About This Documentation

This guide covers the installation, initial configuration, and licensing of Hammerspace software. It includes system requirements and sizing guidelines for Anvil (metadata services) and DSX (data services) nodes, firewall port requirements, step-by-step installation procedures for bare-metal and virtual deployments, quorum server configuration, Terraform-based deployment, and upgrade procedures. Licensing activation through the Hammerspace Licensing and Delivery Portal is also covered.

This guide is intended for infrastructure engineers and system administrators performing a new Hammerspace installation or upgrade. Readers should be familiar with Linux system administration, networking, and hypervisor environments.

For ongoing administration after installation, see the Hammerspace Administration Guide.

For support resources, see the Hammerspace Support Hub and the Hammerspace Licensing and Delivery Portal.

Do not install additional or third-party software, agents, or packages directly on Hammerspace Anvil (metadata) or DSX (data) nodes. These nodes run a managed appliance software stack; anything installed outside that stack is unsupported and is removed during a software upgrade. Such software can also interfere with node operation. If you need monitoring or integration with an external tool, contact Hammerspace Support for a supported approach.

How This Guide Is Organized

This guide walks through installing, deploying, upgrading, and licensing Hammerspace:

Installing and Deploying Hammerspace. System overview and requirements before you begin.
Installing the Metadata Server (Anvil). Stand up the Anvil metadata server, including HA clusters.
Installing Data Services (DSX). Deploy the DSX data-services nodes.
Installing and Configuring a Quorum Server. Set up and verify an external quorum server.
Installation Using Terraform. Automate deployment with Terraform.
Completing the Installation. Final steps to bring the cluster online.
Upgrading Hammerspace. Download, upload, and apply updates.
Licensing. Activate, update, and troubleshoot licenses.