# Unicast v/s Multicast for nodes in a v-net

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** docker\
**Created:** [November 21, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784 "2018-11-21T22:33:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mosiddi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mosiddi/32/577_2.png) [@mosiddi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mosiddi)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784/1 "2018-11-21T22:33:53Z")

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For Elasticsearch nodes inside a virtual network and static IP addresses, can we use multi-cast instead of unicast? Also, is it ok if we let ES decide the names of nodes instead of us hardcoding in the config.

Context is we are trying to see what all ES Config we can leave untouched when we create the nodes and install ES.

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**Author:** ![Magnus\_Kessler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnus_kessler/32/42001_2.png) [@Magnus\_Kessler](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Magnus_Kessler)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 11:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784/2 "2018-11-22T11:03:40Z")

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Elasticsearch can load the list of unicast hosts used in the zen discovery from file. See the [documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/modules-discovery-zen.html#file-based-hosts-provider) for more details.

The node name is only used for display purposes and can be left out of the configuration. Elasticsearch internally uses a randomly generated name to address nodes.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mosiddi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/mosiddi/32/577_2.png) [@mosiddi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mosiddi)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784/3 "2018-11-22T17:18:21Z")

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Thank you so much! This is helpful information.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/unicast-v-s-multicast-for-nodes-in-a-v-net/157784/4 "2018-12-20T17:18:25Z")

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