Question

What are seed nodes in Apache Cassandra?

a. One may configure more than one seed node for added redundancy.
b. There must be at least one seed node in a cluster.
c. When a node first starts, it contacts a seed node to bootstrap the gossip communication process.
d. They allow the instance to find the cluster on the very first startup.
e. All

Answer 1

Seed nodes in Apache Cassandra are used for redundancy, cluster initialization, gossip bootstrapping, and cluster discovery. They play a crucial role when a new node joins a cluster, enabling it to locate other nodes and efficiently become a part of the network.

Step-by-step explanation:

Seed nodes in Apache Cassandra are special nodes used during the initialization and joining of new nodes to a Cassandra cluster. They serve several purposes:

• Redundancy: Configuring more than one seed node can provide added redundancy, ensuring that there is no single point of failure during the discovery of the cluster by new nodes.
• Cluster Initialization: There must be at least one seed node defined in a cluster, but having multiple is beneficial for fault tolerance.
• Gossip Bootstrapping: When a node first starts, it contacts a seed node to begin the gossip communication process, which is how nodes in a Cassandra cluster share location and state information among each other.
• Cluster Discovery: Seed nodes are particularly important during the very first startup of an instance, as they allow the new node to find and join the cluster efficiently.