Deploy a Multi-Node Elasticsearch Cluster

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Deploy a Multi-Node Elasticsearch Cluster

Before we can get hands-on with indexing, searching, and aggregating our data with Elasticsearch, we first need to know how to prepare a system and how to deploy and configure Elasticsearch. In this hands-on lab, you will deploy a 3-node Elasticsearch cluster with a specific set of configuration requirements. Specifically, you will: * Deploy Elasticsearch from an RPM * Specify Elasticsearch cluster and node names * Create custom attributes for Elasticsearch nodes * Assign Elasticsearch node roles * Configure the Elasticsearch Java virtual machine (JVM) heap * Bind Elasticsearch to specific network addresses * Configure Elasticsearch node discovery * Configure Elasticsearch cluster bootstrap * Start Elasticsearch * Inspect Elasticsearch cluster logs * `curl` the Elasticsearch node APIs to check status and configuration

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Sep 21, 2025

Duration

2h 0m

Challenge

Install Elasticsearch on each node.
Using the Secure Shell (SSH), log in to each node as cloud_user via the public IP address.

Become the root user with:
```
sudo su -
```
Import the Elastic GPG key:
```
rpm --import https://artifacts.elastic.co/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch
```
Download the Elasticsearch 7.6 RPM:
```
curl -O https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-7.6.0-x86_64.rpm
```
Install Elasticsearch:
```
rpm --install elasticsearch-7.6.0-x86_64.rpm
```
Configure Elasticsearch to start on system boot:
```
systemctl start elasticsearch.service
systemctl enable elasticsearch
```

Challenge

Configure each node's elasticsearch.yml per instructions.

sudo su -

Open the elasticsearch.yml file:

vim /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml

Change the following line:

#cluster.name: my-application

cluster.name: cluster-1

Change the following line on master-1:

#node.name: node-1

node.name: master-1

Change the following line on data-1:

#node.name: node-1

node.name: data-1

Change the following line on data-2:

#node.name: node-1

node.name: data-2

Change the following line on data-1:

#node.attr.rack: r1

node.attr.temp: hot

Change the following line on data-2:

#node.attr.rack: r1

node.attr.temp: warm

Add the following lines on master-1:

node.master: true
node.data: false
node.ingest: false
node.ml: false

Add the following lines on data-1:

node.master: false
node.data: true
node.ingest: true
node.ml: false

Add the following lines on data-2:

node.master: false
node.data: true
node.ingest: true
node.ml: false

Change the following on each node:

#network.host: 192.168.0.1

network.host: [_local_, _site_]

Change the following on each node:

#discovery.seed_hosts: ["host1", "host2"]

discovery.seed_hosts: ["10.0.1.101"]

Change the following on each node:

#cluster.initial_master_nodes: ["node-1", "node-2"]

cluster.initial_master_nodes: ["master-1"]

Challenge

Configure the heap for each node per instructions.
Log in to the master node and become the root user:
```
sudo su -
```
Open the jvm.options file:
```
vim /etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options
```
Change the following lines:
```
-Xms1g
-Xmx1g
```
to
```
-Xms768m
-Xmx768m
```
Log in to each data node and become the root user:
```
sudo su -
```
Open the jvm.options file:
```
vim /etc/elasticsearch/jvm.options
```
Change the following lines:
```
-Xms1g
-Xmx1g
```
to
```
-Xms2g
-Xmx2g
```
Challenge

Start Elasticsearch on each node.
Log in to each node and become the root user:
```
sudo su -
```
Start Elasticsearch:
```
systemctl start elasticsearch
```
Check the startup process:
```
less /var/log/elasticsearch/cluster-1.log
```
Check the node configuration:
```
curl localhost:9200/_cat/nodes?v
```

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