:_mod-docs-content-type: PROCEDURE

// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// assembly-cruise-control-concepts.adoc

[id='proc-automating-rebalances-{context}']
= Triggering auto-rebalances when scaling clusters

[role="_abstract"]
Set up auto-rebalancing to automatically redistribute topic partitions when scaling a cluster.
You can scale a Kafka cluster by adjusting the number of brokers using the `spec.replicas` property in the `Kafka` or `KafkaNodePool` custom resource used in deployment. 
When auto-rebalancing is enabled, the cluster is rebalanced without further intervention.

* After adding brokers, topic partitions are redistributed across the new brokers.
* Before removing brokers, partitions are moved off the brokers being removed.

Auto-rebalancing helps maintain balanced load distribution across Kafka brokers during scaling operations, depending on how the rebalancing configuration is set up.

Scaling operates in two modes: `add-brokers` and `remove-brokers`.
Each mode can have its own auto-rebalancing configuration specified in the `Kafka` resource under `spec.cruiseControl.autoRebalance` properties. 
Use the `template` property to specify a predefined `KafkaRebalance` resource, which serves as a rebalance configuration template.
If a template is not specified in the `autorebalance` configuration, the default Cruise Control rebalancing configuration is used.
You can apply the same template configuration for both scaling modes, use different configurations for each, or enable auto-rebalancing for only one mode.
If `autorebalance` configuration is not set for a mode, auto-rebalancing will not occur for that mode.

The template `KafkaRebalance` resource must include the `strimzi.io/rebalance-template: "true"` annotation. 
The template does not represent an actual rebalance request but holds the rebalancing configuration.
During scaling, the Cluster Operator creates a `KafkaRebalance` resource based on this template, named `<cluster_name>-auto-rebalancing-<mode>`, where <mode> is either `add-brokers` or `remove-brokers`. 
The Cluster Operator applies a finalizer (`strimzi.io/auto-rebalancing`) to prevent the resource's deletion during the rebalancing process.

Progress is reflected in the status of the `Kafka` resource.
The `status.autoRebalance` property indicates the state of the rebalance. 
A `modes` property lists the brokers being added or removed during the operation to help track progress across reconciliations.

.Prerequisites

* xref:deploying-cluster-operator-str[The Cluster Operator must be deployed.]
* xref:proc-configuring-deploying-cruise-control-str[Cruise Control is deployed with Kafka.]
* You have configured optimization goals and, optionally, capacity limits on broker resources.

.Procedure

. Create a rebalancing template for the auto-rebalancing operation (if required).
+
Configure a `KafkaRebalance` resource with the `strimzi.io/rebalance-template: "true"` annotation.
The rebalance configuration template does not require `mode` and `brokers` properties unlike when xref:#proc-generating-optimization-proposals-str[when generating an optimization proposal for rebalancing]. 
+
.Example rebalancing template configuration 
[source,yaml,subs="attributes+"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaRebalanceApiVersion}
kind: KafkaRebalance
metadata:
  name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
  annotations:
    strimzi.io/rebalance-template: "true" # <1>
spec:
  goals:
    - CpuCapacityGoal
    - NetworkInboundCapacityGoal
    - DiskCapacityGoal
    - RackAwareGoal
    - MinTopicLeadersPerBrokerGoal
    - NetworkOutboundCapacityGoal
    - ReplicaCapacityGoal
  skipHardGoalCheck: true
  # ... other rebalancing configuration
----
<1> The annotation designates the resource as a rebalance configuration template.

. Apply the configuration to create the template. 

. Add auto-rebalancing configuration to the `Kafka` resource.
+
In this example, the same template is used for adding and removing brokers.
+
.Example using template specifications for auto-rebalancing
[source,yaml,subs="+attributes"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaApiVersion}
kind: Kafka
metadata:
  name: my-cluster
spec:
  kafka:
    # ...
  cruiseControl:
    autoRebalance:
      - mode: add-brokers
        template:
          name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
      - mode: remove-brokers
        template:
          name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
----
+
To use default Cruise Control configuration for rebalancing, omit the template configuration.
In this example, the default configuration is used when adding brokers.
+
.Example using default specifications for auto-rebalancing
[source,yaml,subs="+attributes"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaApiVersion}
kind: Kafka
metadata:
  name: my-cluster
spec:
  kafka:
    # ...
  cruiseControl:
    autoRebalance:
      - mode: add-brokers
      - mode: remove-brokers
        template:
          name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
----

. Apply the changes to the `Kafka` configuration. +
Wait for the Cluster Operator to update the cluster.

. Scale the cluster by adjusting the `spec.replicas` property representing the number of brokers in the cluster.
+
The following example shows a node pool configuration for a cluster using three brokers (`replicas: 3`). 
+
.Example node pool configuration
[source,yaml,subs="+attributes"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaNodePoolApiVersion}
kind: KafkaNodePool
metadata:
  name: pool-b
  labels:
    strimzi.io/cluster: my-cluster
spec:
  replicas: 3
  roles:
    - broker
  storage:
    type: jbod
    volumes:
      - id: 0
        type: persistent-claim
        size: 100Gi
  # ...
----
+
For more information on scaling through node pools, see the following:
+
* xref:proc-scaling-up-node-pools-str[].
* xref:proc-scaling-down-node-pools-str[].

. Check the rebalance status. +
The status is visible in the `Kafka` resource.
+
.Example status for auto-rebalancing
[source,yaml,subs="+attributes"]
----
apiVersion: {KafkaApiVersion}
kind: Kafka
metadata:
  name: my-cluster
spec:
  kafka:
    # ...
  cruiseControl:
    autoRebalance:
      - mode: add-brokers
        template:
          name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
      - mode: remove-brokers
        template:
          name: my-add-remove-brokers-rebalancing-template
status:
  autoRebalance:
    lastTransitionTime: <timestamp_for_last_rebalance_state>
    state: RebalanceOnScaleDown # <1>
    modes: # <2>
      - mode: add-brokers
        brokers: <broker_ids>
      - mode: remove-brokers
        brokers: <broker_ids>       
----
<1> The state of the rebalance, which shows `RebalanceOnScaleUp` when adding brokers, and `RebalanceOnScaleDown` when removing brokers. 
Scale-down operations take precedence.
Initial and final state (failed or successful) shows as `Idle`.
<2> Rebalance operations grouped by mode, with a list of nodes to be added or removed.

NOTE: During a rebalance, the status of the `KafkaRebalance` resource used for the rebalance is checked, and the auto-rebalance state is adjusted accordingly. 