How to configure MinIO object storage for InfluxDB 3 Core

Configuring MinIO object storage lets InfluxDB 3 Core persist its catalog, write-ahead log, and data files through an S3-compatible API instead of a local filesystem path. It fits lab, edge, and staging deployments where the database should exercise object-storage behavior before a production S3 provider is selected.

Core connects to MinIO through the S3 storage mode on influxdb3 serve. The node ID becomes the object-key prefix, the bucket stores Core's database state, and the MinIO user credentials map to the AWS-style access key and secret key that the S3 client expects.

A dedicated MinIO user keeps database access separate from root administration. A write/query smoke test confirms InfluxDB can use the configured object store, and a final mc ls check shows the catalog and WAL objects created under the configured bucket.

Steps to configure MinIO object storage for InfluxDB 3 Core:

Add a MinIO alias for the administrative account.
```
$ mc alias set local http://minio.example.net:9000 MINIO_ROOT_USER MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD
Added `local` successfully.
```
Use root or administrator credentials only for bucket, user, and policy setup. InfluxDB 3 Core should run with a dedicated user after the policy is attached.
Create the bucket that InfluxDB 3 Core will use.
```
$ mc mb --ignore-existing local/influxdb3
Bucket created successfully `local/influxdb3`.
```
Keep one bucket or prefix boundary per Core deployment so object listings, backups, and restore tests are not mixed with unrelated workloads.

Create a bucket policy file for the InfluxDB service user.

influxdb3-policy.json

{
  "Version": "2012-10-17",
  "Statement": [
    {
      "Action": [
        "s3:GetBucketLocation",
        "s3:ListBucket"
      ],
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Resource": ["arn:aws:s3:::influxdb3"]
    },
    {
      "Action": [
        "s3:PutObject",
        "s3:GetObject",
        "s3:DeleteObject"
      ],
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Resource": ["arn:aws:s3:::influxdb3/*"]
    }
  ]
}

The object permissions allow Core to write, read, and remove the files it manages inside the bucket.

Create the MinIO user that InfluxDB will use.
```
$ mc admin user add local influxdb3 STRONG_MINIO_PASSWORD
Added user `influxdb3` successfully.
```
Use a generated secret and store it in the same secret-management surface that supplies the InfluxDB service environment.

Create the MinIO policy from the JSON file.

$ mc admin policy create local influxdb3-rw ./influxdb3-policy.json
Created policy `influxdb3-rw` successfully.

Attach the policy to the InfluxDB user.

$ mc admin policy attach local influxdb3-rw --user influxdb3
Attached Policies: [influxdb3-rw]
To User: influxdb3

Start InfluxDB 3 Core with the MinIO endpoint.
```
$ influxdb3 serve \
  --node-id core01 \
  --object-store s3 \
  --bucket influxdb3 \
  --aws-endpoint http://minio.example.net:9000 \
  --aws-access-key-id influxdb3 \
  --aws-secret-access-key STRONG_MINIO_PASSWORD \
  --aws-allow-http
InfluxDB 3 Core server started
##### snipped #####
```
Use --aws-allow-http only for a trusted non-TLS MinIO endpoint. Omit it when the endpoint uses HTTPS with a certificate that Core trusts.

For the packaged systemd service, put the equivalent keys in /etc/influxdb3/influxdb3-core.conf and restart the influxdb3-core unit.
Related: How to configure InfluxDB 3 Core for systemd
Related: How to manage the InfluxDB 3 Core service with systemctl
Set the InfluxDB admin token in a second terminal.
```
$ export INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN='AUTH_TOKEN'
```
Replace AUTH_TOKEN with an admin token or another token that can create the test database and write data. Keep raw tokens out of shared transcripts, screenshots, issue comments, and committed scripts.

Related: How to create an InfluxDB 3 Core admin token

Create a disposable database for the object-storage smoke test.

$ influxdb3 create database --token "$INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN" factory_metrics
Database "factory_metrics" created successfully

Write one point to the database.

$ influxdb3 write --token "$INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN" --database factory_metrics 'temperature,site=plant-1 value=22.4'
722ms: 1 request (1.38 requests/sec), 1 lines (1 lines/s), 35B (48B/s)

Query the point from InfluxDB.

$ influxdb3 query --token "$INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN" --database factory_metrics 'SELECT site, value FROM temperature'
+---------+-------+
| site    | value |
+---------+-------+
| plant-1 | 22.4  |
+---------+-------+

List the MinIO objects created by the Core node.

$ mc ls --recursive local/influxdb3
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]    98B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000001.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]   192B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000002.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]   457B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000003.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]    90B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000004.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:13:13 UTC]    99B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000005.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:13:13 UTC]   174B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/logs/00000000000000000006.catalog
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]   105B STANDARD core01/catalog/v3/snapshot
[2026-06-20 04:12:23 UTC]    31B STANDARD core01/table-index-conversion-completed
[2026-06-20 04:13:13 UTC]   156B STANDARD core01/wal/00000000001.wal

The core01 prefix should match --node-id. Catalog and WAL objects after the write confirm Core is using the MinIO bucket instead of local file storage.

Author: Mohd Shakir Zakaria
Mohd Shakir Zakaria is a cloud architect with deep roots in software development and open-source advocacy. Certified in AWS, Red Hat, VMware, ITIL, and Linux, he specializes in designing and managing robust cloud and on-premises infrastructures.