Configure one independent node, install its native operating-system service, and validate the Console and S3 endpoint.
Initialize the first cluster member or enroll an additional node, validate membership, and then publish the cluster through a load balancer.
Commands and required steps adapt to this selection.
All steps and commands below update for the selected operating system.
Install one independent X2 Node as a systemd service and validate it with systemctl.
Install an X2 cluster member as a systemd service, validate membership, then place NGINX or HAProxy in front of the node pool.
Install one independent X2 Node as a Windows service and validate it with PowerShell.
Install an X2 cluster member as a Windows service, validate membership, and use a dedicated load-balancer host for production traffic.
Install one independent X2 Node as a launchd service and validate it with launchctl.
Install an X2 cluster member as a launchd service, validate membership, and use a dedicated load-balancer host for production traffic.
Choose the intended data and metadata paths. Production deployments need synchronized time, trusted TLS, and a deliberate encryption decision. Cluster members also need stable private addresses and mesh connectivity.
The selected platform and architecture are applied to the signed release catalog automatically.
Loading release catalog…Loading release catalog…Loading release catalog…sha256sum ./x2-node
# Compare with the release manifest
chmod 0755 ./x2-nodeGet-FileHash .\x2-node.exe -Algorithm SHA256
# Compare Hash with the release manifestshasum -a 256 ./x2-node
# Compare with the release manifest
chmod 0755 ./x2-nodeDo not install an artifact whose digest or size differs from the immutable release manifest.
Replace every value enclosed in <...>.
Keep these variables in the same terminal while completing
the remaining steps. X2 derives runtime paths from metadata
and keeps its persistent configuration beneath metadata.
X2_DISK_PATHS='<DISK_PATHS>'
X2_METADATA_PATH='<METADATA_PATH>'$X2DiskPaths = '<DISK_PATHS>'
$X2MetadataPath = '<METADATA_PATH>'X2_DISK_PATHS='<DISK_PATHS>'
X2_METADATA_PATH='<METADATA_PATH>'
X2 listens on 0.0.0.0:8443 for public traffic and
0.0.0.0:9443 for the cluster mesh by default. It
discovers the node's advertise IP automatically. Use the
optional Network Overrides in Command Assist only for a
non-standard port, a specific interface, or an externally
visible public URL.
Initialize an independent node with its bootstrap administrator. It can be rebuilt later as a new cluster, but it is not enrolled into another deployment.
Choose whether this machine creates the cluster or joins one. Storage, service installation, and verification remain platform-specific.
chmod 0755 ./x2-node
sudo ./x2-node configure "${X2_DISK_PATHS}" \
--metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}"{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} \
--admin-user '<ADMIN_USER>' --admin-password '<STRONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD>'
sudo test -s "${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml".\x2-node.exe configure $X2DiskPaths `
--metadata $X2MetadataPath{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} `
--admin-user '<ADMIN_USER>' --admin-password '<STRONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD>'
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath (Join-Path $X2MetadataPath '.x2\config\node.yaml'))) { throw 'Configuration was not created' }chmod 0755 ./x2-node
sudo ./x2-node configure "${X2_DISK_PATHS}" \
--metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}"{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} \
--admin-user '<ADMIN_USER>' --admin-password '<STRONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD>'
sudo test -s "${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml"In the existing cluster, sign in as a system administrator and open Nodes → Install New Node. Enter this server's node name, private IP address, and mesh port, then paste the generated link into Command Assist below.
chmod 0755 ./x2-node
sudo ./x2-node configure "${X2_DISK_PATHS}" \
--metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}"{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} \
--join-link '<CLUSTER_JOIN_LINK>'
sudo test -s "${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml".\x2-node.exe configure $X2DiskPaths `
--metadata $X2MetadataPath{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} `
--join-link '<CLUSTER_JOIN_LINK>'
if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath (Join-Path $X2MetadataPath '.x2\config\node.yaml'))) { throw 'Configuration was not created' }chmod 0755 ./x2-node
sudo ./x2-node configure "${X2_DISK_PATHS}" \
--metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}"{{X2_NETWORK_OPTIONS}} \
--join-link '<CLUSTER_JOIN_LINK>'
sudo test -s "${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml"The join link is single-use, bound to this node's requested mesh endpoint, and expires after 15 minutes. Selecting this tab adds --join-link; first-node commands omit it.
