhost:5341 service instance.
Configure the Seq Service	Run `seq.exe install` passing appropriate `--storage`, `--listen` and `--username` arguments.	Storage, URLs
Bind the SSL Certificate	The SSL certificate must be associated with the port used by Seq. This is done with the `seq.exe bind-ssl` command-line.	SSL
Save your Seq Master Encryption Key	On the Seq server, run `seq.exe show-key` and copy the resulting key to a secure location.	Backup and Restore
Start Seq	If you haven't already, run `seq.exe start` and view Seq in your browser.
Import your Seq License	Paste your Seq license key into Settings > License and save changes.
Enable Authentication	Under Settings > Users, enable authentication and set up the admin user account.	Managing Users, Active Directory, Azure Active Directory
Configure the Backup Location	Under Settings > Backup, make sure daily backups are stored to an appropriate drive.	Backup and Restore
Require API Keys	We recommend all apps logging to Seq use a distinct API key; enforce this under Settings > API Keys.	API Keys
Configure Retention Policies	Make sure at least one retention policy is configured, so that disk space isn't exhausted.	Retention Policies

Remember that we're here to help if you get stuck at any point!

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Check out our Azure installation guide if you're installing Seq in Microsoft Azure.