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To create a Riak cluster on Ubuntu VPS servers, give every node a unique, resolvable name, bind Riak to a reachable non-loopback interface, start one correctly configured node, and add the others with riak-admin cluster join. A join is only staged until you inspect riak-admin cluster plan and run riak-admin cluster commit. Keep the Riak build and ring-size setting identical across all members, then verify membership and wait for transfers to finish.
The procedure below uses private VPS networking where possible and treats Ubuntu compatibility as a release-specific question. Riak documentation lists Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise), 14.04 (Trusty), and 16.04 (Xenial) in its historical supported-OS list. That list does not establish a package source or support for a current 2026 Ubuntu release, so verify the exact Riak build against the Ubuntu image you intend to deploy before using production data.
What you need before creating the cluster
A Riak cluster is a group of independently running Riak nodes that share ownership of a distributed ring. The nodes must be able to resolve one another’s names and establish TCP connections. A default Riak installation listens on loopback, so two VPS instances cannot form a cluster until the listeners are moved to a private address or another intentionally reachable interface.
Choose a supported, repeatable platform
Use the same Ubuntu release, Riak version, package or source build, Erlang compatibility level, and configuration style on every node. The historical Riak operating-system list names Ubuntu 12.04, 14.04, and 16.04; it does not confirm that an unlisted modern Ubuntu release has a compatible package. Record the exact Riak build and test it on a non-production VPS before provisioning the full cluster.
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Prepare at least two VPS nodes
- Create two or more Ubuntu VPS instances on a network with reliable private connectivity.
- Assign stable hostnames such as
riak1.example.comandriak2.example.com. Fully qualified domain names are preferable to changing IP addresses for Riak node identity. - Ensure forward name resolution works from every node. If your private DNS does not provide it, create equivalent static host entries consistently on all servers.
- Decide whether clients will use private addresses, public addresses, or a separate proxy. Cluster traffic should normally remain on a private network.
- Allow only the required intra-cluster and client paths in the VPS security group and the Ubuntu host firewall.
The common Riak examples use Protocol Buffers on TCP port 8087 and HTTP on TCP port 8098. Treat those as configuration examples, not immutable requirements: inspect your deployed riak.conf or older configuration files and open exactly the ports your listeners use.
Install the same Riak build on every VPS
Install one tested Riak build on every server. Binary packages normally provide /usr/sbin/riak and /usr/sbin/riak-admin; source installations provide equivalent scripts under the installation’s bin directory. Do not mix package and source layouts casually, because service paths and configuration locations can differ.
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Modern Riak installations use riak.conf. Older installations may use vm.args and app.config. Before editing, identify which files your build actually reads and keep a copy of the original configuration. Apply the same ring-size value everywhere. In the modern file this is ring_size; older releases call it ring_creation_size. Nodes with different initial ring sizes cannot participate in the same cluster.
Give every node a unique name
Set a distinct node name on each VPS. In modern configuration:
nodename = riak@riak1.example.comOn a second server, use its own FQDN:
nodename = riak@riak2.example.comOlder configurations express the same setting in vm.args:
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-name riak@riak1.example.comNever copy the first server’s node name unchanged. Riak uses the name after @ to identify a member; duplicate names cause ambiguous membership and failed joins. Resolve each name from every VPS before starting Riak.
Keep ring settings and cluster options aligned
Copy the intended ring-size value to every prospective member before any node joins. Also keep cookie, TLS or authentication settings, listener definitions, and other cluster-critical options compatible. A join cannot repair a mismatched ring definition; correct the configuration and restart the affected node first.
Bind Riak to a reachable interface
Riak’s documented default listeners bind to 127.0.0.1. That address accepts connections only from the local VPS, which makes a node appear healthy locally while remaining invisible to its peers. Change the HTTP and Protocol Buffers listeners to the node’s private address or to a deliberately scoped wildcard.
A private-address example for the first node is:
listener.http.internal = 10.0.0.11:8098
listener.protobuf.internal = 10.0.0.11:8087Use the corresponding private address on each server. The official examples also show 0.0.0.0; that wildcard exposes the listener on every interface, so use it only when firewall rules and network design make that exposure intentional. A private interface is safer when clients do not need public access.
