This is archived documentation for InfluxData product versions that are no longer maintained. For newer documentation, see the latest InfluxData documentation.
Please review the sections below before you begin working with InfluxEnterprise.
Which installation is right for me?
There are two ways to install InfluxEnterprise.
The first option is the QuickStart Installation process. We recommend the QuickStart Installation process for users looking to quickly get up and running with InfluxEnterprise and for users who are looking to evaluate the product. The QuickStart Installation process is not designed for use in a production environment.
The second option is the Production Installation process. We recommend the Production Installation process for users looking to deploy InfluxEnterprise in a production environment.
Note: If you install InfluxEnterprise with the QuickStart Installation process you will need to reinstall InfluxEnterprise with the Production Installation process before using the product in a production environment.
Requirements for InfluxEnterprise Clusters
Please review the Clustering Guide for an overview of the architecture and concepts in an InfluxEnterprise Cluster and the Hardware Sizing Guide for information on provisioning the correct servers.
For clusters using a license key and not a license file, all nodes must be able to contact portal.influxdata.com
via port 80 or port 443. Nodes that go more than four hours without connectivity to the Portal may experience license issues.
Frequently Overlooked Requirements
The following are the most frequently overlooked requirements when installing a cluster.
Ensure connectivity between machines
All nodes in the cluster must be able to resolve each other by hostname or IP, whichever is used in the configuration files.
For simplicity, ensure that all nodes can reach all other nodes on ports 8086, 8088, 8089, and 8091.
If you alter the default ports in the configuration file(s), ensure the configured ports are open between the nodes.
Synchronize time between hosts
InfluxEnterprise uses hosts’ local time in UTC to assign timestamps to data and for coordination purposes. Use the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to synchronize time between hosts.
Use SSDs
Clusters require sustained availability of 1000-2000 IOPS from the attached storage. SANs must guarantee at least 1000 IOPS is always available to InfluxEnterprise nodes or they may not be sufficient. SSDs are strongly recommended, and we have had no reports of IOPS contention from any customers running on SSDs.
Use three and only three Meta nodes
Although technically the cluster can function with any number of meta nodes, there are very few if any reasons to run with anything other than three meta nodes. One or two meta nodes offer very little redundancy. The loss of one meta node will render a single meta node cluster non-functional, and will prevent a two meta node cluster from functioning more than a few hours, at best.
In contrast, a three meta node cluster can tolerate the permanent loss of a single meta node with no degradation in any function or performance. A replacement meta node can be added to restore the cluster to full redundancy. A three meta node cluster that loses two meta nodes will still be able to handle basic writes and queries, but no new shards, databases, users, etc. can be created.
Running a cluster with five meta nodes does allow for the permanent loss of two meta nodes without impact on the cluster, but it doubles the Raft communication overhead.
Meta and Data nodes are fully independent
Meta nodes run the Raft consensus protocol together, and manage the metastore of all shared cluster information: cluster nodes, databases, retention policies, shard groups, users, continuous queries, and subscriptions.
Data nodes store the shard groups and respond to queries. They request metastore information from the meta group as needed.
There is no requirement at all for there to be a meta process on a data node, or for there to be a meta process per data node. Three meta nodes is enough for an arbitrary number of data nodes, and for best redundancy, all nodes should run on independent servers.
Install the Web Console last
The Enterprise Web Console should not be installed or configured until the InfluxEnterprise cluster is fully functional. Attempting to connect the Web Console before the cluster is installed and fully functional, successfully processing writes and queries, will lead to user permission and data retrieval issues.