---
title: Deployment automation
description: Automated workflows help shift the deployment process from a pets service model to a cattle service model. The primary tools that are required to manage the replication topology are dsreplication and remove-defunct-server.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_server_administration_guide:pd_ds_deployment_automation
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_deployment_automation.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
---

# Deployment automation

Automated workflows help shift the deployment process from a pets service model to a cattle service model. The primary tools that are required to manage the replication topology are `dsreplication` and `remove-defunct-server`.

Another key to every topology-management workflow is the `topology.json` file, which represents the intended state of the topology at any time. An administrator should create this file manually or by using external automation. When promoting from a dev/test environment to a stage/prod environment, you can obtain a `topology.json` file using the `manage-topology export` subcommand.

The following code shows an example `topology.json` file:

```json
{
  "serverInstances" : [
    {
      "instanceName" : "ds-0",
      "hostname" : "ds-0.ds-topology.production.svc.cluster.local",
      "location" : "Austin",
      "ldapPort" : 389,
      "ldapsPort" : 636,
      "replicationPort" : 989,
      "startTLSEnabled" : true,
      "preferredSecurity" : "SSL",
      "product" : "DIRECTORY"
    },
    {
      "instanceName" : "ds-1",
      "hostname" : "ds-1.ds-topology.production.svc.cluster.local",
      "location" : "Austin",
      "ldapPort" : 389,
      "ldapsPort" : 636,
      "replicationPort" : 989,
      "startTLSEnabled" : true,
      "preferredSecurity" : "SSL",
      "product" : "DIRECTORY"
    },
    {
      "instanceName" : "ds-2",
      "hostname" : "ds-2.ds-topology.production.svc.cluster.local",
      "location" : "Austin",
      "ldapPort" : 389,
      "ldapsPort" : 636,
      "replicationPort" : 989,
      "startTLSEnabled" : true,
      "preferredSecurity" : "SSL",
      "product" : "DIRECTORY"
    },
    {
      "instanceName" : "ds-3",
      "hostname" : "ds-3.ds-topology.production.svc.cluster.local",
      "location" : "Austin",
      "ldapPort" : 389,
      "ldapsPort" : 636,
      "replicationPort" : 989,
      "startTLSEnabled" : true,
      "preferredSecurity" : "SSL",
      "product" : "DIRECTORY"
    },
    ...
  ]
}
```

The remaining sections in this chapter describe the deployment automation that is necessary to satisfy the following workflows:

* Setting up the initial topology

* Initializing data on all servers

* Replacing crashed instances and scaling up

* Scaling down

* Rolling updates

Consistent network identifiers are required for each server instance. Additionally, we strongly recommend persistent storage for all server bits. The required level of automation changes slightly when this recommendation is not followed, as noted in each section.