# Kafka Cluster
[Apache Kafka](https://kafka.apache.org/) is a distributed streaming platform that enables the development of real-time, event-driven applications. It is commonly used to build **streaming data pipelines** and **streaming applications** that process and move data between systems in real time. Kafka allows applications to consume and process streams of data at high speed and with high accuracy.
Refer to the [AWS documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/msk/latest/developerguide/what-is-msk.html) for detailed information on using Apache Kafka within the AWS ecosystem.
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When creating a Kafka cluster in DuploCloud, if you want to choose a specific cluster configuration or configuration revision, you must first create or define that configuration/revision in the AWS Console before you can select it in DuploCloud.
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## Creating Kafka clusters
### Creating a provisioned Kafka cluster
1. In the DuploCloud Portal, navigate to **Cloud Services** -> **Analytics**.
2. Click the **Kafka** tab.
3. Click **Add**. The **Create a Kafka Cluster** pane displays.
4. Enter a **Kafka Cluster Name**.
5. In the **Cluster Type** list box, select **Provisioned**.
6. From the field list boxes, select you Kafka **Version**, the **Size** of the cluster you want to create, the **Volume** size in gigabytes, and the **Transit Encryption** mode.
7. Optionally, select **Availability Zones.** You must specify a minimum of two (2) **Availability Zones** zones.
8. Optionally, select a **Number of Broker Nodes**.
9. Optionally, select a **Cluster Configuration** and **Configuration Revision** when creating a Kafka Cluster in DuploCloud. The **Cluster Configuration** and **Configuration Revision** list boxes are prepopulated with configurations and revisions previously defined in the AWS Portal.
Create a Kafka Cluster pane
10. Click **Submit**. It may take up to half an hour to create the cluster and display an **Active** status in the **Kafka** tab
Kafka tab with Kafka clusters
### Creating a serverless Kafka cluster
1. In the DuploCloud Portal, navigate to **Cloud Services** -> **Analytics**.
2. Click the **Kafka** tab.
3. Click **Add**. The **Create a Kafka Cluster** pane displays.
The Create a Kafka Cluster pane
4. Enter a **Kafka Cluster Name**.
5. In the **Cluster Type** list box, select **Serverless**.
6. Optionally, select **Availability Zones.** You must specify a minimum of two (2) **Availability Zones** zones.
7. Click **Submit**. It may take up to half an hour to create the cluster and display an **Active** status in the **Kafka** tab
## Viewing Kafka clusters
View Kafka Clusters by navigating to **Cloud Services** -> **Analytics** in the DuploCloud Portal and selecting the **Kafka** tab.
## Changing Kafka cluster configuration
1. In the DuploCloud Portal, navigate to **Cloud Services** -> **Analytics**.
2. Click the **Kafka** tab.
3. Select the Kafka cluster rom the **Name** column. The **Kafka Cluster** page displays.
4. Click the **Actions** menu and select **Change Configuration**. The **Change Cluster Configuration** pane displays.
Kafka Cluster page Actions menu displaying Change Configuration option
5. From the **Cluster Configuration** list box, select the new cluster configuration.
Change Cluster Configuration pane .
6. From the **Configuration Revision** list box, select the revision of the new cluster configuration.
7. Click **Submit**. The configuration change is displayed on the **Kafka Cluster** page
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