Firewall the paths deliberately
- Permit node-to-node traffic on the ports used by your Riak listeners and any additional cluster-management traffic required by your build.
- Permit client access to HTTP or Protocol Buffers only from approved application networks.
- Deny unsolicited Internet access to administration interfaces.
- Apply the same policy at the VPS provider’s security-group layer and in the Ubuntu host firewall.
After changing listeners, test name resolution and TCP reachability from one node to another using the network tools already approved for your environment. A successful local HTTP request does not prove that a peer can connect.
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Start and validate the first Riak node
Configure the first VPS completely before attempting any join. A single node can run alone, but it must already have its final name, ring size, and listener addresses.
- Stop Riak if it is running:
riak stop. - Edit the active configuration so the node name is unique and the listeners are not bound only to loopback.
- Confirm the ring-size setting that all future nodes will use.
- Start the node:
riak start. - Check local status with
riak-admin statusand confirm that the process reports the intended node name and listeners.
If this VPS was previously started as a default single-node test installation, changing only the name may leave old ring files behind. The documented single-node recovery path can require stopping Riak, moving or removing the old ring data, and starting a clean node before it joins a cluster. Preserve backups and use the replacement procedure instead when the ring contains data you must retain.
Join a second VPS and commit the plan
Configure and start the second server with its own name and private listener addresses. Run the join from the new node, targeting any running member of the existing cluster:
riak-admin cluster join riak@riak1.example.comThe command stages a membership change; it does not make the second node a committed member by itself. Always inspect and commit the plan:
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riak-admin cluster commitReview the plan before committing. Confirm that the proposed additions and partition movements are the ones you expect. Repeat the same join, plan, and commit sequence for each additional VPS, targeting a currently reachable member.
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The older riak-admin join form is deprecated in favor of riak-admin cluster join. Use the namespaced command on current installations so that scripts and runbooks match the supported interface.
What a successful join means
A successful join command means Riak accepted a request to stage membership. The cluster is not settled until the plan is committed and ownership transfers have completed. If the join reports a name or connection error, stop and fix DNS, listener binding, firewall rules, or configuration rather than repeatedly issuing the command.
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After committing, verify both membership and data-transfer activity from a healthy member:
riak-admin status | grep ring_members
riak-admin member-status
riak-admin transfersThe status output should show the expected node names in ring_members. member-status reports membership state, while transfers shows ownership handoff work. Keep the cluster under observation until transfers are complete; a committed topology can still be moving partitions and is not yet operationally settled.
When the plan looks uneven
Riak’s partition-distribution algorithm is non-deterministic. Two valid plans can propose different ownership arrangements, and the first plan is not guaranteed to be the most balanced. If the proposed distribution is unsuitable, clear the staged change, generate a new plan, and review it again instead of committing blindly. Follow your build’s documented command sequence for clearing or replanning so that an already committed change is not accidentally discarded.
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Troubleshoot nodes that cannot see one another
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Join fails with an unreachable host | The target name does not resolve, the listener is on loopback, or a firewall blocks the path. | Resolve the FQDN from the joining VPS, verify the target’s private address, inspect HTTP and Protocol Buffers listener lines, and check both provider and host firewall rules. |
| Each node works locally but peers never connect | Listeners still bind to 127.0.0.1. |
Replace loopback bindings with the intended private address or a controlled wildcard, restart Riak, and retest from another VPS. |
| Two servers appear to have the same member | The copied configuration retained the first node’s name. | Assign a unique FQDN-based name to every server. Do not attempt to solve duplicate identity with another join command. |
| The plan refuses a node because of ring settings | ring_size or older ring_creation_size differs. |
Match the value on every node, restart the corrected node, and retry the join. |
| Membership is committed but the cluster is still busy | Ownership handoff is in progress. | Monitor riak-admin transfers and wait for transfer work to finish before making another topology change. |
| A previously renamed single node will not join cleanly | Old ring files contain the former identity. | For disposable test data, rebuild the ring as documented; for retained data, use the force-replace workflow rather than deleting ring state. |
Add a third or later node
For every new VPS, repeat the same order: install the identical build, assign a unique resolvable name, match the ring-size setting, bind listeners to a reachable interface, start the node, then stage and commit its join.
