Christian WellsInfluxDB 2 on Rocky Linux 9 — Enterprise-Ready Time Series Data on a Resilient Platform
InfluxDB 2.x is a high-performance time series platform for collecting, querying, and visualizing metrics, logs, and events. It is built for environments where real-time monitoring, IoT telemetry, and DevOps observability are crucial. Deploying InfluxDB 2 on Rocky Linux 9, a RHEL-compatible community-supported distribution, ensures enterprise-grade stability, long-term support, and compatibility with modern Linux security and service management tools.
InfluxDB 2.x Core Features
InfluxDB 2 merges multiple components into a unified system:
| Component | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Time Series Engine | Optimized write and query path for high-throughput temporal data |
| Flux Language | Rich query and scripting support for real-time analytics |
| Dashboard & Web UI | Built-in interface for visualizing and managing time series |
| Task Scheduler | Automate recurring data processing and alerts |
| Token-Based Auth | Fine-grained API access management |
| Organizations & Buckets | Multi-tenant storage and retention policy control |
InfluxDB 2 provides a complete solution without requiring external tools for basic visualization and data ingestion.
Why Choose Rocky Linux 9 for InfluxDB 2
Rocky Linux 9 is binary-compatible with RHEL 9, making it a solid choice for infrastructure that demands security, consistency, and performance. It offers a robust, predictable environment with 10+ years of support.
| Rocky Linux 9 Feature | Relevance to InfluxDB 2 |
|---|---|
| Linux Kernel 5.14 | Modern memory and I/O subsystems optimize data throughput |
| SELinux Enforcing Mode | Adds mandatory access controls for secure deployments |
| Systemd v250 | Advanced unit control, socket activation, restart handling |
| OpenSSL 3.x | Enables up-to-date TLS encryption for secure data transport |
| FirewallD Integration | Simplifies securing exposed services |
| Minimal Base Image | Less background overhead, more resources for the database |
Rocky Linux is especially suitable for regulated environments or where enterprise RHEL clones are standard.
HTTPS/TLS Security for InfluxDB 2
Enabling HTTPS in InfluxDB 2 is critical for production deployments that expose the API or dashboard. Rocky Linux 9 supports hardened TLS via OpenSSL 3 and SELinux.
Key HTTPS Configuration Parameters:
| Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|
tls-cert | Path to server certificate (PEM format) |
tls-key | Path to the private key |
https-enabled | Forces encrypted access to the UI and REST API |
tls-ca (optional) | For mutual TLS setups with trusted client certificates |
tls-min-version | Define protocol version (e.g., TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3) |
TLS can be configured directly within the InfluxDB service or delegated to NGINX or Apache HTTPD as reverse proxies for better traffic control, rate limiting, and automatic certificate renewal (e.g., via Let’s Encrypt).
Use Cases for InfluxDB 2 on Rocky Linux 9
- DevOps Monitoring Stacks – Collect metrics from servers, applications, and containers via Telegraf or Prometheus
- IoT Systems – Store time series from industrial devices and sensors with high reliability
- Service Observability – Query logs, metrics, and performance indicators in real time
- Scientific Research – Capture and analyze laboratory data with time-based resolution
- Business Intelligence – Build dashboards for business event tracking and operational KPIs
Security & Resource Control on Rocky Linux 9
Rocky Linux is designed for secure, stable deployments. When paired with InfluxDB 2:
| Security Feature | Functionality |
|---|---|
| SELinux | Restrict access to binaries, ports, files, and keys |
| FirewallD | Whitelist traffic to :8086 or reverse proxy port |
| Token Auth | Enforce per-user and per-org access with scope restrictions |
| Systemd Hardening | Use ProtectSystem, NoNewPrivileges, etc., for containment |
| Audit Logs | Use journald or log forwarding for auditing API access |
Additionally, you can enable mTLS (mutual TLS) for highly secure machine-to-machine ingestion pipelines.
Performance Characteristics
InfluxDB 2 performs well in mid- to large-scale environments when properly tuned. On Rocky Linux 9:
| Resource | Recommendation for Production |
|---|---|
| CPU | 2–4 cores minimum, more for large ingest or complex queries |
| Memory | 4–8 GB RAM recommended for modest workloads |
| Disk | SSD/NVMe recommended for WAL and TSM file storage |
| Network | Low latency improves dashboard and query responsiveness |
Rocky Linux’s predictable system behavior and long lifecycle support make it suitable for continuously operating systems without frequent intervention.
Integrations
| Tool/Platform | Integration Type | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Telegraf | Native agent | System/app metrics ingestion |
| Grafana | Data source plugin | Custom dashboards and alerts |
| Prometheus | Remote write support | Federated metrics infrastructure |
| NGINX / Apache | Reverse proxy, HTTPS, rate limiting | Secure public access and management |
| Systemd timers | Alternative to internal tasks | Scheduled exports, data cleanup |
InfluxDB can also be integrated with Ansible, GitOps workflows, and container platforms (Podman, Docker) on Rocky Linux 9.
Deploying InfluxDB 2 on Rocky Linux 9 provides:
- A secure and stable RHEL-class OS with long-term support
- Built-in tools for managing HTTPS, services, and access control
- Compatibility with Telegraf, Grafana, Prometheus, and other observability tools
- Strong performance characteristics and reduced system overhead
- Enterprise-readiness with SELinux, journaling, and automation hooks
This combination is ideal for production telemetry platforms, self-hosted monitoring stacks, and research applications requiring secure, scalable time series data handling.
Step 1: Create and Connect to Your VPS on Shape.Host
Go to https://shape.host and log in.
Click “Create” → select “Instance”.
Choose a server location near your users.
Choose Rocky Linux 9 (64-bit) as the OS.
Pick a VPS plan with at least 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, and 10 GB SSD.
Click “Create Instance” and copy the IP address.
Copy the instance IP address from the Resources section.
Step 2: Connect to Your VPS
From Linux/macOS terminal:
ssh root@your_server_ip
From Windows:
- Download and install PuTTY.
- Open PuTTY, enter your VPS IP in Host Name, click Open.
Step 3: Update System Packages
dnf update -y
Step 4: Install Required Tools
dnf install curl gnupg2 ca-certificates lsb-release -y
Step 5: Add InfluxDB GPG Key
mkdir -p /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/
curl -fsSL https://repos.influxdata.com/influxdata-archive_compat.key -o /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/influxdata.key
Step 6: Add InfluxDB Repository
cat > /etc/yum.repos.d/influxdb.repo <<EOF
[influxdb]
name = InfluxDB Repository - RHEL
baseurl = https://repos.influxdata.com/rhel/9/x86_64/stable/
enabled = 1
gpgcheck = 1
gpgkey = file:///etc/pki/rpm-gpg/influxdata.key
EOF
Step 7: Install InfluxDB 2 and CLI
dnf install influxdb2 influxdb2-cli -y
Step 8: Enable and Start InfluxDB
systemctl enable influxdb
systemctl start influxdb
Step 9: Check Status and Port
systemctl status influxdb
Confirm it’s listening on port 8086:
ss -tulpn | grep 8086
Step 10: Run Setup Wizard
influx setup
You’ll be prompted to set:
- Username
- Password
- Organization name
- Bucket name
Step 11: Access InfluxDB Web UI
Go to your browser and visit:
http://your-server-ip:8086
Replace your-server-ip with the actual IP of your VPS.
For optimal performance, host your monitoring or analytics stack on a Shape.Host Linux SSD VPS — fast, reliable, and built for developers.
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