Hi Long, I'm sure you'll get some debate on if one token range per node is ideal or not, but technically it will work just fine. You are responsible for the range management, but that's your question about overlap. When you need to scale, getting the ranges right will be a manual process.
Your point on starting up. Giving it a minute between and waiting until each node enters BOOTSTRAP/STREAMING are good signs to proceed with the next one. When adding nodes to each rack, you just have to worry about the source node for streaming. It could create a hotspot you weren't expecting. Add nodes across each rack at the same time, vs all in one rack at a time. The source for streaming is where it matters and this will ensure it's spread out. -Dcassandra.consistent.simultaneousmoves.allow=true is a good idea. If you have the bandwidth then definately consider upping stream_throughput_outbound_megabits_per_sec[1] Patrick 1- https://cassandra.apache.org/doc/4.1/cassandra/configuration/cass_yaml_file.html#stream_throughput_outbound_megabits_per_sec On Wed, Dec 10, 2025 at 10:24 PM Long Pan <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Cassandra Community, > > I’m on Cassandra *4.1.10*, and I’ve been experimenting with the *single-token > setup* (num_tokens = 1, with tokens manually assigned per node). > > When *concurrently* adding multiple nodes to a cluster, I make sure their > bootstrap token ranges do not overlap. Is there anything else I should be > aware of? > > More specifically: > > 1. > > *Is it good to start multiple new nodes at the exact same time*, as > long as their affected token ranges do not overlap? > Or is some sequencing still recommended (e.g., don’t start node B > until node A has *entered* streaming)? > 2. > > *Is it better to complete node additions rack-by-rack*, or does rack > distribution not matter as long as the token ranges affected by the new > nodes don’t overlap? My understanding is that rack distribution does not > matter. > 3. > > For large clusters (many nodes and large data volumes), what *Cassandra > parameters or JVM options* are important for successfully adding > multiple nodes simultaneously, beyond enabling > -Dcassandra.consistent.simultaneousmoves.allow=true > and using num_tokens=1? > > Are settings like *ring_delay_ms* or the various *streaming > throughput–related parameters* also important in practice? I suspect > they matter quite a bit, but I want to confirm. > > Thank you so much for your help! > > Best, > Long >
