# Master Node vs Data Node

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [July 19, 2024, 7:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403 "2024-07-19T07:58:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elk.admin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@elk.admin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/elk.admin)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 7:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403/1 "2024-07-19T07:58:26Z")

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I have designed a 6 node elasticsearch cluster with 3 Master Nodes and 3 Data nodes. I am trying to turn on the monitoring using Metricbeat . And metricbeat asks for the url of the monitoring Cluster. What should be the url given - is it either the master nodes url or data nodes url .

And also for indexing purposes of data from various applications, the data nodes url should be used or the master nodes url should be used ?

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**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:** [July 19, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403/2 "2024-07-19T13:31:08Z")

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> [@elk.admin](#):
>
> What should be the url given - is it either the master nodes url or data nodes url .

Data nodes.

> [@elk.admin](#):
>
> And also for indexing purposes of data from various applications,

Data nodes.

That said, if you only have 3 data nodes you probably don't need 3 separate master nodes. Why not just have 3 do-everything nodes? It'd be much simpler.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![elk.admin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@elk.admin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/elk.admin)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2024, 6:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403/3 "2024-07-22T06:44:37Z")

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Hi @DavidTurner ,

Thanks for your reply.  
Since it is a production instance, we decided to go with 3 Master Nodes to avoid split brain and 3 Master nodes to handle the indexing and querying .

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [July 22, 2024, 6:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/master-node-vs-data-node/363403/4 "2024-07-22T06:58:49Z")

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> [@elk.admin](#):
>
> we decided to go with 3 Master Nodes to avoid split brain

There is no risk of split brain in Elasticsearch clusters of any size.

> [@elk.admin](#):
>
> 3 Master nodes to handle the indexing and querying .

You mean _data_ nodes right?

In any case that doesn't answer the question: Why not just have 3 do-everything nodes? It'd be much simpler.