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Labs

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

Google Cloud Platform icon
Lab platform
Lab Info
Level
Intermediate
Last updated
Sep 21, 2025
Duration
2h 0m

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Table of Contents
  1. 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
    
  2. Challenge

    Configure each node's elasticsearch.yml per instructions.

    Log in to each node and become the root user:

    sudo su -
    

    Open the elasticsearch.yml file:

    vim /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml
    

    Change the following line:

    #cluster.name: my-application
    

    to

    cluster.name: cluster-1
    

    Change the following line on master-1:

    #node.name: node-1
    

    to

    node.name: master-1
    

    Change the following line on data-1:

    #node.name: node-1
    

    to

    node.name: data-1
    

    Change the following line on data-2:

    #node.name: node-1
    

    to

    node.name: data-2
    

    Change the following line on data-1:

    #node.attr.rack: r1
    

    to

    node.attr.temp: hot
    

    Change the following line on data-2:

    #node.attr.rack: r1
    

    to

    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
    

    to

    network.host: [_local_, _site_]
    

    Change the following on each node:

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

    to

    discovery.seed_hosts: ["10.0.1.101"]
    

    Change the following on each node:

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

    to

    cluster.initial_master_nodes: ["master-1"]
    
  3. 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
    
  4. 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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