Getting Started Overview

Welcome to Big Picture. This section will help you get up and running quickly.

What You’ll Learn

The getting started guide walks you through:

1. Quick Start — Get Big Picture running in minutes with a minimal setup
2. Installing Big Picture — Choose and configure your deployment model
3. Creating Your First Release — Publish a software release and make it available to clients
4. Importing Your First License — Set up entitlements and configure licensing

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A Big Picture deployment (SaaS or self-hosted)
• API credentials or OAuth access configured
• At least one product defined in your catalog
• Artifact storage configured (managed or external references)

Deployment Models

Big Picture supports multiple deployment models:

SaaS (Vendor-Hosted)

If you’re using Big Picture as a SaaS service:

• Your vendor provides the control plane endpoint
• Signing keys are managed in cloud KMS/HSM
• Artifact storage may be managed or external

Vendor Self-Hosted

If you’re self-hosting Big Picture:

• You control the infrastructure and signing keys
• Single-tenant deployment
• Ideal for regulated markets

Local License Server (Air-Gapped)

For air-gapped or regulated environments:

• Local license server runs inside customer networks
• Optional outbound entitlement sync
• Clients rely on short-lived lease tokens

See Installing Big Picture for detailed setup instructions for each model.

Next Steps

1. Start with the Quick Start if you want to see Big Picture in action immediately
2. Follow the installation guide if you need to set up your own deployment
3. Once installed, create your first release
4. Configure licensing to control access

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

• Review the API Reference for endpoint details
• Check Error Codes for troubleshooting
• See Workflows for operational procedures