> For the complete MongoDB documentation index, see www.mongodb.com/docs/llms.txt # `mongot` Deployment Frequently Asked Questions The following questions and answers cover deploying MongoDB Search and Vector Search with the MongoDB Controllers for Kubernetes Operator. For a full list of constraints, see [`mongot` Deployment Limitations](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/limitations.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-limitations). To confirm version compatibility before you deploy, see [Search and Vector Search Compatibility and Requirements.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/compatibility-requirements.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-compatibility-requirements) ## Versions and Compatibility ### Can I run a `mongot` version older than `1.70.1`? No. `1.70.1` is the minimum `mongot` version for self-managed deployments. Earlier `0.x` builds are Preview releases that we don't recommend for production use. ### Can I upgrade a Public Preview deployment to GA? No. You can't upgrade a Public Preview (`0.x`) deployment to a GA release in place. To move to GA, perform a fresh install. ## Operations ### Do I need to back up `mongot` or its indexes? Back up `mongod`, not `mongot`. The `mongot` indexes are derived data that `mongot` rebuilds from `mongod`, so a `mongod` backup is enough to recover them. Include index rebuild time in your recovery time objectives because the rebuild takes time. To learn more, see [Backup and Restore.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/backup-restore.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-backup-restore) ### Does enabling TLS on a running deployment cause downtime? Enabling TLS on a deployment that is already running causes a brief, bounded outage because `mongot` must restart to read the new certificates. Rotating a certificate on a deployment that already uses TLS also requires a `mongot` restart, because `mongot` reads certificates only at startup. If you deploy multiple `mongot` replicas behind the load balancer, queries can continue during that restart. To learn more, see [Secure the Connection from MongoDB to Search.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/configuration/secure-connection-mongodb-to-search.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-tls-encryption) ### Do search queries keep working when a `mongot` pod restarts? It depends on the number of `mongot` replicas. If you deploy multiple `mongot` replicas behind the load balancer and also run more than one Envoy replica, queries continue to run while the `mongot` or Envoy deployments undergo rolling restarts. With a single replica, queries see a brief gap until the pod is ready again. ### Can I use my own load balancer? Yes. To use your own load balancer, run `mongot` in unmanaged mode. Unmanaged mode is only available for single-cluster deployments. To learn more, see [Supported Topologies.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/supported-topologies.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-supported-topologies) ### Does a multi-cluster deployment require a managed load balancer? Yes. When `spec.clusters` has more than one entry, every entry must set `loadBalancer.managed`. The MongoDB Controllers for Kubernetes Operator rejects a multi-cluster resource that uses an unmanaged load balancer or no load balancer, because `mongod` needs a stable, routable endpoint to reach the `mongot` fleet in each cluster. To learn more, see [Supported Topologies.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/supported-topologies.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-supported-topologies) ### For an external MongoDB source, does the MongoDB Controllers for Kubernetes Operator configure `mongotHost` on my `mongod`? No. The MongoDB Controllers for Kubernetes Operator does not manage an external `mongod`, so it does not set the `mongotHost` and `searchIndexManagementHostAndPort` `setParameter` values on it. You must configure those on your external `mongod` yourself so that queries reach `mongot`. In a multi-cluster deployment, point each `mongod` at the `mongot` endpoint for its own cluster. ### Is the index data encrypted at rest? `mongot` doesn't provide application-level encryption at rest. To encrypt the `mongot` index data, encrypt the underlying volume with a Kubernetes-level or cloud-provider mechanism. To learn more, see [Secure the Connection from MongoDB to Search.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/configuration/secure-connection-mongodb-to-search.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-tls-encryption) ### Are all MongoDB Search and Vector Search features in Atlas available on self-managed deployments? No. A feature is available on self-managed `mongot` only after it ships in a `mongot` binary release. To learn more, see [`mongot` Deployment Limitations.](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/limitations.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-limitations) ## Learn More - [Search and Vector Search Compatibility and Requirements](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/compatibility-requirements.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-compatibility-requirements) - [Upgrade or Downgrade](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/upgrade-downgrade.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-upgrade-downgrade) - [Supported Topologies](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/supported-topologies.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-supported-topologies) - [Secure the Connection from MongoDB to Search](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/configuration/secure-connection-mongodb-to-search.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-tls-encryption) - [Backup and Restore](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/deployment/backup-restore.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-backup-restore) - [`mongot` Deployment Limitations](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/fts-vs/limitations.md#std-label-k8s-fts-vs-limitations)