Defguard 2.0 Release Alpha 2 is now available

Due to high anticipation from our customers and users, we are excited to release the second alpha of version 2.0, which is now nearly feature-complete.

While we still do not recommend it for production setups, we encourage teams running Proof of Concepts or early testing to deploy 2.0 Alpha 2 instead of the 1.6.x series.

If you missed Alpha 1, read the technical overview of Defguard 2.0, where we explain why these architecture and UX changes were introduced.

Getting started with Defguard 2.0

We have prepared a simple Docker Compose in order to easily and quickly launch 2.0 and play around with it. More details about this in the documentation.

What’s changed in Alpha 2 (vs Alpha 1)

New quick setup wizard and VM images

If you deploy 2.0 using Docker Compose or the new Virtual Image (OVA):

• All components are automatically deployed (Core, Edge, and Gateway)
• All components are automatically provisioned
• The remaining steps are basic general settings and first VPN location setup in a guided wizard

We designed this path to make evaluation and onboarding significantly easier.

The main configuration wizard (first introduced in Alpha 1 and updated in this release) remains available and should be used for production-style deployment planning, where each component is launched separately.

Video preview of this functionality:

High Availability: multiple Gateways and Edge components

We added gateway setup:

And gateway management:

We also updated the testing Docker Compose to deploy multiple gateways that can be load-balanced with Envoy, so you can validate HA behavior in test environments.

Video preview of this functionality:

Firewall management

New firewall management is now available for testing:

Firewall management builds on 1.x concepts and expands them for 2.0. For deeper context, see firewall improvements in the Alpha 1 technical overview.

Static IP assignment for users and devices

A long-awaited feature is finally here. You can now assign IP addresses to networks and user devices from user and device context menus.

Video preview of this functionality:

Easier Edge and Gateway deployment

When adding a new Gateway or Edge component, the wizard now includes clearer deployment guidance:

Summary and release plan

We included numerous bug fixes and smaller improvements in this alpha. There is still work ahead, but 2.0 Alpha 2 is ready for serious testing and feedback.

Please share your feedback by opening a GitHub discussion or submitting issues for bugs and missing features.

Our plan is to release the first Beta in the coming weeks, including an automated wizard-based migration from 1.x. That will allow all customers to test migration flows in staging before final 2.0 rollout.