Elasticsearch Quickstart

This guide provides a comprehensive walkabout for deploying and managing Elasticsearch ReplicaSet Clusters using the KubeBlocks Elasticsearch Add-on, covering:

System prerequisites and add-on installation
Cluster creation and configuration
Operational management including start/stop procedures
Connection methods and cluster monitoring

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Before proceeding, verify your environment meets these requirements:

A functional Kubernetes cluster (v1.21+ recommended)
kubectl v1.21+ installed and configured with cluster access
Helm installed (installation guide)
KubeBlocks installed (installation guide)

Verify Elasticsearch Add-on

The Elasticsearch Add-on is included with KubeBlocks by default. Check its status:

helm list -n kb-system | grep elasticsearch

Example Output:

NAME                       NAMESPACE   REVISION    UPDATED                     STATUS      CHART
kb-addon-elasticsearch     kb-system   1           2025-05-21                  deployed    elasticsearch-1.0.0

If the add-on isn't enabled, choose an installation method:

# Add Helm repo
helm repo add kubeblocks-addons https://apecloud.github.io/helm-charts
# For users in Mainland China, if GitHub is inaccessible or slow, use this alternative repo:
#helm repo add kubeblocks-addons https://jihulab.com/api/v4/projects/150246/packages/helm/stable

# Update helm repo
helm repo update
# Search available Add-on versions
helm search repo kubeblocks/elasticsearch --versions
# Install your desired version (replace <VERSION> with your chosen version)
helm upgrade -i kb-addon-elasticsearch kubeblocks-addons/elasticsearch --version <VERSION> -n kb-system

# Add an index (kubeblocks is added by default)
kbcli addon index add kubeblocks https://github.com/apecloud/block-index.git
# Update the index
kbcli addon index update kubeblocks
# Update all indexes
kbcli addon index update --all

To search and install an addon:

# Search Add-on
kbcli addon search elasticsearch
# Install Add-on with your desired version (replace <VERSION> with your chosen version)
kbcli addon install elasticsearch --version <VERSION>

Example Output:

ADDON   VERSION         INDEX
elasticsearch   0.9.0           kubeblocks
elasticsearch   0.9.1           kubeblocks
elasticsearch   1.0.0           kubeblocks

To enable or disable an addon:

# Enable Add-on
kbcli addon enable elasticsearch
# Disable Add-on
kbcli addon disable elasticsearch

NOTE

Version Compatibility

Always verify that the Elasticsearch Add-on version matches your KubeBlocks major version to avoid compatibility issues.

Deploy a Elasticsearch Cluster

For development and testing purposes, you can deploy a single-node cluster where one node handles all roles.

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apecloud/kubeblocks-addons/refs/heads/main/examples/elasticsearch/cluster-single-node.yaml

This creates:

A Elasticsearch Cluster with 1 component, where one replica handles all roles.
Default resource allocations (1 CPU, 2Gi memory)
20Gi persistent storage

apiVersion: apps.kubeblocks.io/v1
kind: Cluster
metadata:
  name: es-singlenode
  namespace: demo
spec:
  terminationPolicy: Delete
  componentSpecs:
    - name: mdit
      componentDef: elasticsearch-8
      serviceVersion: 8.8.2
      replicas: 1
      configs:
        - name: es-cm
          variables:
            mode: "single-node"
      resources:
        limits:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
      volumeClaimTemplates:
        - name: data
          spec:
            accessModes:
              - ReadWriteOnce
            resources:
              requests:
                storage: 20Gi

For more API fields and descriptions, refer to the API Reference.

