# Pre-installation steps

As a DCE subscriber, Sonar will assist with the setup and configuration of your cluster. Get in touch with your account manager to receive appropriate onboarding resources.

## Generating a JWT token <a href="#jwt-token" id="jwt-token"></a>

To keep user sessions alive during a restart, you will need to generate a JWT token that will be stored in each application node. See [Defining a JWT token](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/pre-installation/jwt-token.md).

## Configuring the search nodes to comply with Elasticsearch <a href="#configuring-search-nodes" id="configuring-search-nodes"></a>

Because SonarQube Server uses an embedded Elasticsearch, make sure that the configuration of your search nodes complies with the [Elasticsearch production mode requirements](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docker.html#docker-prod-prerequisites) and [File Descriptors configuration](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/file-descriptors.html). See the corresponding page:

* [On Linux systems](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/pre-installation/linux.md)
* [On macOS systems](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/pre-installation/macos.md)

## Various settings <a href="#various-settings" id="various-settings"></a>

You may have to perform additional steps on the cluster nodes depending on your environment. See:

* [On Linux systems](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/pre-installation/linux.md)
* [On Unix-based systems](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/pre-installation/unix.md)

## Related pages <a href="#related-pages" id="related-pages"></a>

* [DCE topology](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/dce-topology.md)
* [Installation requirements](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/installation-requirements.md)
* [Installing from ZIP file](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/from-zip-file.md)
* [Installing on Kubernetes or Openshift](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/on-kubernetes-or-openshift.md)
* **Configuring network security features:**
  * [Securing behind a proxy](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/network-security/securing-behind-proxy.md)
  * [Elasticsearch security features](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/network-security/elasticsearch-security-features.md)
  * [Network rules](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/network-security/network-rules.md)
* [Starting and stopping cluster](/sonarqube-server/2026.2/server-installation/data-center-edition/starting-stopping-cluster.md)


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