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@ -3,29 +3,31 @@ layout: "docs"
page_title: "Agent" page_title: "Agent"
sidebar_current: "docs-agent-running" sidebar_current: "docs-agent-running"
description: |- description: |-
The Consul agent is the core process of Consul. The agent maintains membership information, registers services, runs checks, responds to queries and more. The agent must run on every node that is part of a Consul cluster. The Consul agent is the core process of Consul. The agent maintains membership information, registers services, runs checks, responds to queries, and more. The agent must run on every node that is part of a Consul cluster.
--- ---
# Consul Agent # Consul Agent
The Consul agent is the core process of Consul. The agent maintains membership The Consul agent is the core process of Consul. The agent maintains membership
information, registers services, runs checks, responds to queries information, registers services, runs checks, responds to queries,
and more. The agent must run on every node that is part of a Consul cluster. and more. The agent must run on every node that is part of a Consul cluster.
Any Agent may run in one of two modes: client or server. A server Any Agent may run in one of two modes: client or server. A server
node takes on the additional responsibility of being part of the [consensus quorum](#). node takes on the additional responsibility of being part of the [consensus quorum](#).
These nodes take part in Raft, and provide strong consistency and availability in These nodes take part in Raft and provide strong consistency and availability in
the case of failure. The higher burden on the server nodes means that usually they the case of failure. The higher burden on the server nodes means that usually they
should be run on dedicated instances, as they are more resource intensive than a client should be run on dedicated instances -- they are more resource intensive than a client
node. Client nodes make up the majority of the cluster, and they are very lightweight node. Client nodes make up the majority of the cluster, and they are very lightweight
as they maintain very little state and interface with the server nodes for most operations. as they interface with the server nodes for most operations and maintain very little state
of their own.
## Running an Agent ## Running an Agent
The agent is started with the `consul agent` command. This command blocks, The agent is started with the `consul agent` command. This command blocks,
running forever or until told to quit. The agent command takes a variety running forever or until told to quit. The agent command takes a variety
of configuration options but the defaults are usually good enough. When of configuration options, but most have sane defaults.
running `consul agent`, you should see output similar to that below:
When running `consul agent`, you should see output similar to this:
```text ```text
$ consul agent -data-dir=/tmp/consul $ consul agent -data-dir=/tmp/consul
@ -44,65 +46,62 @@ $ consul agent -data-dir=/tmp/consul
... ...
``` ```
There are several important components that `consul agent` outputs: There are several important messages that `consul agent` outputs:
* **Node name**: This is a unique name for the agent. By default this * **Node name**: This is a unique name for the agent. By default, this
is the hostname of the machine, but you may customize it to whatever is the hostname of the machine, but you may customize it using the `-node` flag.
you'd like using the `-node` flag.
* **Datacenter**: This is the datacenter the agent is configured to run * **Datacenter**: This is the datacenter in which the agent is configured to run.
in. Consul has first-class support for multiple datacenters, but to work efficiently Consul has first-class support for multiple datacenters; however, to work efficiently,
each node must be configured to correctly report its datacenter. The `-dc` flag each node must be configured to report its datacenter. The `-dc` flag
can be used to set the datacenter. For single-DC configurations, the agent can be used to set the datacenter. For single-DC configurations, the agent
will default to "dc1". will default to "dc1".
* **Server**: This shows if the agent is running in the server or client mode. * **Server**: This indicates whether the agent is running in server or client mode.
Server nodes have the extra burden of participating in the consensus quorum, Server nodes have the extra burden of participating in the consensus quorum,
storing cluster state, and handling queries. Additionally, a server may be storing cluster state, and handling queries. Additionally, a server may be
in "bootstrap" mode. Multiple servers cannot be in bootstrap mode, in "bootstrap" mode. Multiple servers cannot be in bootstrap mode as that would
otherwise the cluster state will be inconsistent. put the cluster in an inconsistent state.
* **Client Addr**: This is the address used for client interfaces to the agent. * **Client Addr**: This is the address used for client interfaces to the agent.
This includes the ports for the HTTP, DNS, and RPC interfaces. The RPC This includes the ports for the HTTP, DNS, and RPC interfaces. The RPC
address is used for other `consul` commands. Other Consul commands such address is used by other `consul` commands (such as `consul members`, `consul join`,
as `consul members` connect to a running agent and use RPC to query and etc) which query and control a running agent. By default, this binds only to localhost. If you
control the agent. By default, this binds only to localhost. If you
change this address or port, you'll have to specify an `-rpc-addr` whenever change this address or port, you'll have to specify an `-rpc-addr` whenever
you run commands such as `consul members` so they know how to talk to the you run commands such as `consul members` to indicate how to reach the
agent. This is also the address other applications can use over [RPC to control Consul](/docs/agent/rpc.html). agent. Other applications can also use the RPC address and port [to control Consul](/docs/agent/rpc.html).
