# Configuration for cluster.initial\_master\_nodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [April 25, 2020, 11:13am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754 "2020-04-25T11:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dev\_Chakraborty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev_chakraborty/32/45546_2.png) [@Dev\_Chakraborty](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Dev_Chakraborty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:13am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/1 "2020-04-25T11:13:26Z")
Hello Folks, I have three nodes, 2 dedicated for Elasticsearch and one is ES+Kibana. Below is my elasticsearch.yml file,can you suggest on cluster.initial\_master\_nodes, how it should be mentioned if I want only two nodes of that cluster to be master, is my below config is correct? ES version is 7.6.2. ```auto # ======================== Elasticsearch Configuration ========================= # # NOTE: Elasticsearch comes with reasonable defaults for most settings. # Before you set out to tweak and tune the configuration, make sure you # understand what are you trying to accomplish and the consequences. # # The primary way of configuring a node is via this file. This template lists # the most important settings you may want to configure for a production cluster. # # Please consult the documentation for further information on configuration options: # https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/index.html # # ---------------------------------- Cluster ----------------------------------- # # Use a descriptive name for your cluster: # cluster.name: clustername # # ------------------------------------ Node ------------------------------------ # # Use a descriptive name for the node: # node.name: ip-MachineIP.region.compute.internal # # Add custom attributes to the node: # #node.attr.rack: r1 # # ----------------------------------- Paths ------------------------------------ # # Path to directory where to store the data (separate multiple locations by comma): # path.data: /var/lib/elasticsearch # #Path to log files: path.logs: /var/log/elasticsearch # # ----------------------------------- Memory ----------------------------------- # # Lock the memory on startup: # #bootstrap.memory_lock: true # # Make sure that the heap size is set to about half the memory available # on the system and that the owner of the process is allowed to use this limit. # #Elasticsearch performs poorly when the system is swapping the memory. # # ---------------------------------- Network ----------------------------------- # # Set the bind address to a specific IP (IPv4 or IPv6): # network.host: XXX.XX.X.XX # # Set a custom port for HTTP: # #http.port: 9200 # # For more information, consult the network module documentation. # # --------------------------------- Discovery ---------------------------------- # # Pass an initial list of hosts to perform discovery when this node is started: # The default list of hosts is ["127.0.0.1", "[::1]"] # discovery.seed_hosts: ["XXX.XX.X.XX", "XXX.XX.X.XXX", " XXX.XX.X.XXX "] # # Bootstrap the cluster using an initial set of master-eligible nodes: # cluster.initial_master_nodes: ["ip-MachineIP. region.compute.internal ", " ip-MachineIP. region compute.internal"] # # For more information, consult the discovery and cluster formation module documentation. # # ---------------------------------- Gateway ----------------------------------- # # Block initial recovery after a full cluster restart until N nodes are started: # #gateway.recover_after_nodes: 3 # # For more information, consult the gateway module documentation. # # ---------------------------------- Various ----------------------------------- # # Require explicit names when deleting indices: # #action.destructive_requires_name: true ``` ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/2 "2020-04-25T11:16:41Z")
> [@Dev\_Chakraborty](#): > > I want only two nodes of that cluster to be master That is a bad idea. You should ALWAYS look to have at least 3 master eligible nodes in a cluster as that will allow you to lose one node. With only 2 master eligible nodes both need to be available for a fully functioning cluster. Also please format your config as it is hard to read. ---
**Author:** ![Dev\_Chakraborty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev_chakraborty/32/45546_2.png) [@Dev\_Chakraborty](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Dev_Chakraborty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:27am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/3 "2020-04-25T11:27:54Z")
Hello, @Christian_Dahlqvist, Can you read the file now? ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/4 "2020-04-25T11:29:58Z")
It looks mostly fine although you seem to have spaces within the host name, node name and IP strings. ---
**Author:** ![Dev\_Chakraborty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev_chakraborty/32/45546_2.png) [@Dev\_Chakraborty](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Dev_Chakraborty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:38am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/5 "2020-04-25T11:38:20Z")
@Christian_Dahlqvist, YML file is fine , have validated already, could be issue while pasting here, for this parameter 'cluster.initial\_master\_nodes', all the nodes in cluster should be there something like below: cluster.initial\_master\_nodes: ["node-1 ", " node-2", "node-3"], when i try to do this and run command "curl -X GET "[http://XXX.XX.XX.XX:9200/\_cat/master?v&pretty](http://XXX.XX.XX.XX:9200/_cat/master?v&pretty)" to get master node, it always shows the first node something as below: ''' curl -X GET "http:// XXX.XX.X.XX :9200/\_cat/master?v&pretty" id host ip node id-name XXX.XX.XX.XX XXX.XX.X.XX ip- XXX.XX.X.XX .region.compute.internal ```auto ``` ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:39am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/6 "2020-04-25T11:39:41Z")
What do you get if you call `_cat/nodes` ? ---
**Author:** ![Dev\_Chakraborty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev_chakraborty/32/45546_2.png) [@Dev\_Chakraborty](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Dev_Chakraborty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/7 "2020-04-25T11:46:57Z")
@Christian_Dahlqvist, ```auto XXX.XX.XX.XXX 14 8 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 dilm - ip-XXX.XX.XX.XXX.region.compute.internal XXX.XX.XX.XXX 31 13 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 dilm - ip-XXX.XX.XX.XXX.region.compute.internal XXX.XX.XX.XXX 27 8 0 0.02 0.01 0.00 dilm * ip-XXX.XX.XX.XXX.region.compute.internal ``` As you can see last node shows as master. ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 11:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/8 "2020-04-25T11:48:00Z")
Yes. Any of the nodes can be elected master at any point so that looks good. ---
**Author:** ![Dev\_Chakraborty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev_chakraborty/32/45546_2.png) [@Dev\_Chakraborty](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Dev_Chakraborty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 12:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/9 "2020-04-25T12:00:32Z")
Thank you @Christian_Dahlqvist .I have tested that after shutdown two master nodes which i have defined here cluster.initial\_master\_nodes and then tried to run from third server curl -X GET "localhost:9200/\_cat/nodes?v&pretty, it did not give any o/p, which was expected. ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/10 "2020-04-25T12:45:07Z")
Yes, you always need a majority of master eligible nodes available for a fully functioning cluster. ---
**Author:** ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/11 "2020-04-25T15:22:32Z")
> [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](#): > > That is a bad idea. You should ALWAYS look to have at least 3 master eligible nodes in a cluster as that will allow you to lose one node. With only 2 master eligible nodes both need to be available for a fully functioning cluster. This is technically true @Christian_Dahlqvist, but you can set one of the 3 master-eligible nodes to be a [voting-only master-eligible node](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/modules-node.html#voting-only-node) which means it'll participate in elections but will never itself be elected as the master, ensuring that the elected master is always one of the other two nodes. > [@Dev\_Chakraborty](#): > > for this parameter 'cluster.initial\_master\_nodes', @Dev_Chakraborty you should remove this parameter from your configuration once the cluster has started up for the first time. Quoting [these docs](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/discovery-settings.html#initial_master_nodes): > You should not use this setting when restarting a cluster or adding a new node to an existing cluster. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configuration-for-cluster-initial-master-nodes/229754/13 "2020-05-23T17:06:03Z")
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