> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xloud.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Optimization Admin Guide

> Configure Xloud Optimization — deploy the Decision Engine, tune strategies, connect data sources, schedule audits, and manage action plan policies across.

<p style={{ fontSize: '1.25rem', fontWeight: 700, marginBottom: '0.75rem' }}>Overview</p>

Xloud Optimization administrators configure the platform-level components that
enable intelligent workload placement across the compute cluster. This guide covers
the service architecture, strategy configuration, data source integration, custom
strategy deployment, audit scheduling, action plan policies, security, compute
service integration requirements, and troubleshooting.

<Warning>
  Changes to strategy configuration and data source settings affect all ongoing and
  future audits across the platform. Review changes carefully before applying them
  in production.
</Warning>

<Tip>
  **XDeploy GUI** — Dynamic cluster optimization can be enabled through the [XDeploy Configuration](/deployment/configuration) interface under the **Advance Features** tab by toggling **Enable Dynamic Cluster Optimization**. No manual file editing required.
</Tip>

***

<p style={{ fontSize: '1.25rem', fontWeight: 700, marginBottom: '0.75rem' }}>In This Guide</p>

<CardGroup cols={4}>
  <Card title="Architecture" icon="layers" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/architecture" color="#197560">
    Decision Engine, Planner, Applier components and the audit-to-execution data flow.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Strategy Configuration" icon="sliders" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/strategy-config" color="#197560">
    Configure and tune the built-in optimization strategy plugins.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data Sources" icon="database" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/data-sources" color="#197560">
    Connect Prometheus, Telemetry, and Compute API data sources to the Decision Engine.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Strategies" icon="code" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/custom-strategies" color="#197560">
    Implement and deploy custom optimization strategy plugins for specialized topologies.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduling" icon="calendar" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/scheduling" color="#197560">
    Automate recurring audits with audit templates and cron-based schedules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Action Policies" icon="shield-check" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/action-policies" color="#197560">
    Configure manual approval vs automatic execution policies for action plans.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compute Integration" icon="server" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/compute-integration" color="#197560">
    Verify shared storage, live migration capability, and compute host state.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Security" icon="lock" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/security" color="#197560">
    Harden the service account, restrict RBAC execution policies, and enable audit logging.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" icon="wrench" href="/services/optimization/admin-guide/troubleshooting" color="#197560">
    Diagnose audit failures, execution errors, data source issues, and authentication problems.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

<p style={{ fontSize: '1.25rem', fontWeight: 700, marginBottom: '0.75rem' }}>Architecture Summary</p>

The Optimization is composed of three collaborating services:

| Service             | Container                 | Role                                                      |
| ------------------- | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| **API**             | `watcher_api`             | REST API for audits, action plans, and goals              |
| **Decision Engine** | `watcher_decision_engine` | Collects metrics, applies strategy, generates action plan |
| **Applier**         | `watcher_applier`         | Executes approved plans via the Compute API               |

***

<p style={{ fontSize: '1.25rem', fontWeight: 700, marginBottom: '0.75rem' }}>Next Steps</p>

<CardGroup cols={4}>
  <Card title="Optimization User Guide" icon="book-open" href="/services/optimization/user-guide" color="#197560">
    Run audits, review action plans, and execute optimization from an operator perspective.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Optimization Overview" icon="layers" href="/services/optimization/index" color="#197560">
    Service overview and getting started with the Optimization.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>