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- Prepare and validate DNS and private connectivity.
- Apply the node-specific name and address settings.
- Start Riak on the new server.
- Run
riak-admin cluster join riak@existing-member.example.com. - Run
riak-admin cluster plan, inspect the proposed ownership, and runriak-admin cluster commit. - Check
member-statusandtransfersuntil the new member is active and handoff is complete.
Make one membership change at a time when possible. This keeps the plan understandable and makes it easier to identify which change caused a connectivity or transfer problem.
Remove a node safely
Planned decommission
For a running node that you intend to retire, stage its departure from another healthy member:
riak-admin cluster leave riak@riak2.example.com
riak-admin cluster plan
riak-admin cluster commitReview the plan before committing, then monitor member-status and transfers. Do not shut down the node first if the goal is a normal departure; let Riak redistribute ownership through the planned change.
Failed or unreachable node
If a member has failed and cannot return, issue the node-name form of cluster leave from a healthy member, review the resulting plan, and commit it. Treat this as an emergency topology change: confirm which node is genuinely unavailable and monitor the resulting transfers before adding a replacement.
Change a node’s address or hostname
A hostname or address change is a membership replacement, not a simple edit. Use the documented rolling sequence:
- Stop the node or mark it down according to your operational procedure.
- Change its
nodenameand listener addresses to the new identity. - Move the old ring directory aside so the restarted process does not reuse the obsolete identity accidentally.
- Start the node with its new configuration.
- Join the new identity back to a running cluster member.
- Stage replacement with
riak-admin cluster force-replace old-name new-name. - Run
riak-admin cluster plan, verify the replacement, and runriak-admin cluster commit. - Check
riak-admin member-statusand monitorriak-admin transfersuntil ownership has moved.
Use the exact old and new Riak node names, including the riak@ prefix. Keep the old ring data available until the replacement is verified, and do not perform simultaneous identity changes on multiple members unless your recovery plan explicitly supports it.
Deployment choices that affect reliability
| Decision | Preferred default | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Private versus public listeners | Private address with restrictive firewall rules | Reduces exposure; requires working private networking and DNS. |
| Hostname versus IP node identity | Stable FQDN | Survives address changes more cleanly; depends on dependable name resolution. |
| Binary package versus source installation | One tested method used everywhere | Packages simplify paths; source builds require consistent scripts, dependencies, and upgrades. |
| Planned decommission versus emergency removal | cluster leave followed by plan and commit |
Planned departure is orderly; failed-node removal carries greater recovery risk. |
| Single-region versus multi-datacenter layout | Keep the initial cluster within one low-latency private network | Multiple regions add latency, routing, and replication design concerns not solved by a basic join. |
Production readiness checklist
- Every VPS runs the same verified Riak build and compatible configuration.
- Ubuntu and Riak compatibility has been checked for the exact release and package or source artifact.
- Each node has a unique FQDN-based name that resolves from every member.
- HTTP and Protocol Buffers listeners are not restricted to
127.0.0.1unless the node is intentionally standalone. - Private networking and firewall rules allow only required peer and client paths.
- The ring-size setting is identical on all participating nodes.
- Each join was followed by
cluster planand an explicitcluster commit. ring_membersandmember-statusshow the intended topology.riak-admin transfersis clear or shows only expected work before declaring the cluster stable.- Runbooks distinguish planned leave, failed-node removal, and force-replace identity changes.
Operational result
A correctly formed cluster is not defined merely by two Riak processes being online. It has unique, resolvable identities; reachable listeners; matching ring settings; a committed membership plan; and completed ownership handoff. Build the first node carefully, join additional nodes one at a time, inspect every plan, and treat names, addresses, and ring files as membership data rather than casual service settings.
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