= cassandra-topologies.properties file

The `PropertyFileSnitch` `snitch` option uses the
`cassandra-topologies.properties` configuration file to determine which
`datacenters` and racks cluster nodes belong to. If other snitches are
used, the xref:configuration/cass_rackdc_file.adoc[cassandra-rackdc.properties] must be used. The snitch determines
network topology (proximity by rack and datacenter) so that requests are
routed efficiently and allows the database to distribute replicas
evenly.

Include every node in the cluster in the properties file, defining your
datacenter names as in the keyspace definition. The datacenter and rack
names are case-sensitive.

The `cassandra-topologies.properties` file must be copied identically to
every node in the cluster.

== Example

This example uses three datacenters:

[source,bash]
----
# datacenter One

175.56.12.105=DC1:RAC1
175.50.13.200=DC1:RAC1
175.54.35.197=DC1:RAC1

120.53.24.101=DC1:RAC2
120.55.16.200=DC1:RAC2
120.57.102.103=DC1:RAC2

# datacenter Two

110.56.12.120=DC2:RAC1
110.50.13.201=DC2:RAC1
110.54.35.184=DC2:RAC1

50.33.23.120=DC2:RAC2
50.45.14.220=DC2:RAC2
50.17.10.203=DC2:RAC2

# datacenter Three

172.106.12.120=DC3:RAC1
172.106.12.121=DC3:RAC1
172.106.12.122=DC3:RAC1

# default for unknown nodes 
default =DC3:RAC1
----