Verify Cluster Status

When deploying a Elasticsearch Cluster with 1 replicas:

Confirm successful deployment by checking:

Cluster phase is Running
All pods are operational

Check status using either method:

kubectl get cluster es-singlenode -n demo -w
NAME            CLUSTER-DEFINITION   TERMINATION-POLICY   STATUS    AGE
es-singlenode                        Delete               Running   49s

kubectl get pods -l app.kubernetes.io/instance=es-singlenode -n demo
NAME                   READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
es-singlenode-mdit-0   3/3     Running   0          58s

With kbcli installed, you can view comprehensive cluster information:

kbcli cluster describe es-singlenode -n demo

Name: es-singlenode      Created Time: May 19,2025 20:34 UTC+0800
NAMESPACE   CLUSTER-DEFINITION   TOPOLOGY   STATUS    TERMINATION-POLICY
demo                                        Running   Delete

Endpoints:
COMPONENT   INTERNAL                                              EXTERNAL
mdit        es-singlenode-mdit-http.demo.svc.cluster.local:9200   <none>

Topology:
COMPONENT   SERVICE-VERSION   INSTANCE               ROLE     STATUS    AZ       NODE                             CREATED-TIME
mdit        8.8.2             es-singlenode-mdit-0   <none>   Running   <none>   kbv10-control-plane/172.19.0.2   May 19,2025 20:34 UTC+0800

Resources Allocation:
COMPONENT   INSTANCE-TEMPLATE   CPU(REQUEST/LIMIT)   MEMORY(REQUEST/LIMIT)   STORAGE-SIZE   STORAGE-CLASS
mdit                            1 / 1                2Gi / 2Gi               data:20Gi      standard

Images:
COMPONENT   COMPONENT-DEFINITION            IMAGE
mdit        elasticsearch-8-1.0.0           docker.io/library/elasticsearch:8.8.2
                                            docker.io/prometheuscommunity/elasticsearch-exporter:v1.7.0
                                            docker.io/apecloud/curl-jq:0.1.0

Data Protection:
BACKUP-REPO   AUTO-BACKUP   BACKUP-SCHEDULE   BACKUP-METHOD   BACKUP-RETENTION   RECOVERABLE-TIME

Show cluster events: kbcli cluster list-events -n demo es-singlenode

Stop the Elasticsearch Cluster

Stopping a cluster temporarily suspends operations while preserving all data and configuration:

Key Effects:

Compute resources (Pods) are released
Persistent storage (PVCs) remains intact
Service definitions are maintained
Cluster configuration is preserved
Operational costs are reduced

apiVersion: operations.kubeblocks.io/v1alpha1
kind: OpsRequest
metadata:
  name: elasticsearch-stop
  namespace: demo
spec:
  clusterName: es-singlenode
  type: Stop

Alternatively, stop by setting spec.componentSpecs.stop to true:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -n demo --type='json' -p='[
{
  "op": "add",
  "path": "/spec/componentSpecs/0/stop",
  "value": true
}

Start the Elasticsearch Cluster

Restarting a stopped cluster resumes operations with all data and configuration intact.

Key Effects:

Compute resources (Pods) are recreated
Services become available again
Cluster returns to previous state

apiVersion: operations.kubeblocks.io/v1alpha1
kind: OpsRequest
metadata:
  name: elasticsearch-start
  namespace: demo
spec:
  clusterName: es-singlenode
  type: Start

Restart by setting spec.componentSpecs.stop to false:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -n demo --type='json' -p='[
{
  "op": "remove",
  "path": "/spec/componentSpecs/0/stop"
}

Delete Elasticsearch Cluster

Choose carefully based on your data retention needs:

Policy	Resources Removed	Data Removed	Recommended For
DoNotTerminate	None	None	Critical production clusters
Delete	All resources	PVCs deleted	Non-critical environments
WipeOut	All resources	Everything*	Test environments only

*Includes snapshots and backups in external storage

Pre-Deletion Checklist:

Verify no applications are using the cluster
Ensure required backups exist
Confirm proper terminationPolicy is set
Check for dependent resources

For test environments, use this complete cleanup:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -p '{"spec":{"terminationPolicy":"WipeOut"}}' --type="merge" -n demo
kubectl delete cluster es-singlenode -n demo

