When running in High Availability (HA) mode, HashiCorp Vault’s cluster_addr configuration option is used to specify the address of the Vault cluster. Bobcares, as a part of our Server Management Service offers solutions to every query that comes our way.

Vault’s cluster_addr

Cluster_addr is a configuration option in HashiCorp Vault that shows the address of the Vault cluster while it is operating in High Availability (HA) mode. Instead of establishing a connection to a single Vault server, we can use the cluster_addr argument. In order to provide redundancy and fault tolerance, we must build up a highly available Vault infrastructure with several Vault server nodes.

When running Vault in high availability (HA) mode, the Vault servers work together to ensure high availability and to replicate the encrypted data (secrets) across many nodes. Being aware of the cluster and able to connect to any active Vault node are requirements for clients that communicate with Vault.

How to use Vault’s cluster_addr?

1. Specifying the cluster_addr parameter in the Vault configuration file (vault.hcl) is necessary. Normally, we can find this file at /etc/vault/vault.hcl, but the system’s location may vary.

2. When using the Vault CLI or API, we may also set the VAULT_ADDR environment variable to define the cluster address. The api_addr supplied in the configuration file has been replaced by the VAULT_ADDR environment variable.

To distribute client requests among the active nodes when dealing with a Vault cluster, keep in mind that enough load balancing and failover methods must be in place. This can be accomplished by configuring HAProxy or another load balancer and using the Vault cluster_addr. To protect the security of the secrets, be careful to adequately secure the Vault cluster using appropriate access controls and secure communication (TLS).

For the most recent setup information and procedures, always consult the official HashiCorp Vault manual.

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Conclusion

The article explains the Vault’s cluster_addr option along with the method from our Tech team to use it.