Can a single Deployer server manager two SH clusters?

[rjk123]

I already have a clustered enterprise environment and I want to create an additional SH cluster for a dedicated purpose, but using the same IDX cluster.

Do I need an additional Deployer server for this, or can I have the existing Deployer manage multiple SH clusters? How to do this?

Thanks for any suggestions.

R.

[meetmshah · Accepted solution]

Hello @rjk123, Yes you can use single Deployer for multiple SHCs.

Per https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/9.1.0/DistSearch/PropagateSHCconfigurationchanges - 

The deployer sends the same configuration bundle to all cluster members that it services. Therefore, if you have multiple search head clusters, you can use the same deployer for all the clusters only if the clusters employ exactly the same configurations, apps, and so on.

Please accept the solution and hit Karma if this helps! 

[rjk123]

Thanks for the replies.

So then, a Deployer can manage multiple SH clusters, but the SH's still all need to be the same. Sounds like a single cluster to me.

Anyway, that answers my question. I will need a second deployer for a truly separate SH cluster.

Thanks.

[isoutamo]

It almost same as a single cluster, but not exactly. Time by time you could have so many users that you need more resources than a single SHC can offer. Also you could ad via GUI something to one SHC and something else to another. Personally I don’t like/do it, but maybe there are some real reasons for it. IMHO you should use Deployer and CI/CD for manage that kind of cluster environments.

[isoutamo]

Hi

as @meetmshah said, You could use single Search Head Deployer for multiple SHC. BUT this means that all those clusters must be identical! You asked that could you use same Deployer for special purpose. I expecting that this means that 2nd SHC has not an identical content than your current one? If this is true, then you must set another Deployer for that SHC.

r. Ismo