# Adding a Host to the Network This document guides an admin through adding a single host to the network. Keep in mind that the steps described here must be done for _each_ host the user wishes to add. ## Step 1: Choose Hostname The user will need to provide you with a name for their host. The name should conform to the following rules: * It should only contain lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens. * It should begin with a letter. * It should end with a letter or number. ## Step 2: Choose IP The admin should choose an IP for the host. The IP you choose for the new host should be one which is not yet used by any other host and is in a subnet which was configured when creating the network. ## Step 3: Create a `bootstrap.json` File To create a `bootstrap.json` file for the new host, the admin should perform the following command from their own host: ``` isle hosts create \ --hostname \ --ip \ > bootstrap.json ``` The resulting `bootstrap.json` file should be treated as a secret file and shared only with the user it was generated for. The `bootstrap.json` file should not be re-used between hosts. The user can now proceed with calling `isle network join`, as described in the [Getting Started][getting-started] document. [getting-started]: ../user/getting-started.md