Elasticsearch Quickstart

This guide provides a comprehensive walkabout for deploying and managing Elasticsearch ReplicaSet Clusters using the KubeBlocks Elasticsearch Add-on, covering:

System prerequisites and add-on installation
Cluster creation and configuration
Operational management including start/stop procedures
Connection methods and cluster monitoring

Prerequisites

System Requirements

Before proceeding, verify your environment meets these requirements:

A functional Kubernetes cluster (v1.21+ recommended)
kubectl v1.21+ installed and configured with cluster access
Helm installed (installation guide)
KubeBlocks installed (installation guide)

Verify Elasticsearch Add-on

The Elasticsearch Add-on is included with KubeBlocks by default. Check its status:

helm list -n kb-system | grep elasticsearch

Example Output:

NAME                       NAMESPACE   REVISION    UPDATED                     STATUS      CHART
kb-addon-elasticsearch     kb-system   1           2025-05-21                  deployed    elasticsearch-1.0.0

If the add-on isn't enabled, choose an installation method:

# Add Helm repo
helm repo add kubeblocks-addons https://apecloud.github.io/helm-charts
# For users in Mainland China, if GitHub is inaccessible or slow, use this alternative repo:
#helm repo add kubeblocks-addons https://jihulab.com/api/v4/projects/150246/packages/helm/stable

# Update helm repo
helm repo update
# Search available Add-on versions
helm search repo kubeblocks/elasticsearch --versions
# Install your desired version (replace <VERSION> with your chosen version)
helm upgrade -i kb-addon-elasticsearch kubeblocks-addons/elasticsearch --version <VERSION> -n kb-system

# Add an index (kubeblocks is added by default)
kbcli addon index add kubeblocks https://github.com/apecloud/block-index.git
# Update the index
kbcli addon index update kubeblocks
# Update all indexes
kbcli addon index update --all

To search and install an addon:

# Search Add-on
kbcli addon search elasticsearch
# Install Add-on with your desired version (replace <VERSION> with your chosen version)
kbcli addon install elasticsearch --version <VERSION>

Example Output:

ADDON   VERSION         INDEX
elasticsearch   0.9.0           kubeblocks
elasticsearch   0.9.1           kubeblocks
elasticsearch   1.0.0           kubeblocks

To enable or disable an addon:

# Enable Add-on
kbcli addon enable elasticsearch
# Disable Add-on
kbcli addon disable elasticsearch

NOTE

Version Compatibility

Always verify that the Elasticsearch Add-on version matches your KubeBlocks major version to avoid compatibility issues.

Deploy a Elasticsearch Cluster

For development and testing purposes, you can deploy a single-node cluster where one node handles all roles.

kubectl apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apecloud/kubeblocks-addons/refs/heads/main/examples/elasticsearch/cluster-single-node.yaml

This creates:

A Elasticsearch Cluster with 1 component, where one replica handles all roles.
Default resource allocations (1 CPU, 2Gi memory)
20Gi persistent storage

apiVersion: apps.kubeblocks.io/v1
kind: Cluster
metadata:
  name: es-singlenode
  namespace: demo
spec:
  terminationPolicy: Delete
  componentSpecs:
    - name: mdit
      componentDef: elasticsearch-8
      serviceVersion: 8.8.2
      replicas: 1
      configs:
        - name: es-cm
          variables:
            mode: "single-node"
      resources:
        limits:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
        requests:
          cpu: "1"
          memory: "2Gi"
      volumeClaimTemplates:
        - name: data
          spec:
            accessModes:
              - ReadWriteOnce
            resources:
              requests:
                storage: 20Gi

For more API fields and descriptions, refer to the API Reference.

