# Getting started with AWS CloudHSM
<a name="getting-started"></a>

The following topics help you create, initialize, and activate a cluster in AWS CloudHSM. After you complete these procedures, you'll be ready to manage users, manage clusters, and use the included software libraries to perform cryptographic operations. For the best experience, follow the topics in the listed order. 

**Topics**
+ [Create IAM administrative groups for AWS CloudHSM](create-iam-user.md)
+ [Create a virtual private cloud (VPC) for AWS CloudHSM](create-vpc.md)
+ [Create a cluster in AWS CloudHSM](create-cluster.md)
+ [Review the security group for your cluster in AWS CloudHSM](configure-sg.md)
+ [Launch an Amazon EC2 client instance for interacting with AWS CloudHSM](launch-client-instance.md)
+ [Configure the Client Amazon EC2 instance security groups for AWS CloudHSM](configure-sg-client-instance.md)
+ [Create an HSM in AWS CloudHSM](create-hsm.md)
+ [Verify the identity and authenticity of your cluster's HSM in AWS CloudHSM (optional)](verify-hsm-identity.md)
+ [Initialize the cluster in AWS CloudHSM](initialize-cluster.md)
+ [Install and configure CloudHSM CLI](gs_cloudhsm_cli-install.md)
+ [Activate the cluster in AWS CloudHSM](activate-cluster.md)
+ [Set up mutual TLS between client and AWS CloudHSM (recommended)](getting-started-setup-mtls.md)
+ [Create and use keys in AWS CloudHSM](create-apps.md)