diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index 9d290cc8..e0b23263 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
-# Workflow to deploy OntoPortal UI to stage/prod systems
+# Workflow to deploy OntoPortal API to stage/prod systems
 #
 # Required github secrets:
 #
-# CONFIG_REPO - github repo containing config and customizations for UI. Format 'author/private_config_repo'
+# CONFIG_REPO - github repo containing config and customizations for API. Format 'author/private_config_repo'
 # it is used for getting capistrano deployment configuration for stages on the github actions runner and
-# PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO env var is constructed from it which is used by capistrano on the UI hosts for pulling configs.
+# PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO env var is constructed from it which is used by capistrano on the API hosts for pulling configs.
 #
 # GH_PAT - github Personal Access Token for accessing private config repo
 #
-# SSH_JUMPHOST - ssh jump/proxy host though which deployments have to though if UI nodes live on private network.
+# SSH_JUMPHOST - ssh jump/proxy host though which deployments have to though if API nodes live on private network.
 # SSH_JUMPHOST_USER - username  to use to connect to the ssh jump/proxy.
 #
 # DEPLOY_ENC_KEY - key for decrypting deploymnet ssh key residing in config/
-# this SSH key is used for accessing jump host, UI nodes, and private github repo.
+# this SSH key is used for accessing jump host, API nodes, and private github repo.
 
 name: Capistrano Deployment
 # Controls when the action will run.
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8b568832..ed57b8d9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ config/environments/*
 !config/environments/config.rb.sample
 
 #ignore capistrano deployment
-config/deploy/*
 config/*.p12
 
 # Ignore generated test data
diff --git a/config/deploy.rb b/config/deploy.rb
index 23a982cd..6916caf5 100644
--- a/config/deploy.rb
+++ b/config/deploy.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
-# config valid only for Capistrano 3
-
-APP_PATH = '/srv/ontoportal'
-
-set :application, 'ontologies_api'
-set :repo_url, "https://github.com/ncbo/#{fetch(:application)}.git"
+set :author, "ontoportal-lirmm"
+set :application, "ontologies_api"
+set :repo_url, "https://github.com/#{fetch(:author)}/#{fetch(:application)}.git"
 
 set :deploy_via, :remote_cache
 
@@ -11,7 +8,7 @@
 # ask :branch, proc { `git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`.chomp }
 
 # Default deploy_to directory is /var/www/my_app
-set :deploy_to, "#{APP_PATH}/#{fetch(:application)}"
+set :deploy_to, "/srv/ontoportal/#{fetch(:application)}"
 
 # Default value for :scm is :git
 # set :scm, :git
@@ -20,7 +17,7 @@
 # set :format, :pretty
 
 # Default value for :log_level is :debug
-# set :log_level, :debug
+set :log_level, :error
 
 # Default value for :pty is false
 # set :pty, true
@@ -32,21 +29,40 @@
 # set :linked_dirs, %w{log tmp/pids tmp/cache tmp/sockets vendor/bundle public/system}
 set :linked_dirs, %w{log vendor/bundle tmp/pids tmp/sockets public/system}
 
-# rbenv
-# set :rbenv_type, :system #or :user
-# set :rbenv_ruby, '2.2.5'
-# set :rbenv_roles, :all # default value
-
-# do not use sudo
-set :use_sudo, false
-# required for restarting unicorn with sudo
-set :pty, true
 # Default value for default_env is {}
-set :default_env, {
-}
+# set :default_env, { path: "/opt/ruby/bin:$PATH" }
 
 # Default value for keep_releases is 5
 set :keep_releases, 5
+set :config_folder_path, "#{fetch(:application)}/#{fetch(:stage)}"
+
+# If you want to restart using `touch tmp/restart.txt`, add this to your config/deploy.rb:
+
+SSH_JUMPHOST = ENV.include?('SSH_JUMPHOST') ? ENV['SSH_JUMPHOST'] : 'jumpbox.hostname.com'
+SSH_JUMPHOST_USER = ENV.include?('SSH_JUMPHOST_USER') ? ENV['SSH_JUMPHOST_USER'] : 'username'
+
+JUMPBOX_PROXY = "#{SSH_JUMPHOST_USER}@#{SSH_JUMPHOST}"
+set :ssh_options, {
+  user: 'ontoportal',
+  forward_agent: 'true',
+  keys: %w(config/deploy_id_rsa),
+  auth_methods: %w(publickey),
+  # use ssh proxy if API servers are on a private network
+  proxy: Net::SSH::Proxy::Command.new("ssh #{JUMPBOX_PROXY} -W %h:%p")
+}
+
+# private git repo for configuraiton
+PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO = ENV.include?('PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO') ? ENV['PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO'] : 'https://your_github_pat_token@github.com/your_organization/ontoportal-configs.git'
+desc "Check if agent forwarding is working"
+task :forwarding do
+  on roles(:all) do |h|
+    if test("env | grep SSH_AUTH_SOCK")
+      info "Agent forwarding is up to #{h}"
+    else
+      error "Agent forwarding is NOT up to #{h}"
+    end
+  end
+end
 
