---
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: 1773
product: InfluxDB Enterprise v1
version: v1
---

# InfluxDB file system layout

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 | /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 |

##### 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 | /var/lib/influxdb/meta/ |
| Default config file path | /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 |