To get you started, this article will help you set up an Active-Active database, formerly known as CRDB (conflict-free replicated database) spanning across two Redis Enterprise Software clusters for test and development environments. Here are the steps:

  • Step 1: Run two Redis Enterprise Software (RS) Docker containers
  • Step 2: Set up each container as a cluster
  • Step 3: Create a new Redis Enterprise Active-Active database
  • Step 4: Test connectivity to the Active-Active database

To run an Active-Active database on installations from the Redis Enterprise Software download package, set up two Redis Enterprise Software installations and continue from Step 2.

Note:
This getting started guide is for development or demonstration environments. To set up an Active-Active database in a production environment, use the instructions for creating an Active-Active database.

Run two containers

To spin up two RS containers, run these commands:

docker run -d --cap-add sys_resource -h rp1_node1 --name rp1_node1 -p 8443:8443 -p 9443:9443 -p 12000:12000 redislabs/redis

docker run -d --cap-add sys_resource -h rp2_node1 --name rp2_node1 -p 8445:8443 -p 9445:9443 -p 12002:12000 redislabs/redis

The -p options map the admin console port (8443), REST API port (9443), and database access port differently for each container to make sure that all containers can be accessed from the host OS that is running the containers.

Set up two clusters

  1. For cluster 1, direct your browser to https://localhost:8443 on the host machine to see the Redis Enterprise Software web console.

    Note:
    Depending on your browser, you may see a certificate error. Continue to the website.

    If you are using the new Cluster Manager UI, switch to the legacy admin console.

    Select switch to legacy admin console from the dropdown.

  2. Click the Setup button.

    getstarted-setup

  3. On the node configuration page, select your default settings and provide a cluster FQDN, for example cluster1.local. Then click Next button.

    getstarted-nodeconfig

  4. If you don’t have a license key, click the Next button to try the trial version of the product.

  5. On the next screen, set up a Cluster Administrator account using an email for the login and a password.

    getstarted-admincredentials

  6. Click OK to confirm that you are aware of the replacement of the HTTPS SSL/TLS certificate on the node, and proceed through the browser warning.

Repeat the same operations for cluster 2 with these differences:

  • In your web browser, go to https://localhost:8445 to set up the cluster 2.
  • For the Cluster name (FQDN), enter a different name, such as cluster2.local.

Now we have two Redis Enterprise Software clusters with FQDNs cluster1.local and cluster2.local.

Note:
Each Active-Active instance must have a unique fully-qualified domain name (FQDN).

Create an Active-Active database

  1. After you login to cluster1.local, select the Redis database and deployment type Geo-Distributed. Then click Next.

    new_geo-distrbuted

  2. In create database, click the show advanced option and:

    1. For the database name, enter: database1

    2. For the endpoint port number, enter: 12000

    3. In the participating clusters list, add the address and admin credentials for:

      • https://cluster1.local:9443 - the cluster you are currently connected to
      • https://cluster2.local:9443 - the other cluster

    4. In Database clustering, either:

      • Make sure that Database clustering is enabled and select the number of shards that you want to have in the database. When database clustering is enabled, databases are subject to limitations on Multi-key commands. You can increase the number of shards in the database at any time.
      • Clear Database clustering to use only one shard and to avoid Multi-key command limitations.
      Note:
      You cannot enable or disable database clustering after the Active-Active database is created.

  3. Click Activate to create your Active-Active database.

    crdb-activate

    Note:
    If you cannot activate the database because of a memory limitation, make sure that Docker has enough memory allocated in the Docker Settings.

  4. After the Active-Active database is created, access the RS admin console of cluster 1 at https://localhost:8443 and of cluster 2 at https://localhost:8445.

  5. Make sure that each cluster has an Active-Active database member database with the name database1.

    In a real-world deployment, cluster 1 and cluster 2 would most likely be in separate data centers in different regions. However, for local testing we created the scale-minimized deployment using two local clusters running on the same host.

Test connection

With the Redis database created, you are ready to connect to your database. See Connect to Active-Active databases for tutorials and examples of multiple connection methods.