Deploying your first Policy

In the previous steps, you created a policy with authorization rules and tested them. Now it’s time to deploy your policy so it can be enforced by a policy engine like OPA or Amazon Verified Permissions.

Deploying in Big ACL follows a simple workflow: create a version → validate → deploy → promote.

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Step 1: Set Up Your Environments

Before deploying, you need at least one environment to deploy to.

1. Go to Settings → Environments
2. Click New Environment and create two environments:

Name	Promotion Order	Production
Development	10	☐
Production	20	☑

The promotion order defines the deployment pipeline: versions move from Development (lower order) to Production (higher order).

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Step 2: Create a Version

A version captures a snapshot of all your approved rules at this point in time.

1. Open your policy
2. Click Versions in the toolbar
3. Click Create Version
4. Enter version number 1.0.0
5. Optionally add a label, e.g., “Initial release”
6. Click Create

The version appears in DRAFT status with a count of the rules it includes.

Note

Only rules in Approved status are included in the version snapshot. Make sure your rules have been approved before creating a version.

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Step 3: Validate the Version

Validation checks the version for syntax and consistency errors.

1. In the Versions dialog, click Validate on your version
2. The version moves from DRAFT to VALIDATED

If validation fails, review the error details and fix the underlying rules before trying again.

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Step 4: Deploy to Development

Now deploy your validated version to the Development environment.

1. Go to Deployments in the main menu to open the Deployment Matrix
2. Find your policy’s row — the Development column should show a Deploy button
3. Click Deploy
4. Select version 1.0.0 and the Development environment
5. Click Deploy

The matrix now shows 1.0.0 with an ACTIVE status in the Development column. Your policy is live in the Development environment.

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Step 5: Promote to Production

After verifying that everything works in Development, promote the deployment to Production.

1. In the Deployment Matrix, open the context menu on the Development cell for your policy
2. Click Promote
3. Select Production as the target environment
4. Optionally add a reason, e.g., “Tested and approved for production”
5. Click Promote

The matrix now shows version 1.0.0 deployed in both Development and Production.

Congratulations — your authorization policy is deployed! 🎉

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What’s Next?

• Make changes: Edit your rules, create version 1.1.0, and promote it through your pipeline
• Rollback if needed: If a new version causes issues, roll back to the previous version instantly — see Deployments
• Track changes: View the full history of who deployed what and when — see Deployment History
• Learn more about versions: Understand the full version lifecycle — see Policy Versions
• Configure more environments: Add staging, QA, or regional environments — see Environments