---
title: InfluxDB file system layout
description: The InfluxDB Enterprise v1 file system layout depends on the operating system, package manager, or containerization platform used to install InfluxDB.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/enterprise_influxdb/v1/concepts/file-system-layout/
estimated_tokens: 1392
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/enterprise_influxdb/v1/concepts/file-system-layout/
date: '2025-10-24T12:52:47-05:00'
lastmod: '2025-10-24T12:52:47-05:00'
---

The InfluxDB Enterprise file system layout depends on the installation method
or containerization platform used to install InfluxDB Enterprise.

* [InfluxDB Enterprise file structure](#influxdb-enterprise-file-structure)
* [File system layout](#file-system-layout)

## InfluxDB Enterprise file structure

The InfluxDB file structure includes the following:

* [Data directory](#data-directory)
* [WAL directory](#wal-directory)
* [Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)
* [Hinted handoff directory](#hinted-handoff-directory)
* [InfluxDB Enterprise configuration files](#influxdb-enterprise-configuration-files)

### Data directory

(**Data nodes only**)
Directory path where InfluxDB Enterprise stores time series data (TSM files).
To customize this path, use the [`[data].dir`](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-data-nodes/#dir)configuration option.

### WAL directory

(**Data nodes only**)
Directory path where InfluxDB Enterprise stores Write Ahead Log (WAL) files.
To customize this path, use the [`[data].wal-dir`](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-data-nodes/#wal-dir)configuration option.

### Hinted handoff directory

(**Data nodes only**)
Directory path where hinted handoff (HH) queues are stored.
To customize this path, use the [`[hinted-handoff].dir`](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-data-nodes/#dir)configuration option.

### Metastore directory

Directory path of the InfluxDB Enterprise metastore, which stores information
about the cluster, users, databases, retention policies, shards, and continuous queries.

**On data nodes**, the metastore contains information about InfluxDB Enterprise meta nodes.
To customize this path, use the [`[meta].dir` configuration option in your data node configuration file](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-data-nodes/#dir).

**On meta nodes**, the metastore contains information about the InfluxDB Enterprise RAFT cluster.
To customize this path, use the [`[meta].dir` configuration option in your meta node configuration file](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-meta-nodes/#dir).

### InfluxDB Enterprise configuration files

InfluxDB Enterprise stores default data and meta node configuration file on disk.
For more information about using InfluxDB Enterprise configuration files, see:

* [Configure data nodes](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-data-nodes/)
* [Configure meta nodes](/enterprise_influxdb/v1/administration/config-meta-nodes/)

## File system layout

InfluxDB Enterprise supports **.deb-** and **.rpm-based** Linux package managers.
The file system layout is the same with each.

* [Data node file system layout](#data-node-file-system-layout)
* [Meta node file system layout](#meta-node-file-system-layout)

### Data node file system layout

|                                Path                                |           Default           |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|                 [Data directory](#data-directory)                  |  `/var/lib/influxdb/data/`  |
|                  [WAL directory](#wal-directory)                   |  `/var/lib/influxdb/wal/`   |
|            [Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)             |  `/var/lib/influxdb/meta/`  |
|       [Hinted handoff directory](#hinted-handoff-directory)        |   `/var/lib/influxdb/hh/`   |
|[Default config file path](#influxdb-enterprise-configuration-files)|`/etc/influxdb/influxdb.conf`|

##### Data node file system overview

* /etc/influxdb/
  * influxdb.conf *(Data node configuration file)*

* /var/lib/influxdb/
  * data/
    * *TSM directories and files*

  * hh/
    * *HH queue files*

  * meta/
    * client.json

  * wal/
    * *WAL directories and files*

### Meta node file system layout

|                                Path                                |             Default              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|            [Metastore directory](#metastore-directory)             |    `/var/lib/influxdb/meta/`     |
|[Default config file path](#influxdb-enterprise-configuration-files)|`/etc/influxdb/influxdb-meta.conf`|

##### Meta node file system overview

* /etc/influxdb/
  * influxdb-meta.conf *(Meta node configuration file)*

* /var/lib/influxdb/
  * meta/
    * peers.json
    * raft.db
    * snapshots/
      * *Snapshot directories and files*

## Directory permissions

The user running the `influxd` process should have the following permissions for
directories in the [InfluxDB file system](#file-system-layout):

|   Directory path   |Permission|
|--------------------|----------|
|  `.../influxdb/`   |   755    |
|`.../influxdb/data/`|   755    |
| `.../influxdb/hh/` |   700    |
|`.../influxdb/meta/`|   755    |
|`.../influxdb/wal/` |   700    |
| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Data directory | /var/lib/influxdb/data/ |
| WAL directory | /var/lib/influxdb/wal/ |
| Metastore directory | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |
| Hinted handoff directory | /var/lib/influxdb/hh/ |
| Default config file path | /etc/influxdb/influxdb.conf |

| Path | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Path | Default |
| Metastore directory | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |
| Default config file path | /etc/influxdb/influxdb-meta.conf |

| Directory path | Permission |
| --- | --- |
| Directory path | Permission |
| .../influxdb/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/data/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/hh/ | 700 |
| .../influxdb/meta/ | 755 |
| .../influxdb/wal/ | 700 |