---
title: Identify the deployment scenario
description: Before you start deploying ECE, choose the deployment scenario that best fits your use case. All deployment scenarios have 3 director nodes for high availability...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise/identify-deployment-scenario
products:
  - Elastic Cloud Enterprise
applies_to:
  - Elastic Cloud Enterprise: Generally available
---

# Identify the deployment scenario
Before you start deploying ECE, choose the deployment scenario that best fits your use case. All deployment scenarios have 3 director nodes for [high availability](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise/ece-ha).

## Small deployment

The type of deployment is recommended for development, test, and small-scale use cases. You need:
- 3 hosts with 128 GB RAM
- 3 availability zones

![A small baseline installation with three hosts across three availability zones](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/images/cloud-enterprise-ece-pb-3.png)

- This type of installation is **not recommended for high-traffic workloads**.
- Avoid ECE installations with **spinning disks** as these are not supported when you run allocators and control plane on the same server.
- Note that the small-size ECE installation keeps the directors and coordinators roles (ECE management services) on the same hosts as your allocators and proxies.

You can proceed with this scenario and [install ECE](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise/install).

## Medium deployment

This type of deployment is recommended for many production setups. You need:
- 3 hosts with at least 32 GB RAM each for directors and coordinators (ECE management services)
- 3 hosts for allocators, each with one of the following RAM configurations:
  - 1 x 256 GB RAM
- 2 x 128 GB RAM
- 4 x 64 GB RAM
- 3 hosts with 16 GB RAM each for proxies
- 3 availability zones

![A medium installation with nine to twelve hosts across three availability zones](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/images/cloud-enterprise-ece-pb-6.png)

- Monitor the load on proxies and make sure the volume of user requests routed by the proxies does not affect the resources available to the ECE management services.
- Note that the large-sized Elastic Cloud Enterprise installation separates the allocator and proxy roles from the director and coordinator roles (ECE management services).

You can proceed with this scenario and [install ECE](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise/install).

## Large deployment

This type of deployment is recommended for deployments with significant overall search and indexing throughput. You need:
- 3 hosts with at least 64 GB RAM each for directors and coordinators (ECE management services)
- 3 hosts for allocators, each with one of the following RAM configurations:
  - 1 x 256 GB RAM
- 2 x 128 GB RAM
- 4 x 64 GB RAM
- 3 hosts with 16 GB RAM each for proxies
- 3 availability zones

![A large installation with nine to twelve hosts across three availability zones](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/images/cloud-enterprise-ece-pb-9.png)

Note that the large-sized Elastic Cloud Enterprise installation separates the allocator and proxy roles from the director and coordinator roles (ECE management services).
You can proceed with this scenario and [install ECE](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/deploy/cloud-enterprise/install).