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Key concepts

This page explains how clusters, shards, nodes, high availability, backups, and parameter groups are structured and operated in the MemStore service. For how to create and manage each resource, see the relevant How-to Guides.

ConceptDescription
Cache onlyCache service that stores all data in memory without using disk
ClusterManagement unit in MemStore that includes shards and nodes
ShardUnit that distributes and stores data in a cluster where cluster mode is enabled
NodeRedis OSS execution unit with a Primary or Replica role
High availabilityFeature that supports service continuity through automatic action when a node fails
PromotionFeature that converts a Replica node to a Primary node
EndpointAccess address provided to connect to a cluster or node
BackupData copy that stores cluster information and is used for restore
Parameter groupObject that manages Redis OSS configuration parameters by group

Cache only

In MemStore, the Redis service offered stores all data in memory without writing to disk, so you can use it solely for caching.

Cluster

A cluster is a collection of one or more nodes, automatically managed as a unit. A cluster consists of multiple shards and nodes, each serving as Primary or Replica. You can add or remove shards or Replica nodes as needed.

For how to create clusters, see Create cluster. For how to view and manage clusters, see Manage clusters.

Cluster lifecycle and status

The lifecycle and states for a cluster are as follows.

Status values when cluster mode is enabled

When cluster mode is enabled, the state of shards and each node depends on the cluster status, meaning they share the same status as the cluster.

StateDescription
InitInitial state before the cluster creation starts
CreatingCreating resources
RunningOperating normally
Scaling(horizontal)Adding/deleting shards or adding/deleting nodes is in progress
Scaling(vertical)Changing the node flavor is in progress
ModifyingSecurity group being updated for cluster
DeletingDeleting resources
FailedPermanent error occurred; cannot return to normal, only deletion is possible

Shard

A shard is a group of nodes in cluster mode, partitioning the cluster data set. The cluster can be composed of a minimum of 1 up to a maximum of 12 shards. In cluster mode, each shard can consist of minimum 2 up to maximum 5 nodes.

For how to manage shards and nodes in clusters where cluster mode is enabled, see Manage shards and nodes.

Node

A node is a VM (Virtual Machine) included in the cluster. When you create or delete a node, necessary operations are performed and the status automatically changes. Each node in the cluster is assigned the role of Primary or Replica. When cluster mode is disabled, you can configure up to 6 nodes in a cluster.

For how to manage nodes in clusters where cluster mode is disabled, see Manage nodes. For how to change node types, see Change node type.

RoleDescription
PrimaryThe node typically used by the user for read/write operations
ReplicaRead-only node to reduce load on the Primary

Node types

When creating a node, the user selects a type based on data size and load. More specialized node types will be supported later.

Node typevCPUMemory (GB)
m2a.large28
m2a.xlarge416
m2a.2xlarge832
m2a.4xlarge1664
m2a.8xlarge32128
m2a.12xlarge48192
m2a.16xlarge64256
m2a.24xlarge96384
r2a.large216
r2a.xlarge432
r2a.2xlarge864
r2a.4xlarge16128
r2a.8xlarge32256
r2a.12xlarge48384
r2a.16xlarge64512
r2a.24xlarge96768
t1i.small22
t1i.medium24
t1i.large28
t1i.xlarge416
t1i.2xlarge832
Notes when using t1i node types

t1i instance types may take several minutes to tens of minutes to transition to the Running state after initial creation.
If CPU credit balance is low, workloads with high CPU usage may not function normally.

Node lifecycle and status values

StateDescription
InitEach node begins creation when the cluster is being set up
ProvisioningThe VM resources for service operation are being created
- This step may take several minutes
StartingAfter VM creation, Redis service is being installed and started
RunningService is running normally and accessible
ModifyingSecurity group or other configuration change is in progress
TerminatingThe user requested node deletion, and deletion is in progress
TerminatedThe node has been deleted
- After this, the node info is no longer accessible
WarningTemporary error occurred; may return to normal when resolved
FailedPermanent error occurred; cannot recover to normal state, only deletion possible

High availability

MemStore provides a high availability feature to ensure continuous service operation even when a node fails.

When cluster mode is enabled, high availability is enabled by default and cannot be changed. When cluster mode is disabled, you can choose to enable high availability at cluster creation, and it can also be changed during operation. You can check whether high availability is used on the cluster details tab. Even when high availability is used, you can add or remove nodes, and any added node will automatically be included within the HA scope.

For how to configure high availability, see Configure high availability.

Node failures

Node failures are handled differently depending on the node role:

RoleDescription
Primary node failureIf a Primary node fails, the system automatically promotes the Replica with the most recent data to Primary (Automatic Failover) and then creates a new Replica to maintain the replica count (Auto Healing)
Replica node failureIf a Replica node fails, the system automatically replaces it with a new node to maintain replica count

Promotion

When using cluster mode or high availability, users cannot request promotion; the service automatically performs promotion when needed. When high availability is not used, manual promotion is provided: if the Primary node fails, the user can promote a Replica node to Primary.

For how to promote nodes, see Promote node.

Endpoint

When creating a cluster, a Read-only endpoint is provided for client access. This address is accessible within your selected private network (subnet) and the access permissions and security are automatically configured.

For how to connect to a cluster, see Connect to MemStore cluster.

Endpoints when cluster mode is enabled

When cluster mode is enabled, a Read endpoint is not provided; instead, endpoints of each node are exposed.

Backup

You can back up the created cluster information for later restoration.

For how to view and manage backups, see Manage backups.

Backup status values

StateDescription
AvailableBackup is complete and can be used for restore, copy or export
PendingBackup request accepted but not started
CreatingBackup ongoing or being copied from original
RestoringBeing used for provisioning
CopyingBeing copied to create another backup
ExportingBeing exported to user’s Object Storage
ErrorError occurred during backup
DeletingBackup deletion in progress

Parameter group

You can create and manage MemStore parameter values by group.

For how to create and modify parameter groups, see Manage parameter groups. For how to change the parameter group applied to a cluster, see Change parameter group.

Parameter application status

StateDescription
PendingAwaiting parameter application
ApplyingParameters are currently being applied to the cluster
In-SyncParameters have been applied successfully to the cluster
Error-SyncFailed to apply parameters to the cluster
- You can retry parameter application, and when retried, the state changes to Applying
SuspendedWaiting for next task because the preceding cluster failed parameter application during sequential application
- When the state changes from Pending to Suspended, you can retry parameter application
- When retried, the state changes to Applying