---
name: acko-config-reference
description: "Aerospike CE 8.1 configuration parameters, CRD YAML mapping, ACKO operator auto-processing rules, AerospikeCluster status phases/conditions, and webhook validation rules. Background reference for Aerospike cluster configuration on Kubernetes. Automatically consulted when configuring CE 8.1 parameters, writing AerospikeCluster CRD YAML, looking up status phase/condition meanings (Completed, ConfigDegraded, ReconcileHealthy), or understanding breaking changes from 7.x to 8.1."
user-invocable: false
---

# Aerospike CE 8.1 Configuration & CRD Reference

Merged reference covering Aerospike CE 8.1 server parameters, CRD YAML mapping rules, operator auto-processing, and webhook validation. This is background knowledge for writing correct AerospikeCluster CRs.

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## K8s Deployment Checklist

Verify these items before deploying an Aerospike CE 8.1 cluster on Kubernetes.

| # | Item | Description |
|---|------|-------------|
| 1 | `mode mesh` + headless DNS | Operator auto-injects mesh-seed-address-port using pod FQDNs |
| 2 | `access-address` | Required for Smart Client partition routing (Pod/Service IP) |
| 3 | `proto-fd-max < ulimit -n` | Manage ulimit via securityContext |
| 4 | `cluster-name` explicit | Prevents unintended cluster joins |
| 5 | No `info { port 3003 }` | **8.1 parse error**. Use `admin { port 3008 }` if needed |
| 6 | `data-size >= 512 MiB` | 8 stripes * 8 write-blocks * 8 MiB minimum |
| 7 | Use `flush-size` | Not `write-block-size` (replaced in 7.1+) |
| 8 | Console logging | Enables `kubectl logs` integration |
| 9 | `nsup-period` + `default-ttl` | `nsup-period=0` + `default-ttl!=0` causes startup failure |
| 10 | CE image only | `aerospike:ce-8.1.1.1` (enterprise/ee-/ent- rejected by webhook) |
| 11 | `aerospikeConfig` map/list shape | `service`/`network` must be maps; `logging` must be a list; namespace entries must be maps with `name` key (webhook strengthened April 2026) |
| 12 | `MetricLabels` TOML safety | Values are TOML double-quote-wrapped and backslash-escaped; control chars rejected by webhook |

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## Critical Breaking Changes (Top 4)

1. **`info { port 3003 }` removed** -- causes parse error and CrashLoopBackOff. Use `admin { port 3008 }`.
2. **`memory-size` replaced by `data-size`** -- must be inside `storage-engine memory {}` block, minimum 512 MiB.
3. **`write-block-size` replaced by `flush-size`** -- internal write-block fixed at 8M in 7.1+.
4. **Webhook strengthened (April 2026)** -- CR rejected at admission if `aerospikeConfig.service`/`network` is not a map, `logging` is not a list, namespace entries are not maps with `name` key, or `MetricLabels` contains control chars. See `reference/webhook-validation.md`.

Full reference: `reference/breaking-changes-7x-to-8.md`

---

## Reference Files

| Topic | File |
|-------|------|
| All breaking changes, migration diffs | `reference/breaking-changes-7x-to-8.md` |
| 8.1 parameter defaults, network ports, dynamic config commands | `reference/parameters-8.md` |
| Byte value conversion table (human-readable to integer) | `reference/byte-values.md` |
| Webhook validation rules and CE constraints | `reference/webhook-validation.md` |
| CRD-to-conf mapping, operator auto-processing, ACL config, status fields | `reference/crd-mapping.md` |
| AerospikeCluster phases & conditions (Completed, ConfigDegraded, ReconcileHealthy, etc.) | `reference/conditions-and-phases.md` |

## Examples

| Example | File |
|---------|------|
| 3-node cluster with 2 namespaces (memory + device) | `examples/crd-3node-2ns.yaml` |