* **Cluster Addr**: This is the address and ports used for communication between * **Cluster Addr**: This is the address and set of ports used for communication between
Consul agents in a cluster. Not all Consul agents in a cluster have to Consul agents in a cluster. Not all Consul agents in a cluster have to
use the same port, but this address **MUST** be reachable by all other nodes. use the same port, but this address **MUST** be reachable by all other nodes.
## Stopping an Agent ## Stopping an Agent
An agent can be stopped in two ways: gracefully or forcefully. To gracefully An agent can be stopped in two ways: gracefully or forcefully. To gracefully
halt an agent, send the process an interrupt signal, which is usually halt an agent, send the process an interrupt signal (usually
`Ctrl-C` from a terminal. When gracefully exiting, the agent first notifies `Ctrl-C` from a terminal). When gracefully exiting, the agent first notifies
the cluster it intends to leave the cluster. This way, other cluster members the cluster it intends to leave the cluster. This way, other cluster members
notify the cluster that the node has _left_. notify the cluster that the node has _left_.
Alternatively, you can force kill the agent by sending it a kill signal. Alternatively, you can force kill the agent by sending it a kill signal.
When force killed, the agent ends immediately. The rest of the cluster will When force killed, the agent ends immediately. The rest of the cluster will
eventually (usually within seconds) detect that the node has died and will eventually (usually within seconds) detect that the node has died and
notify the cluster that the node has _failed_. notify the cluster that the node has _failed_.
It is especially important that a server node be allowed to gracefully leave, It is especially important that a server node be allowed to leave gracefully
so that there will be a minimal impact on availability as the server leaves so that there will be a minimal impact on availability as the server leaves
the consensus quorum. the consensus quorum.
For client agents, the difference between a node _failing_ and a node _leaving_ For client agents, the difference between a node _failing_ and a node _leaving_
may not be important for your use case. For example, for a web server and load may not be important for your use case. For example, for a web server and load
balancer setup, both result in the same action: remove the web node balancer setup, both result in the same outcome: the web node is removed
from the load balancer pool. But for other situations, you may handle from the load balancer pool.
each scenario differently.
## Lifecycle ## Lifecycle
Every agent in the Consul cluster goes through a lifecycle. Understanding Every agent in the Consul cluster goes through a lifecycle. Understanding
this lifecycle is useful to building a mental model of an agent's interactions this lifecycle is useful for building a mental model of an agent's interactions
with a cluster, and how the cluster treats a node. with a cluster and how the cluster treats a node.
When an agent is first started, it does not know about any other node in the cluster. When an agent is first started, it does not know about any other node in the cluster.
To discover its peers, it must _join_ the cluster. This is done with the `join` To discover its peers, it must _join_ the cluster. This is done with the `join`
@ -115,13 +114,13 @@ In the case of a network failure, some nodes may be unreachable by other nodes.
In this case, unreachable nodes are marked as _failed_. It is impossible to distinguish In this case, unreachable nodes are marked as _failed_. It is impossible to distinguish
between a network failure and an agent crash, so both cases are handled the same. between a network failure and an agent crash, so both cases are handled the same.
Once a node is marked as failed, this information is updated in the service catalog. Once a node is marked as failed, this information is updated in the service catalog.
There is some nuance here since this update is only possible if the servers can Mote: there is some nuance here since this update is only possible if the servers can
still [form a quorum](/docs/internals/consensus.html). Once the network recovers, still [form a quorum](/docs/internals/consensus.html). Once the network recovers
or a crashed agent restarts, the cluster will repair itself, and unmark or a crashed agent restarts the cluster will repair itself and unmark
a node as failed. The health check in the catalog will also be updated to reflect a node as failed. The health check in the catalog will also be updated to reflect
this. this.
When a node _leaves_, it specifies its intent to do so, and so the cluster When a node _leaves_, it specifies its intent to do so, and the cluster
marks that node as having _left_. Unlike the _failed_ case, all of the marks that node as having _left_. Unlike the _failed_ case, all of the
services provided by a node are immediately deregistered. If the agent was services provided by a node are immediately deregistered. If the agent was
a server, replication to it will stop. To prevent an accumulation a server, replication to it will stop. To prevent an accumulation