# Node local vs cluster wide configuration

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/node-local-vs-cluster-wide-configuration/8699>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [August 10, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/node-local-vs-cluster-wide-configuration/8699 "2012-08-10T06:09:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mauri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Mauri](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mauri)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/node-local-vs-cluster-wide-configuration/8699/1 "2012-08-10T06:09:47Z")

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I would like some clarification on ElasticSearch configuration

I understand that ElasticSearch nodes read configuration information from  
their local elasticsearch.yaml file and then use that configuration  
information to initialise themselves and join a cluster. It is therefore  
possible for nodes to be configured differently and still belong to the  
same cluster.

Once a cluster is established are there any global settings, ie. non-index  
specific settings, that are persisted in the cluster and used by all  
cluster nodes in preference to conflicting values from the node  
elasticsearch.yaml files?

I understand that when an index is created it inherits index level settings  
from the cluster node on which it is created, either the default values or  
those defined in the elasticsearch.yaml file on that node.

After an index is created are its settings then persisted in the cluster  
and completely independent of the index level settings on any cluster nodes  
that hosts its shards/replicas?

In particular some specific examples

1. If an index is created on a node with gateway set to local will it  
also use a local gateway on a node configured for FS gateway or is the node  
gateway configuration used?
2. If an index is created on a node with index.compound\_format=true  
(lucene compound file format) will its shards and replicas also use  
compound format on nodes with the default index.compound\_format=false?

Is it possible to configure all ElasticSearch cluster nodes to load a  
common config file from a shared file system directory or a URL location  
via http?

Regards  
Mauri

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/node-local-vs-cluster-wide-configuration/8699/2 "2017-07-06T03:16:52Z")

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