Choosing a Cluster Name

Choosing the right cluster name is a critical step when setting up your Redis deployment. The cluster name is permanent once set, and it plays a key role in licensing, DNS configuration, and node accessibility. This article explains how to choose a cluster name that ensures smooth setup and long-term clarity.

Your Redis cluster name is more than just a label. It decides how your nodes are referenced, how your license is approved, and how easily your team can find and work with the cluster.                                      

Key Considerations

• Permanent and Immutable
  The cluster name is set during cluster creation and can't be changed later. Choose carefully.

• License-Linked
  The cluster name must exactly match the value in your Redis Software license file.
  If it doesn’t, license validation will fail, and you may not be able to activate the cluster or access all licensed features.

• Maximum Length: 64 Characters (Hard Limit)
  Redis license generation enforces a strict maximum of 64 characters for the cluster name.
  Cluster names exceeding this limit will fail license creation, even if they appear valid in DNS or system settings.

• Character Requirements
  Use only lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and periods.
  Avoid special characters or spaces, as they can cause issues with Redis clients or internal services.

• Clarity and Purpose
  Choose a name that's descriptive and easy to recognize, such as redis-prod.example.com or redis-staging.internal.

• Infrastructure Uniqueness
  Make sure the name is unique across your infrastructure to avoid DNS conflicts or misrouted traffic.

Example Setup

If you own the domain example.com, and you set your Redis cluster name to redis.example.com, your configuration would look like this:

• Cluster name: redis.example.com

• FQDNs of nodes: node1.redis.example.com, node2.redis.example.com, etc.

• Database endpoints:

  • redis-12345.redis.example.com:12345
    (The prefix and port will vary depending on your configuration.)

After Choosing Your Cluster Name

Once you’ve selected a name:

1. Contact your Redis Account Executive to request a license associated with the chosen name.

2. Use the cluster name when deploying and creating the first node in your Redis cluster.

Onboarding Progress

Previous: Installing Redis Software
Next: DNS Setup for Redis Cluster Access

Return to the Redis Software Onboarding Overview to view all steps.