--- title: "Setting Up the CTERA Messaging Service" slug: "setting-up-the-ctera-messaging-service-3-1" tags: ["Portal", "8.3"] updated: 2026-08-13T12:27:48Z published: 2026-08-13T12:27:48Z canonical: "kb.ctera.com/setting-up-the-ctera-messaging-service-3-1" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.ctera.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Setting Up the CTERA Messaging Service **To set up the CTERA Messaging Service:** 1. In the global administration view, select **Services > Messaging** in the navigation pane. The **Messaging** page is displayed. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-HBYRRIO3.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) 2. To add a new messaging server, click **Add Messaging Servers**. The **Messaging Service** page is displayed, showing all the CTERA Portal Servers. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-GUP4QFJ9.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) 3. Check the servers you want to use as messaging servers. In a production environment, you must select three servers to be messaging servers. CTERA allows a single messaging server in a small or test environment where the main database server is the only server. Otherwise you have to assign three, and only three, servers as messaging servers. **Note** Unless the main database server is the only server, you cannot check the main database server, the replication server, or a preview server. 4. Click **Save**. **Note** If you only selected one server to be a messaging server, a warning is displayed. Click **OK** to continue. The selected servers are added as messaging servers. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-HU3SJQO1.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) Deploying the servers for the messaging service takes a few minutes. After the messaging service starts running, the status changes to **ACTIVE**. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-D3926X3O.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) **Note** The process of deploying and starting the messaging service takes a few minutes. You cannot start to configure any other service that requires the messaging service, such as Varonis, until the messaging service is running. Clicking a server displays the server window with the server name as the window title. The **Messaging Server** box is checked. ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-YOAPGSCK.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) You cannot uncheck this service. ## Messaging Service Statuses The messaging service is in one of the following statuses: **NO SERVERS/No messaging servers available** – No servers have been defined as messaging servers. **DEPLOYING/Deploying messaging service** – The servers defined as messaging servers are being deployed. This status is displayed after defining messaging servers and takes a few minutes for the service to be deployed on the servers. **ACTIVE/Running OK** – The messaging service is up and running. **WARNING: Something wrong with some of the servers** – At least one messaging server is working but one or more messaging servers have problems. The messaging service is still running but the problematic messaging servers need attention. **ERROR: Messaging service has failed** – The messaging service is not working. **ERROR: Couldn't fetch messaging service status** – The collection of the messaging service status failed. **READ-ONLY MODE: Not enough available storage on the messaging server** – The available storage for the messaging service logs has dropped to 4GB or less. The messaging server is in read-only mode until more space is freed up. Message retention in the logs can be set to help prevent this status. For details, see [CTERA Messaging Service Logs](/v1/docs/setting-up-the-ctera-messaging-service-3-1#ctera-messaging-service-logs). ## CTERA Messaging Service Logs All CTERA services that require the CTERA Messaging service, for example the Varonis log, write to the same volume, /usr/local/lib/ctera/work/logs/services. In order that the logs do not grow too large, which can cause storage issues, you can set how long messages in the logs are retained. **To set the messaging service logs retention:** 1. In the global administration view, select **Services > Messaging** in the navigation pane. The **Messaging** page is displayed. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-D3926X3O.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) 2. Click **Settings**. The **Settings** page is displayed. ![Image](https://cdn.document360.io/30792387-cdcb-4791-aa14-94929bbcd3fe/Images/Documentation/image-ADF89M5N.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-11T04%3A29%3A04Z&se=2026-11-11T05%3A29%3A04Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=2ZYXAR4wgfYhVi50sLUpNwhZEEWWJ5wfE0hgUqZmXmo%3D) 3. Set the number of days messages should be retained. 4. Click **Save**.