# Install and operate

> Run Proxus with Docker or Kubernetes, upgrade it, back it up, watch its health and secure it.

Source: https://proxus.io/docs/operate

This section is for the person who runs the Proxus installation itself: the containers, the databases, the network
and the backups. To manage users, license and settings inside the hub, see [Administer](https://proxus.io/docs/administer).

## What runs where

Proxus is shipped as container images. A hub installation is a small set of services that run together:

| Service | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| `proxus-ui` | The hub: the web interface, the REST API, the MCP server for AI agents, and the coordination of all gateways. |
| `proxus-server` | The hub's own edge gateway, called **SYSTEM**. It reads devices on the hub's network and runs the built-in MQTT broker. |
| `hub-server` | The message broker (NATS) that connects the hub and every edge gateway. |
| `postgresql` | The configuration database: devices, profiles, rules, users, audit trail. |
| `clickhouse` | The telemetry database: every value read, and the system logs. |

Each edge gateway on a remote network runs as its own small set of containers on its own host. See
[Install a gateway](https://proxus.io/docs/connect/edge-gateways/install-a-gateway). For how the parts work together, see
[Architecture](https://proxus.io/docs/concepts/architecture).

Docker Compose on one machine is the standard way to run Proxus. Kubernetes manifests are provided for sites that
run everything on Kubernetes, including a high-availability variant.

## Start here