---
title: Set up InfluxDB Clustered
description: Learn how to set up InfluxDB Clustered for the “Get started with InfluxDB” tutorial and for general use.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/clustered/get-started/setup/
estimated_tokens: 3524
product: InfluxDB Clustered
version: clustered
---

# Set up InfluxDB Clustered

-   1 / 3

As you get started with this tutorial, do the following to make sure everything you need is in place.

-   [Install and configure your InfluxDB cluster](#install-and-configure-your-influxdb-cluster)
-   [Download, install, and configure the influxctl CLI](#download-install-and-configure-the-influxctl-cli)
-   [Create a database](#create-a-database)
-   [Create a database token](#create-a-database-token)
-   [Configure authentication credentials](#configure-authentication-credentials)

## Install and configure your InfluxDB cluster

Follow the [Install InfluxDB Clustered](/influxdb3/clustered/install/) guide to install prerequisites and set up your cluster.

## Download, install, and configure the influxctl CLI

The [`influxctl` CLI](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/) lets you manage your InfluxDB cluster from a command line and perform administrative tasks such as managing databases and tokens.

1. [Download and install the `influxctl` CLI](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/#download-and-install-influxctl).
    
2. **Create a connection profile and provide your InfluxDB Clustered connection credentials**.
    
    The `influxctl` CLI uses [connection profiles](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/#configure-connection-profiles) to connect to and authenticate with your InfluxDB cluster.
    
    Create a file named `config.toml` at the following location depending on your operating system.
    
    | Operating system | Default profile configuration file path |
    | --- | --- |
    | Linux | ~/.config/influxctl/config.toml |
    | macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/influxctl/config.toml |
    | Windows | %APPDATA%\influxctl\config.toml |
    
    If stored at a non-default location, include the `--config` flag with each `influxctl` command and provide the path to your profile configuration file.
    
3. **Copy and paste the sample configuration profile code** into your `config.toml`:
    

```toml
[[profile]]
  name = "default"
  product = "clustered"
  host = "cluster-host.com"
  port = "PORT"

[profile.auth.oauth2]
  client_id = "OAUTH_CLIENT_ID"
  scopes = [""]
  token_url = "OAUTH_TOKEN_URL"
  device_url = "OAUTH_DEVICE_URL"
```

Replace the following with your InfluxDB Clustered credentials:

-   `PORT`: the port to use to access your InfluxDB cluster
-   `OAUTH_CLIENT_ID`: the client URL of your OAuth2 provider (for example: `https://identityprovider/oauth2/v2/token`)
-   `OAUTH_DEVICE_ID`: the device URL of your OAuth2 provider (for example: `https://identityprovider/oauth2/v2/auth/device`)

*For detailed information about `influxctl` profiles, see [Configure connection profiles](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/#configure-connection-profiles)*.

## Create a database

Use the [`influxctl database create` command](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/database/create/) to create a database. You can use an existing database or create a new one specifically for this getting started tutorial. *Examples in this getting started tutorial assume a database named `get-started`.*

#### Authenticate with your cluster

The first time you run an `influxctl` CLI command, you are directed to login to your **OAuth provider**. Once logged in, your OAuth provider issues a short-lived (1 hour) management token for the `influxctl` CLI that grants administrative access to your InfluxDB cluster.

Provide the following:

-   Database name.
-   *Optional:* Database [retention period](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/databases/#retention-periods) as a duration value. If no retention period is specified, the default is infinite.

```sh
influxctl database create --retention-period 1y get-started
```

## Create a database token

Use the [`influxctl token create` command](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/token/create/) to create a database token with read and write permissions for your database.

Provide the following:

-   Permission grants
    -   `--read-database`: Grants read access to a database
    -   `--write-database` Grants write access to a database
-   Token description

```sh
influxctl token create \
  --read-database get-started \
  --write-database get-started \
  "Read/write token for get-started database"
```

The command returns the token ID and the token string. Store the token string in a safe place. You’ll need it later. **This is the only time the token string is available in plain text.**

#### Store secure tokens in a secret store

Token strings are returned *only* on token creation. We recommend storing database tokens in a **secure secret store**. For example, see how to [authenticate Telegraf using tokens in your OS secret store](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/tree/master/plugins/secretstores/os).

## Configure authentication credentials

Code samples in later sections assume you assigned the token string to an `INFLUX_TOKEN` environment variable–for example:

<!-- Tabbed content: Select one of the following options -->

**MacOS and Linux:**

```sh
export INFLUX_TOKEN=DATABASE_TOKEN
```

**PowerShell:**

```powershell
$env:INFLUX_TOKEN = "DATABASE_TOKEN"
```

**CMD:**

```sh
set INFLUX_TOKEN=DATABASE_TOKEN 
# Make sure to include a space character at the end of this command.
```

<!-- End tabbed content -->

Replace `DATABASE_TOKEN` with your [database token](#create-a-database-token) string.

[Get started](/influxdb3/clustered/get-started/) [Write data](/influxdb3/clustered/get-started/write/)

#### Related

-   [Manage databases](/influxdb3/clustered/admin/databases/)
-   [influxctl](/influxdb3/clustered/reference/cli/influxctl/)