Docs Menu
Docs Home
/
MongoDB Manual
/ / /

sh.startBalancer()

On this page

  • Definition
  • Compatibility
  • Behavior
sh.startBalancer(timeout, interval)

Changed in version 6.1.

Starts the balancer in a sharded cluster.

Starting in MongoDB 6.0.3, automatic chunk splitting is not performed. This is because of balancing policy improvements. Auto-splitting commands still exist, but do not perform an operation.

In MongoDB versions earlier than 6.1, sh.startBalancer() also enables auto-splitting for the sharded cluster.

Important

mongosh Method

This page documents a mongosh method. This is not the documentation for database commands or language-specific drivers, such as Node.js.

For the database command, see the balancerStart command.

For MongoDB API drivers, refer to the language-specific MongoDB driver documentation.

The method can take the following options:

Parameter
Type
Description

timeout

integer

Optional. Time limit for enabling the balancer.

Defaults to 60000 milliseconds.

interval

integer

Optional. The frequency (in milliseconds) at which to check if a balancing round has started.

You can only run sh.startBalancer() on a mongos instance. sh.startBalancer() errors if run on mongod instance.

This method is available in deployments hosted in the following environments:

  • MongoDB Atlas: The fully managed service for MongoDB deployments in the cloud

Important

This command is not supported in M0, M2, and M5 clusters. For more information, see Unsupported Commands.

The mongosh shell method sh.startBalancer() is a wrapper around the balancerStart command. As such, the method does not wait for balancing to start.

In earlier versions, the method waited for the balancing to start.

Tip

See also:

Back

sh.startAutoMerger