Skip to main content

Managed Redis Setup for n8n

n8n queue mode requires a Redis backend. This guide explains how to connect n8n to managed Redis services on Google Cloud (Memorystore), AWS (ElastiCache), and Azure (Cache for Redis).

GCP Memorystore for Redis​

info

Google Cloud Memorystore provides a fully managed Redis service. Use private IP for secure access from GKE.

Example values.yaml​

externalRedis:
  host: "<memorystore-ip>"
  port: 6379
  # Memorystore does not use password by default
tip

Ensure your GKE nodes are in the same VPC and region as your Memorystore instance. Use private IP connectivity.

Networking & Security​

  • Memorystore must be provisioned with private IP.
  • GKE nodes must be in the same VPC/subnet or have VPC peering.
  • No password by default; enable AUTH if needed.

Troubleshooting​

  • Timeouts: Check VPC/subnet and firewall rules.
  • Auth errors: If AUTH is enabled, set the password in externalRedis.password.
note

See GCP Memorystore for Redis docs for more details.

Next Steps​

AWS ElastiCache for Redis​

info

AWS ElastiCache for Redis is a fully managed Redis service. Use VPC/subnet groups for secure access from EKS.

Example values.yaml​

externalRedis:
  host: "<primary-endpoint>.cache.amazonaws.com"
  port: 6379
  # Set password if AUTH is enabled
  password: "<your-password>"
tip

Ensure your EKS nodes are in the same VPC/subnet as your ElastiCache cluster. Use security groups to control access.

Networking & Security​

  • ElastiCache must be in a VPC accessible to EKS nodes.
  • Use security groups to allow inbound traffic from EKS nodes.
  • Enable AUTH for password protection (optional).
  • TLS/SSL is supported (see AWS docs).

Troubleshooting​

  • Timeouts: Check VPC/subnet and security group rules.
  • Auth errors: Set the correct password if AUTH is enabled.
  • TLS errors: Ensure n8n supports Redis TLS if enabled.
note

See AWS ElastiCache for Redis docs for more details.

Next Steps​

Azure Cache for Redis​

info

Azure Cache for Redis is a fully managed Redis service. Use VNet integration for secure access from AKS.

Example values.yaml​

externalRedis:
  host: "<redis-name>.redis.cache.windows.net"
  port: 6380
  password: "<access-key>"
  # Azure requires SSL (port 6380)
tip

Use the access key from the Azure portal as the Redis password. Use SSL (port 6380) for connections.

Networking & Security​

  • Use VNet integration for private access from AKS.
  • Add AKS subnet to the Redis firewall rules.
  • Use SSL (port 6380) for all connections.

Troubleshooting​

  • Timeouts: Check VNet/firewall rules.
  • Auth errors: Use the correct access key as password.
  • SSL errors: Ensure n8n is configured for SSL (port 6380).
note

See Azure Cache for Redis docs for more details.

Next Steps​

Pod Affinity and Anti-Affinity​

tip

Redis Affinity: Proper affinity configuration can optimize Redis performance by ensuring pods are placed optimally relative to Redis resources.

warning

Deprecation Notice: The top-level affinity field is deprecated. Use the specific affinity configurations under main, worker, and webhook blocks instead.

Affinity for Redis Optimization​

Co-locate with Redis Nodes​

# Place pods on nodes close to Redis
main:
  affinity:
    nodeAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 1
        preference:
          matchExpressions:
          - key: redis-zone
            operator: In
            values:
            - "primary"

worker:
  mode: queue
  affinity:
    nodeAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 1
        preference:
          matchExpressions:
          - key: redis-zone
            operator: In
            values:
            - "primary"

Spread Pods for Redis Load Distribution​

# Distribute Redis connections across nodes
main:
  affinity:
    podAntiAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 100
        podAffinityTerm:
          labelSelector:
            matchExpressions:
            - key: app.kubernetes.io/name
              operator: In
              values:
              - n8n
          topologyKey: kubernetes.io/hostname

worker:
  mode: queue
  affinity:
    podAntiAffinity:
      requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - labelSelector:
          matchExpressions:
          - key: app.kubernetes.io/name
            operator: In
            values:
            - n8n
          - key: app.kubernetes.io/component
            operator: In
            values:
            - worker
        topologyKey: kubernetes.io/hostname

Zone Distribution for Redis Resilience​

# Distribute pods across zones for Redis availability
main:
  affinity:
    podAntiAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 100
        podAffinityTerm:
          labelSelector:
            matchExpressions:
            - key: app.kubernetes.io/name
              operator: In
              values:
              - n8n
          topologyKey: topology.kubernetes.io/zone

webhook:
  mode: queue
  affinity:
    podAntiAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 100
        podAffinityTerm:
          labelSelector:
            matchExpressions:
            - key: app.kubernetes.io/name
              operator: In
              values:
              - n8n
            - key: app.kubernetes.io/component
              operator: In
              values:
              - webhook
          topologyKey: topology.kubernetes.io/zone

Node Affinity for Redis Performance​

# Use nodes optimized for Redis workloads
main:
  affinity:
    nodeAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 1
        preference:
          matchExpressions:
          - key: node-type
            operator: In
            values:
            - redis-optimized

worker:
  mode: queue
  affinity:
    nodeAffinity:
      preferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution:
      - weight: 1
        preference:
          matchExpressions:
          - key: node-type
            operator: In
            values:
            - redis-optimized
info

Redis Benefits: Proper affinity configuration ensures optimal Redis performance by placing pods on nodes with good Redis connectivity and distributing Redis load effectively.

Next Steps​