 # inspired by http://nathaniel.talbott.ws/blog/2013/03/14/post-deploy-smoke-tests/
 desc 'Run smoke test'
@@ -74,7 +90,6 @@
   end
 end
 
-
 namespace :deploy do
 
   desc 'Incorporate the private repository content'
@@ -82,10 +97,10 @@
   # or get config from local directory if LOCAL_CONFIG_PATH env var is set
   task :get_config do
     if defined?(PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO)
-      TMP_CONFIG_PATH = "/tmp/#{SecureRandom.hex(15)}"
+      TMP_CONFIG_PATH = "/tmp/#{SecureRandom.hex(15)}".freeze
       on roles(:app) do
         execute "git clone -q #{PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO} #{TMP_CONFIG_PATH}"
-        execute "rsync -av #{TMP_CONFIG_PATH}/#{fetch(:application)}/ #{release_path}/"
+        execute "rsync -av #{TMP_CONFIG_PATH}/#{fetch(:config_folder_path)}/ #{release_path}/"
         execute "rm -rf #{TMP_CONFIG_PATH}"
       end
     elsif defined?(LOCAL_CONFIG_PATH)
@@ -98,16 +113,15 @@
   desc 'Restart application'
   task :restart do
     on roles(:app), in: :sequence, wait: 5 do
-    # Your restart mechanism here, for example:
-    # execute :touch, release_path.join('tmp/restart.txt')
-    execute 'sudo systemctl restart unicorn'
-    execute 'sleep 5'
+      # Your restart mechanism here, for example:
+      # execute :touch, release_path.join('tmp/restart.txt')
+      execute 'sudo systemctl restart unicorn'
+      execute 'sleep 5'
     end
   end
 
-  after :publishing, :get_config
-  after :get_config, :restart
-  # after :deploy, :smoke_test
+  after :updating, :get_config
+  after :publishing, :restart
 
