creating-a-cluster-user.md

Creating a Cluster User

Inter-node authentication takes place via HarperDB users. There is a special role type called cluster_user that exists by default and limits the user to only clustering functionality.

A cluster_user must be created and added to the harperdb-config.yaml file for clustering to be enabled.

All nodes that are intended to be clustered together need to share the same cluster_user credentials (i.e. username and password).

There are multiple ways a cluster_user can be created, they are:

1. Through the operations API by calling add_user

{
    "operation": "add_user",
    "role": "cluster_user",
    "username": "cluster_account",
    "password": "letsCluster123!",
    "active": true
}

When using the API to create a cluster user the harperdb-config.yaml file must be updated with the username of the new cluster user.

This can be done through the API by calling set_configuration or by editing the harperdb-config.yaml file.

{
    "operation": "set_configuration",
    "clustering_user": "cluster_account"
}

In the harperdb-config.yaml file under the top-level clustering element there will be a user element. Set this to the name of the cluster user.

clustering:
  user: cluster_account

Note: When making any changes to the harperdb-config.yaml file, HarperDB must be restarted for the changes to take effect.

2. Upon installation using command line variables. This will automatically set the user in the harperdb-config.yaml file.

Note: Using command line or environment variables for setting the cluster user only works on install.

harperdb install --CLUSTERING_USER cluster_account --CLUSTERING_PASSWORD letsCluster123!

3. Upon installation using environment variables. This will automatically set the user in the harperdb-config.yaml file.

CLUSTERING_USER=cluster_account CLUSTERING_PASSWORD=letsCluster123