# Getting Started

Birch allows decentralized management of multiple routing systems with a cloud-based infrastructure. It is designed to provide a unified experience regardless of the routing platform you are using and gives the user the ability to intelligently manage physical connections between multiple routers.

Birch utilizes a small application locally to connect our cloud infrastructure to your locally deployed routing systems. The rest of the infrastructure is available to any device that has an internet connection, allowing you to manage your infrastructure from anywhere, at any time. 

## Organization Setup

Once your Organization has been created, you will receive an email with a temporary password. Navigate to <https://birch.whitebark.net> to log in for the first time and set your password.

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxH2jzuaKHXDV8VVtI%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=2bd8aa6c-715c-4301-8b31-c8e71462afb3)

Once you log in navigate to **Settings > Organization** (available for Admins only). The **Organization Settings** will allow an Admin to update the name of the account, administer users and create access control lists.

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{% hint style="info" %}
Make note of the **Organization ID**, the UUID displayed at the top of Organization Settings. \
It will be necessary for configuring your **Birch Probe**.
{% endhint %}

## Deploying Birch Probe

Prior to connecting to a **Device**, you must have a **Birch Probe** deployed. If your environment requires, you can have multiple **Birch Probes** deployed to connect to different **Devices** that may not be accessible from the same network.

{% content-ref url="deploy-birch-probe" %}
[deploy-birch-probe](https://docs.whitebark.net/deploy-birch-probe)
{% endcontent-ref %}

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## Connect to a Device&#x20;

Once a new **Probe** is deployed, you are able to add a new **Device** for that **Probe** to communicate with.&#x20;

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxT9JDWAxEEeFrE5E5%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=cc2136b8-bd87-415a-a991-df642626b0d9)

| Field      | Use                                     |
| ---------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Name       | Device Long Name                        |
| Short Name | Device Short Name                       |
| Protocol   | Routing System's communication protocol |
| IP Address | Local IP Address of the Routing System  |

{% hint style="warning" %}
Adding a **Device** will restart the **Birch Probe** and may cause an interruption to routing from the **Birch** system. It will not affect the routing system you adding in any way.
{% endhint %}

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxWwNQjLAsNjEumHCe%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=68ef8cfe-c752-4a56-9f75-07f233ddb414)

Once added, the **Birch Probe** will restart and attempt to connect to your routing **Device**. After the initial creating, the **Device** routing capability will be inhibited. Click the :warning: to enable routing.

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxXoUMc6gHu7caDERp%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=65b0d3c9-9cea-434e-874f-32df206e6328)

Once enabled, the **Device** should be connected.

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxXxn6_ZaiGWMK05Ef%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=9baf1660-3d76-4b0d-b8c1-b6ab7699dbed)

## Making a route

Once you have a **Probe** and **Device** setup, you will be able to make routes. **Birch** will automatically connect to your router and sync its source and destination names and current state to the system. Additional, **Birch** will stay in-sync with the routing system if changes are made from another source, such as a physical router control panel.

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxYtgQ1c2eKGck0esO%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=84946952-706b-4887-bc51-80ac297b83ff)

You may either search for your source or destination, or use the filters to drill-down to the desired source or destination. **Birch** routing is very simple, choose a **Destination**, choose a **Source**, and **Take** the route. You can also **Lock** or **Unlock** a **Destination** to verify&#x20;

![](https://47045051-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MksSjlEi2-O9pUIxffg%2F-MkwywU-1_NAffJPHUNL%2F-MkxZSgurHyEiFAEI3Ui%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=e8af0bd3-9a39-47d6-9796-b06877a4dd87)

### Multi-level Routing

If your routing system supports multi-level routing, the **Levels** button will reveal the levels that were detected when the **Birch Probe** connected to the **Device**.&#x20;

You can select any combination of **Levels** to create a breakaway route and simply **Take** the route as normal. **Destinations** that currently have a Breakaway route, will have the **BR** indicator.&#x20;

{% hint style="info" %}
Multi-level Routing is only supported within a single device.
{% endhint %}

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