# Getting Started with Wazuh - SIEM/XDR Platform Overview

> Introduction to Wazuh 4.14 - platform architecture, component descriptions, and use cases for infrastructure protection and compliance

Source: https://opennix.org/en/docs/wazuh/getting-started/


This section provides introductory material about Wazuh 4.14: the system architecture, a breakdown of each component, and common deployment scenarios. It is intended for practitioners who are evaluating Wazuh for their infrastructure or beginning their first deployment.

## What is Wazuh

Wazuh is an open-source security platform that combines SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) and XDR (Extended Detection and Response) capabilities. It protects endpoints, servers, cloud workloads, and containerized environments through a single management interface.

Organizations of all sizes - from small businesses to large enterprises - rely on Wazuh for threat detection, integrity monitoring, vulnerability analysis, and regulatory compliance enforcement.

## Section Contents

### [Wazuh Architecture](/docs/wazuh/getting-started/wazuh-architecture/)

An overview of the platform architecture: agent-to-server communication, the role of Filebeat in data forwarding, indexing in OpenSearch, and visualization through the dashboard. Covers deployment models (all-in-one, single-node, distributed), protocols, ports, and comparisons with alternative SIEM solutions.

### [Wazuh Components](/docs/wazuh/getting-started/wazuh-components/)

A detailed description of each component: Wazuh Agent (analysis modules, supported operating systems), Wazuh Server (analysis engine, rules, decoders, clustering), Wazuh Indexer (OpenSearch-based storage and indexing), and Wazuh Dashboard (visualization, reporting, management).

### [Use Cases](/docs/wazuh/getting-started/wazuh-use-cases/)

Practical security tasks addressed by Wazuh: malware detection, file integrity monitoring, threat hunting, vulnerability detection, configuration assessment, incident response, compliance, cloud security, and more.

## Next Steps

After reviewing the architecture and components, proceed to [Wazuh installation](/docs/wazuh/installation/wazuh-quickstart/) or explore the full [platform capabilities](/docs/wazuh/) in the documentation hub.