consul/website/content/docs/k8s/platforms/self-hosted-kubernetes.mdx

---
layout: docs
page_title: Install Consul on Self-Hosted Kubernetes Clusters
description: >-
  The process for installing Consul on Kubernetes is the same as installing it on cloud-hosted k8s platforms, but requires additional configuration. Learn how to pre-define Persistent Volume Claims (PVCs) and a default storage class for server agents.
---

# Install Consul on Self-Hosted Kubernetes Clusters

Except for creating persistent volumes and ensuring there is a storage class
configured (see below), installing Consul on your
self-hosted Kubernetes cluster is the same process as installing Consul on a
cloud-hosted Kubernetes cluster. See the [Installation Overview](/consul/docs/k8s/installation/install)
for install instructions.

## Predefined Persistent Volume Claims (PVCs)

If running a self-hosted Kubernetes installation, you may need to pre-create
the persistent volumes for the stateful set that the Consul servers run in.

The only way to use a pre-created PVC is to name them in the format Kubernetes expects:

```text
data-<kubernetes namespace>-<helm release name>-consul-server-<ordinal>
```

The Kubernetes namespace you are installing into, Helm release name, and ordinal
must match between your Consul servers and your pre-created PVCs. You only
need as many PVCs as you have Consul servers. For example, given a Kubernetes
namespace of "vault," a release name of "consul," and 5 servers, you would need
to create PVCs with the following names:

```text
data-vault-consul-consul-server-0
data-vault-consul-consul-server-1
data-vault-consul-consul-server-2
data-vault-consul-consul-server-3
data-vault-consul-consul-server-4
```

## Storage Class

Your Kubernetes installation must either have a default storage class specified
(see https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/storage/storage-classes/ and https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/change-default-storage-class/)
or you must specify the storage class for the Consul servers:

```yaml
server:
  storageClass: your-class
```

See the [Helm reference](/consul/docs/k8s/helm#v-server-storageclass) for that setting for more information.