This creates .x2/config/node.yaml beneath the
first metadata root. State and secrets are placed in that
metadata-owned .x2 directory. Logs use
the platform-standard X2 log directory.
The executable installs itself and references the configuration under metadata, registers the native service, configures restart recovery, and starts it. No separate installer or service-definition download is required.
sudo ./x2-node service install --metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}".\x2-node.exe service install --metadata $X2MetadataPathsudo ./x2-node service install --metadata "${X2_METADATA_PATH}"./x2-node server --config="${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml".\x2-node.exe server --config (Join-Path $X2MetadataPath '.x2\config\node.yaml')./x2-node server --config="${X2_METADATA_PATH}/.x2/config/node.yaml"Set the public URL to the endpoint clients will actually use: the node’s configured public URL for a single-node installation, or the load-balancer URL after a cluster is published. The listen address binds a local socket, the node/advertised address identifies peer reachability, and neither is automatically the client URL.
Copy only the issuing public CA certificate to the verification host, confirm the URL hostname or IP appears in the server certificate SAN, and keep every CA private key on its protected issuer host. Then run the HTTPS readiness request.
X2_PUBLIC_URL='<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
systemctl status x2-node
curl --fail --cacert '<PUBLIC_CA_FILE>' "${X2_PUBLIC_URL}/health/ready"$X2PublicUrl = '<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
Get-Service X2Node
Invoke-WebRequest "${X2PublicUrl}/health/ready"X2_PUBLIC_URL='<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
sudo launchctl print system/com.edgedrive.x2-node
curl --fail --cacert '<PUBLIC_CA_FILE>' "${X2_PUBLIC_URL}/health/ready"Open the public URL, sign in with the bootstrap administrator, and confirm the node, metadata root, and disks are healthy.
NGINX and HAProxy can run on dedicated Linux load-balancer hosts in front of the X2 Linux nodes. Keep client traffic on the public listener and never send the node mesh through the load balancer.
Keep X2 on Windows and run NGINX or HAProxy on a dedicated Linux load-balancer host. NGINX for Windows is a beta build whose own documentation does not recommend it for high performance or scalability.
Keep X2 on macOS and run NGINX or HAProxy on a dedicated Linux load-balancer host for production traffic. This keeps TLS, health checks, and backend rotation independent from the storage nodes.
X2 accepts valid forwarded headers without a CIDR allowlist. Restrict trusted load-balancer CIDRs only when direct access to the X2 listener must not be allowed to assert forwarded values.
XC is optional and downloaded separately from the downloads page when command-line access is needed.
X2_PUBLIC_URL='<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
chmod 0755 ./xc
./xc alias set x2 "${X2_PUBLIC_URL}" '<ACCESS_KEY>' '<SECRET_KEY>' --ca-file '<PUBLIC_CA_FILE>'
./xc admin info x2$X2PublicUrl = '<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
.\xc.exe alias set x2 $X2PublicUrl '<ACCESS_KEY>' '<SECRET_KEY>' --ca-file '<PUBLIC_CA_FILE>'
.\xc.exe admin info x2X2_PUBLIC_URL='<X2_PUBLIC_URL>'
chmod 0755 ./xc
./xc alias set x2 "${X2_PUBLIC_URL}" '<ACCESS_KEY>' '<SECRET_KEY>' --ca-file '<PUBLIC_CA_FILE>'
./xc admin info x2Open the Console, create a storage account, and connect XC or an S3 application. Configure a KMI provider before storing data that requires provider-backed encryption.
For additional nodes continue to the cluster guide. Configure the encryption provider before storing production data.
Add nodes →Enable encryption →