Verify Cluster Status

When deploying a Elasticsearch Cluster with 1 replicas:

Confirm successful deployment by checking:

Cluster phase is Running
All pods are operational

Check status using either method:

kubectl get cluster es-singlenode -n demo -w
NAME            CLUSTER-DEFINITION   TERMINATION-POLICY   STATUS    AGE
es-singlenode                        Delete               Running   49s

kubectl get pods -l app.kubernetes.io/instance=es-singlenode -n demo
NAME                   READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
es-singlenode-mdit-0   3/3     Running   0          58s

With kbcli installed, you can view comprehensive cluster information:

kbcli cluster describe es-singlenode -n demo

Name: es-singlenode      Created Time: May 19,2025 20:34 UTC+0800
NAMESPACE   CLUSTER-DEFINITION   TOPOLOGY   STATUS    TERMINATION-POLICY
demo                                        Running   Delete

Endpoints:
COMPONENT   INTERNAL                                              EXTERNAL
mdit        es-singlenode-mdit-http.demo.svc.cluster.local:9200   <none>

Topology:
COMPONENT   SERVICE-VERSION   INSTANCE               ROLE     STATUS    AZ       NODE                             CREATED-TIME
mdit        8.8.2             es-singlenode-mdit-0   <none>   Running   <none>   kbv10-control-plane/172.19.0.2   May 19,2025 20:34 UTC+0800

Resources Allocation:
COMPONENT   INSTANCE-TEMPLATE   CPU(REQUEST/LIMIT)   MEMORY(REQUEST/LIMIT)   STORAGE-SIZE   STORAGE-CLASS
mdit                            1 / 1                2Gi / 2Gi               data:20Gi      standard

Images:
COMPONENT   COMPONENT-DEFINITION            IMAGE
mdit        elasticsearch-8-1.0.0           docker.io/library/elasticsearch:8.8.2
                                            docker.io/prometheuscommunity/elasticsearch-exporter:v1.7.0
                                            docker.io/apecloud/curl-jq:0.1.0

Data Protection:
BACKUP-REPO   AUTO-BACKUP   BACKUP-SCHEDULE   BACKUP-METHOD   BACKUP-RETENTION   RECOVERABLE-TIME

Show cluster events: kbcli cluster list-events -n demo es-singlenode

Stop the Elasticsearch Cluster

Stopping a cluster temporarily suspends operations while preserving all data and configuration:

Key Effects:

Compute resources (Pods) are released
Persistent storage (PVCs) remains intact
Service definitions are maintained
Cluster configuration is preserved
Operational costs are reduced

apiVersion: operations.kubeblocks.io/v1alpha1
kind: OpsRequest
metadata:
  name: elasticsearch-stop
  namespace: demo
spec:
  clusterName: es-singlenode
  type: Stop

Alternatively, stop by setting spec.componentSpecs.stop to true:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -n demo --type='json' -p='[
{
  "op": "add",
  "path": "/spec/componentSpecs/0/stop",
  "value": true
}

Start the Elasticsearch Cluster

Restarting a stopped cluster resumes operations with all data and configuration intact.

Key Effects:

Compute resources (Pods) are recreated
Services become available again
Cluster returns to previous state

apiVersion: operations.kubeblocks.io/v1alpha1
kind: OpsRequest
metadata:
  name: elasticsearch-start
  namespace: demo
spec:
  clusterName: es-singlenode
  type: Start

Restart by setting spec.componentSpecs.stop to false:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -n demo --type='json' -p='[
{
  "op": "remove",
  "path": "/spec/componentSpecs/0/stop"
}

Delete Elasticsearch Cluster

Choose carefully based on your data retention needs:

Policy	Resources Removed	Data Removed	Recommended For
DoNotTerminate	None	None	Critical production clusters
Delete	All resources	PVCs deleted	Non-critical environments
WipeOut	All resources	Everything*	Test environments only

*Includes snapshots and backups in external storage

Pre-Deletion Checklist:

Verify no applications are using the cluster
Ensure required backups exist
Confirm proper terminationPolicy is set
Check for dependent resources

For test environments, use this complete cleanup:

kubectl patch cluster es-singlenode -p '{"spec":{"terminationPolicy":"WipeOut"}}' --type="merge" -n demo
kubectl delete cluster es-singlenode -n demo