---
title: "Install and run EZswitch in PV autoscaling"
slug: "install-and-run-ezswitch-in-storage-autoscaling"
updated: 2026-07-21T09:45:50Z
published: 2026-07-21T09:45:50Z
canonical: "docs.zesty.co/install-and-run-ezswitch-in-storage-autoscaling"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zesty.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install and run EZswitch in PV autoscaling

This topic describes how to install and run EZswitch in PV autoscaling.

**Prerequisites**

- Kompass Storage deployed and configured (as described in [Deploy Storage Autoscaling](https://docs.zesty.co/docs/deploy-pvs-autoscaling))
- Kubernetes v1.24 or later
- cluster-admin permissions to deploy and manage the EZswitch controller and related CRDs

## Install and start EZswitch

You can install and start EZswitch in either of these ways:

- **Automatically**: This single command method, using the kubectl-zesty plugin is best for quick, streamlined migrations.
- **Manually**: This method provides more control, allowing you to version-control your EZswitch resources, integrate with GitOps tools (like [Argo CD](https://argo-cd.readthedocs.io/)), and fine-tune the migration process before starting.

<editor360-custom-block data-preprocessing="true" data-sanitizationtags="a"><h3 data-block-id="31fd48b1-e194-4a60-bd85-9f6e487611bd" id="automatically-install-and-start-ezswitch"><a id="_heading=h.tx31qsuxvq35" display="false"></a>Automatically install and start EZswitch</h3></editor360-custom-block>

The kubectl-zesty plugin provides a streamlined command-line interface for EZswitch operations.

When using the plugin, it will:

1. Install the zesty-ezswitch-helm chart automatically.
2. Create and manage the required [EZswitch custom resource](/v1/docs/install-and-run-ezswitch-in-kompass-storage#the-ezswitch-custom-resource).
3. Provide easy access to migration status and controls.

**Prerequisites**

- Krew is installed. To install Krew, see [Windows](https://krew.sigs.k8s.io/docs/user-guide/setup/install/) or [MacOS](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/krew).
- The latest version of the Kubectl-zesty plugin is installed. To install the plugin, see [To install the Zesty Kubectl plugin](https://docs.zesty.co/v1/docs/monitor-k8s#To-install-the-Zesty-Kubectl-plugin). To update the currently-installed plugin to the latest version, run the following command: `kubectl krew update zesty`

#### **To install and start EZswitch automatically:**

- Install and start EZswitch by running the following command: `kubectl zesty ezswitch start &lt;stsName&gt; [--autoMigrate=&lt;true|false&gt;] [--helm-namespace=&lt;namespace&gt;] [--set key=value ...]`
- **Example**:

`kubectl zesty ezswitch start myapp-sts --autoMigrate=false --set logLevel=4`

To see all available fields, see [https://github.com/zesty-co/zesty-ezswitch-helm](https://github.com/zesty-co/zesty-ezswitch-helm)

By default, EZswitch resources are installed in the zesty-ezswitch namespace. To override the default, use the `--helm-namespace` option, as described in [EZswitch Command reference](/v1/docs/ezswitch-command-reference).

### Manually install and start EZswitch

Use this method for direct Helm management (such as GitOps workflows) or if you don't want to use the kubectl-zesty plugin.

#### **To install and start EZswitch manually:**
  1. Add (or update) the zesty repository to your namespace:
    - To add the repository: `helm repo add zestyezswitchrepo https://zesty-co.github.io/zesty-ezswitch-helm`
    - If the repository is already configured, update it: `helm repo update`
  2. Install the EZswitch Helm chart: `helm install zesty-ezswitch [-n &lt;NAMESPACE&gt;] zestyezswitchrepo/ezswitch`

**Note** For a description of additional Helm settings, see XXhelm-chart-valuesXXX
  3. Create the EZswitch custom resource.

Create a YAML file (for example, **ezswitch-resource.yaml**) that includes your EZswitch configurations as outlined in the [EZswitch custom resource](/v1/docs/install-and-run-ezswitch-in-kompass-storage#the-ezswitch-custom-resource). **Example**:

```plaintext
apiVersion: storage.zesty.co/v1alpha1
kind: EZswitch 
metadata:
  name: myapp-sts-ezswitch
  namespace: default # Namespace should match stsNamespace
spec:
  stsName: myapp-sts # Name of source statefulset to be migrated
  stsNamespace: default # Namespace of source statefulset
  autoMigrate: true # Sets migration process to migrate as soon as all data is copied
  zestyStsName: myapp-sts-zesty # Name of target statefulset to migrate into
```

Setting `autoMigrate: true` will run the migration automatically from start to finish. Setting `autoMigrate: false` allows you to manually control when to proceed between migration phases. See the full CR options in the section [EZswitch custom resource](/v1/docs/install-and-run-ezswitch-in-kompass-storage#the-ezswitch-custom-resource).
  4. Apply the EZswitch custom resource, by running the following command:

`kubectl apply -f ezswitch-resource.yaml`

When the resource is applied, the migration will start running.

**Note**: Deleting the EZswitch resource during an ongoing migration will trigger a rollback, undoing all changes made so far. For the rollback to function correctly, the original StatefulSet must still be present. To remove the created resources in a more graceful way, use the delete command: kubectl delete ezswitch <ezswitch-name>
  5. Clean up by removing resources that are no longer needed, by running the following command: `helm uninstall zesty-ezswitch [--helm-namespace &lt;NAMESPACE&gt;]`

#### Helm chart values

| Key | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| logLevel | 6 | Log level for the ezswitch-controller |
| controller.image | zd/k8s/ezswitch-controller | The controller container image |
| controller.tag | latest | The controller image tag |
| syncJob.image | zd/k8s/sync-pvcs | The sync job container image (for data migration) |
| syncJob.tag | latest | The sync job image tag |

**Note**: The logLevel sets the verbosity level based on the [klog](https://github.com/kubernetes/klog) style. Higher numbers mean more verbose logs.

<editor360-custom-block data-preprocessing="true" data-sanitizationtags="a"><h4 data-block-id="80deeaf2-40a1-4496-9b17-ffafc43e78c3" id="the-ezswitch-custom-resource"><a id="_heading=h.dwehknqo7oxr" display="false"></a>The EZswitch Custom Resource</h4></editor360-custom-block>

An EZswitch resource specifies the intended migration actions.

Important fields are:

- **.spec.stsName**: Name of the original StatefulSet.
- **.spec.stsNamespace**: Namespace of the original StatefulSet.
- **.spec.autoMigrate**:
  - true (default): Executes a fully automated process (sync, scale down the old STS, final sync, deploy the new STS).
  - false: Halts at Syncing, maintaining the original StatefulSet and continuously syncing PVCs until manually resumed.
- **.spec.zestyStsName**: Name of the new Zesty-backed StatefulSet (defaults to <stsName>-zesty).

If you are not using the zesty-plugin, you can manage migration behavior with these fields:

- **.status.phase**:
  - Pausing - Pauses ezswitch migration
  - Activating - Resumes ezswitch migration
- **.spec.transferRateLimits**: Specifies the maximum transfer rate for sync jobs in kb/s (utilizes rsync's bwlimit argument). If unset, no limit is applied.
- **.spec.autoMigrate**: Initially determines if the migration process is fully automated or semi-controlled. For semi-controlled migration (autoMigrate=false), change .spec.autoMigrate to true to continue the migration process.