   after :restart, :clear_cache do
     on roles(:web), in: :groups, limit: 3, wait: 10 do
diff --git a/config/deploy/agroportal.rb b/config/deploy/agroportal.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c01f3fb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/deploy/agroportal.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Simple Role Syntax
+# ==================
+# Supports bulk-adding hosts to roles, the primary
+# server in each group is considered to be the first
+# unless any hosts have the primary property set.
+# Don't declare `role :all`, it's a meta role
+role :app, %w[agroportal.lirmm.fr]
+role :db, %w[agroportal.lirmm.fr] # sufficient to run db:migrate only on one system
+set :branch, ENV.include?('BRANCH') ? ENV['BRANCH'] : 'master'
+# Extended Server Syntax
+# ======================
+# This can be used to drop a more detailed server
+# definition into the server list. The second argument
+# something that quacks like a hash can be used to set
+# extended properties on the server.
+# server 'example.com', user: 'deploy', roles: %w{web app}, my_property: :my_value
+set :log_level, :error
diff --git a/config/deploy/appliance.rb b/config/deploy/appliance.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index fdfe0d70..00000000
--- a/config/deploy/appliance.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,49 +0,0 @@
-# Simple Role Syntax
-# ==================
-# Supports bulk-adding hosts to roles, the primary
-# server in each group is considered to be the first
-# unless any hosts have the primary property set.
-# Don't declare `role :all`, it's a meta role
-
-# Extended Server Syntax
-# ======================
-# This can be used to drop a more detailed server
-# definition into the server list. The second argument
-# something that quacks like a hash can be used to set
-# extended properties on the server.
-server 'localhost', roles: %w{app}
-
-# you can set custom ssh options
-# it's possible to pass any option but you need to keep in mind that net/ssh understand limited list of options
-# you can see them in [net/ssh documentation](http://net-ssh.github.io/net-ssh/classes/Net/SSH.html#method-c-start)
-# set it globally
-#  set :ssh_options, {
-#    keys: %w(/home/rlisowski/.ssh/id_rsa),
-#    forward_agent: false,
-#    auth_methods: %w(password)
-#  }
-# and/or per server
-# server 'example.com',
-#   user: 'user_name',
-#   roles: %w{web app},
-#   ssh_options: {
-#     user: 'user_name', # overrides user setting above
-#     keys: %w(/home/user_name/.ssh/id_rsa),
-#     forward_agent: false,
-#     auth_methods: %w(publickey password)
-#     # password: 'please use keys'
-#   }
-# setting per server overrides global ssh_options
-
-BRANCH = ENV.include?('BRANCH') ? ENV['BRANCH'] : 'master'
-set :branch, "#{BRANCH}"
-set :deploy_to, "/srv/ontoportal/#{fetch(:application)}"
-# install gems into a common direcotry shared across ui, api and ncbo_cron to reduce disk usage
-set :bundle_path, '/srv/ontoportal/.bundle'
-remove :linked_dirs, 'vendor/bundle'
-
-# private git repo for configuraiton
-# PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO = ENV.include?('PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO') ? ENV['PRIVATE_CONFIG_REPO'] : 'git@github.com:your_org/private-config-repo.git'
-
-# location of local configuration files
-LOCAL_CONFIG_PATH = ENV.include?('LOCAL_CONFIG_PATH') ? ENV['LOCAL_CONFIG_PATH'] : '/srv/ontoportal/virtual_appliance/appliance_config'
diff --git a/config/deploy/production.rb b/config/deploy/production.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index c84d24ea..00000000
--- a/config/deploy/production.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,39 +0,0 @@
-# Simple Role Syntax
-# ==================
-# Supports bulk-adding hosts to roles, the primary
-# server in each group is considered to be the first
-# unless any hosts have the primary property set.
-# Don't declare `role :all`, it's a meta role
-role :app, %w{deploy@example.com}
-role :web, %w{deploy@example.com}
-role :db,  %w{deploy@example.com}
-
-# Extended Server Syntax
-# ======================
-# This can be used to drop a more detailed server
-# definition into the server list. The second argument
-# something that quacks like a hash can be used to set
-# extended properties on the server.
-server 'example.com', user: 'deploy', roles: %w{web app}, my_property: :my_value
-
-# you can set custom ssh options
-# it's possible to pass any option but you need to keep in mind that net/ssh understand limited list of options
-# you can see them in [net/ssh documentation](http://net-ssh.github.io/net-ssh/classes/Net/SSH.html#method-c-start)
-# set it globally
-#  set :ssh_options, {
-#    keys: %w(/home/rlisowski/.ssh/id_rsa),
-#    forward_agent: false,
-#    auth_methods: %w(password)
-#  }
-# and/or per server
-# server 'example.com',
-#   user: 'user_name',
-#   roles: %w{web app},
-#   ssh_options: {
-#     user: 'user_name', # overrides user setting above
-#     keys: %w(/home/user_name/.ssh/id_rsa),
-#     forward_agent: false,
-#     auth_methods: %w(publickey password)
-#     # password: 'please use keys'
-#   }
-# setting per server overrides global ssh_options
diff --git a/config/deploy/staging.rb b/config/deploy/staging.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..47b158ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/deploy/staging.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Simple Role Syntax
+# ==================
+# Supports bulk-adding hosts to roles, the primary
+# server in each group is considered to be the first
+# unless any hosts have the primary property set.
+# Don't declare `role :all`, it's a meta role
+role :app, %w{stageportal.lirmm.fr}
+role :db, %w{stageportal.lirmm.fr} # sufficient to run db:migrate only on one system
+set :branch, ENV.include?('BRANCH') ? ENV['BRANCH'] : 'stage'
+# Extended Server Syntax
+# ======================
+# This can be used to drop a more detailed server
+# definition into the server list. The second argument
+# something that quacks like a hash can be used to set
+# extended properties on the server.
+#server 'example.com', user: 'deploy', roles: %w{web app}, my_property: :my_value
+set :log_level, :error
diff --git a/config/deploy/test.rb b/config/deploy/test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fcbe1efc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/deploy/test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Simple Role Syntax
+# ==================
+# Supports bulk-adding hosts to roles, the primary
+# server in each group is considered to be the first
+# unless any hosts have the primary property set.
+# Don't declare `role :all`, it's a meta role
+role :app, %w{testportal.lirmm.fr}
+role :db, %w{testportal.lirmm.fr} # sufficient to run db:migrate only on one system
+# Extended Server Syntax
+# ======================
+# This can be used to drop a more detailed server
+# definition into the server list. The second argument
+# something that quacks like a hash can be used to set
+# extended properties on the server.
+#server 'example.com', user: 'deploy', roles: %w{web app}, my_property: :my_value
+set :log_level, :error
+set :branch, ENV.include?('BRANCH') ? ENV['BRANCH'] : 'test'