# Configuring the Ansible playbook
Once you have your server and you have [configured your DNS records ](configuring-dns.md ), you can proceed with configuring this playbook, so that it knows what to install and where.
You can follow these steps:
- create a directory to hold your configuration (`mkdir inventory/host_vars/matrix.< your-domain > `)
- copy the sample configuration file (`cp examples/host-vars.yml inventory/host_vars/matrix.< your-domain > /vars.yml`)
- edit the configuration file (`inventory/host_vars/matrix.< your-domain > /vars.yml`) to your liking. You may also take a look at the various `roles/ROLE_NAME_HERE/defaults/main.yml` files and see if there's something you'd like to copy over and override in your `vars.yml` configuration file.
- copy the sample inventory hosts file (`cp examples/hosts inventory/hosts`)
- edit the inventory hosts file (`inventory/hosts`) to your liking
For a basic Matrix installation, that's all you need.
For a more custom setup, see the [Other configuration options ](#other-configuration-options ) below.
When you're done with all the configuration you'd like to do, continue with [Installing ](installing.md ).
## Other configuration options
- [Enabling Telemetry for your Matrix server ](configuring-playbook-telemetry.md ) (optional)
- [Controlling Matrix federation ](configuring-playbook-federation.md ) (optional)
- [Adjusting email-sending settings ](configuring-playbook-email.md ) (optional)
- [Storing Matrix media files on Amazon S3 ](configuring-playbook-s3.md ) (optional)
- [Using an external PostgreSQL server ](configuring-playbook-external-postgres.md ) (optional)
- [Adjusting mxisd Identity Server configuration ](configuring-playbook-mxisd.md ) (optional)
- [Adjusting SSL certificate retrieval ](configuring-playbook-ssl-certificates.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Using your own webserver, instead of this playbook's nginx proxy ](configuring-playbook-own-webserver.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Setting up the REST authentication password provider module ](configuring-playbook-rest-auth.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Setting up the Shared Secret Auth password provider module ](configuring-playbook-shared-secret-auth.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Setting up the LDAP password provider module ](configuring-playbook-ldap-auth.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Setting up Matrix Corporal ](configuring-playbook-matrix-corporal.md ) (optional, advanced)
- [Setting up Mautrix Telegram bridging ](configuring-playbook-bridge-mautrix-telegram.md ) (optional)
- [Setting up Mautrix Whatsapp bridging ](configuring-playbook-bridge-mautrix-whatsapp.md ) (optional)
- [Setting up Appservice IRC bridging ](configuring-playbook-bridge-appservice-irc.md ) (optional)
- [Setting up Appservice Discord bridging ](configuring-playbook-bridge-appservice-discord.md ) (optional)