The first milestone involves deploying a Signstar host as a virtual machine, which operates against a virtual HSM environment as backend. This allows to verify all functional properties of the system while signing dummy artifacts using dummy keys. Further, the various assumptions about the use of client integration towards a Signstar host can be validated.

A virtual test system will remain operative all throughout the use of the Signstar system to allow for tests of system upgrade, system roll back and initial deployment scenarios.

This system is considered a foundational learning ground to iron out any deployment issues and to improve existing documentation.