# What would the be ideal hardware configuration for Master only Node **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [December 23, 2015, 7:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824 "2015-12-23T07:08:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SKumarMN](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/skumarmn/32/27537_2.png) [@SKumarMN](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/SKumarMN)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 7:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/1 "2015-12-23T07:08:43Z")
What would the be ideal hardware configuration for Master only Node assuming our cluster is made of 3 data nodes with data size of maximum 750 GB in each data node. Also does 3 data node cluster with each data node on separate machine does it require master node only on each machine Will having 3 master-node cluster better than 3 master only and 3 data only nodes cluster ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/2 "2015-12-23T22:10:59Z")
It depends, but you should be ok with 4GB of system memory and 3GB of that for the master heap. > [@SKumarMN](#): > > Also does 3 data node cluster with each data node on separate machine does it require master node only on each machine No, there's not really much point in that. > [@SKumarMN](#): > > Will having 3 master-node cluster better than 3 master only and 3 data only nodes cluster Depends, but for a 3 node cluster it may be a bit of a resource waste to have dedicated masters. If you plan on adding many mode nodes in soon though, it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![SKumarMN](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/skumarmn/32/27537_2.png) [@SKumarMN](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/SKumarMN)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/3 "2015-12-24T03:44:11Z")
> [@warkolm](#): > > 4GB of system memory and 3GB of that for the master heap. Thanks for the reply. How is the RAM size recommendation calculated for Master Node? I mean 3gb of heap?. Irrespective of data size in data node say my data node holds 50gb memory, does the master node still require 3gb of memory ? Can a master node run on 128 MB RAM ? ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/4 "2015-12-24T03:45:17Z")
> [@SKumarMN](#): > > Thanks for the reply. How is the RAM size recommendation calculated for Master Node? I mean 3gb of heap?. That's just a size I wouldn't go below, so; > [@SKumarMN](#): > > Can a master node run on 128 MB RAM ? Maybe, but I wouldn't. > [@SKumarMN](#): > > Irrespective of data size in data node say my data node holds 50gb memory, does the master node still require 3gb of memory ? Depends on your mapping sizes, how many shards and a bunch of other things. ---
**Author:** ![SKumarMN](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/skumarmn/32/27537_2.png) [@SKumarMN](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/SKumarMN)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 3:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/5 "2015-12-24T03:58:40Z")
Thanks. So I based on our conversation, can I say in a 3 node only cluster, it would be better design to have 3 master-data nodes than any other design ? ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/6 "2015-12-24T05:40:44Z")
I think so, but only you can test and know! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-would-the-be-ideal-hardware-configuration-for-master-only-node/37824/7 "2017-07-05T23:28:57Z")