---
title: Deployment
description: Instructions for deploying EDOT components for Kubernetes monitoring, using guided onboarding or manual steps.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/solutions/observability/get-started/opentelemetry/use-cases/kubernetes/deployment
products:
  - Elastic Cloud Serverless
  - Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Collector
  - Elastic Observability
applies_to:
  - Serverless Observability projects: Generally available
  - Elastic Stack: Generally available
  - Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry Collector: Generally available
---

# Deployment
You can use the [guided onboarding](#deploy-using-the-guided-onboarding) or [deploy all components manually](#manual-deployment)

## Deploy using the guided onboarding

The guided onboarding simplifies deploying your Kubernetes components by setting up an [API Key](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/api-keys/elasticsearch-api-keys) and the needed [Integrations](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/reference) in the background.
Follow these steps to use the guided onboarding:
1. In Kibana, navigate to **Observability** → **Add data**.
2. Select **Kubernetes**, then choose **Kubernetes monitoring with EDOT Collector**.
3. Follow the instructions to install the OpenTelemetry Operator using the Helm chart and the provided `values.yaml`.

When installing the OpenTelemetry Operator:
- Make sure the `elastic_endpoint` shown in the installation command is valid for your environment. If not, replace it with the correct Elasticsearch endpoint.
- The `elastic_api_key` shown in the installation command corresponds to an API key created by Kibana when the onboarding process is initiated.

<note>
  The default installation deploys an OpenTelemetry Operator with a self-signed TLS certificate.
  To automatically generate and renew certificates, refer to [cert-manager integrated installation](/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/solutions/observability/get-started/opentelemetry/use-cases/kubernetes/customization#cert-manager-integrated-installation) for instructions on customizing the `values.yaml` file before running the `helm install` command.
</note>


## Manual deployment

Follow these steps for a manual deployment of all components.

### Elastic Stack preparations

Before installing the operator do the following:
1. Create an [API Key](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/deploy-manage/api-keys/elasticsearch-api-keys).
2. Install the following integrations in Kibana:
   - `System`
- `Kubernetes`
- `Kubernetes OpenTelemetry Assets`

When using the [Kibana onboarding UX](#deploy-using-the-guided-onboarding), the previous actions are automatically handled by Kibana.

### Operator installation

Follow these steps to install the operator:
1. Create the `opentelemetry-operator-system` Kubernetes namespace:
   ```bash
   $ kubectl create namespace opentelemetry-operator-system
   ```
2. Create a secret in the new namespace with the following command:
   ```bash
   kubectl create -n opentelemetry-operator-system secret generic elastic-secret-otel \
     --from-literal=elastic_endpoint='YOUR_ELASTICSEARCH_ENDPOINT' \
     --from-literal=elastic_api_key='YOUR_ELASTICSEARCH_API_KEY'
   ```
   Don't forget to replace:
   - `YOUR_ELASTICSEARCH_ENDPOINT`: Elasticsearch endpoint (**with `https://` prefix**). For example: `https://1234567.us-west2.gcp.elastic-cloud.com:443`.
- `YOUR_ELASTICSEARCH_API_KEY`: Elasticsearch API Key created in the previous step.
3. If you need to [customize the configuration](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/solutions/observability/get-started/opentelemetry/use-cases/kubernetes/customization), copy the `values.yaml` file and adapt it to your needs. Refer to the [compatibility matrix](/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3028/solutions/observability/get-started/opentelemetry/use-cases/kubernetes/prerequisites-compatibility#compatibility-matrix) for a complete list of available manifests in the `release branches`.
4. Run the following commands to deploy the `opentelemetry-kube-stack` Helm chart, using the appropriate values file:
   ```bash
   helm repo add open-telemetry https://open-telemetry.github.io/opentelemetry-helm-charts
   helm repo update
   helm upgrade --install --namespace opentelemetry-operator-system opentelemetry-kube-stack open-telemetry/opentelemetry-kube-stack \
         --values 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elastic/elastic-agent/refs/tags/v9.3.2/deploy/helm/edot-collector/kube-stack/values.yaml' \
         --version 0.12.4
   ```


## Verify the installation

Perform the following checks to verify that everything is running properly:

### Check Pods status

Ensure the following components are running without errors:
- Operator Pod
- DaemonSet Collector Pod
- Deployment Collector Pod


### Validate instrumentation object

Confirm that the Instrumentation object is deployed and configured with a valid endpoint.

### Kibana dashboard check

Verify that the **OTEL][Metrics Kubernetes] Cluster Overview** dashboard in Kibana is displaying data correctly.

### Log data availability in Kibana

In **Kibana Discover**, confirm the availability of data under the `__logs-*__` data view.

### Metrics data availability in Kibana

In **Kibana Discover**, ensure data is available under the `__metrics-*__` data view.