Manage Aliases

In Zilliz Cloud, an alias is a secondary, mutable name for a collection. Using aliases provides a layer of abstraction that allows you to dynamically switch between collections without modifying your application code. This is particularly useful in production environments for seamless data updates, A/B testing, and other operational tasks.

This page demonstrates how to create, list, reassign, and drop collection aliases.

Why Use an Alias

The primary benefit of using an alias is to decouple your client application from a specific, physical collection name.

Imagine you have a live application that queries a collection with an alias named prod_data. When you need to update the underlying data, you can perform the update without any service interruption. The workflow would be:

1. Create a New Collection: Create a new collection, for instance, prod_data_v2.

2. Prepare Data: Index and load the new data in prod_data_v2.

3. Switch the Alias: Once the new collection is ready for service, atomically reassign the alias prod_data from the old collection to prod_data_v2.

Your application continues to send requests to the alias prod_data, experiencing zero downtime. This mechanism enables seamless updates and simplifies operations like blue-green deployments for your vector search service.

Key Properties of Aliases:

• A collection can have multiple aliases.

• An alias can only point to one collection at a time.

• When processing a request, Zilliz Cloud first checks if a collection with the provided name exists. If not, it then checks if the name is an alias for a collection.

Create Alias

The following code snippet demonstrates how to create an alias for a collection.

Python

python

from pymilvus import MilvusClient

client = MilvusClient(
    uri="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT",
    token="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"
)

# 9. Manage aliases
# 9.1. Create aliases
client.create_alias(
    collection_name="my_collection_1",
    alias="bob"
)

client.create_alias(
    collection_name="my_collection_1",
    alias="alice"
)

Java

java

import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.request.CreateAliasReq;
import io.milvus.v2.client.ConnectConfig;
import io.milvus.v2.client.MilvusClientV2;

String CLUSTER_ENDPOINT = "YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT";
String TOKEN = "YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN";

// 1. Connect to Milvus server
ConnectConfig connectConfig = ConnectConfig.builder()
        .uri(CLUSTER_ENDPOINT)
        .token(TOKEN)
        .build();

MilvusClientV2 client = new MilvusClientV2(connectConfig);

// 9. Manage aliases

// 9.1 Create alias
CreateAliasReq createAliasReq = CreateAliasReq.builder()
        .collectionName("my_collection_1")
        .alias("bob")
        .build();

client.createAlias(createAliasReq);

createAliasReq = CreateAliasReq.builder()
        .collectionName("my_collection_1")
        .alias("alice")
        .build();

client.createAlias(createAliasReq);

NodeJS

javascript

import { MilvusClient, DataType } from "@zilliz/milvus2-sdk-node";

const address = "YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT";
const token = "YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN";
const client = new MilvusClient({address, token});

// 9. Manage aliases
// 9.1 Create aliases
res = await client.createAlias({
    collection_name: "my_collection_1",
    alias: "bob"
})

console.log(res.error_code)

// Output
// 
// Success
// 

res = await client.createAlias({
    collection_name: "my_collection_1",
    alias: "alice"
})

console.log(res.error_code)

// Output
// 
// Success
// 

Go

go

import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    
    "github.com/milvus-io/milvus/client/v2/milvusclient"
)
ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
defer cancel()

milvusAddr := "YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
client, err := milvusclient.New(ctx, &milvusclient.ClientConfig{
    Address: milvusAddr,
})
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}
defer client.Close(ctx)

err = client.CreateAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewCreateAliasOption("my_collection_1", "bob"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}

err = client.CreateAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewCreateAliasOption("my_collection_1", "alice"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}

cURL

bash

export CLUSTER_ENDPOINT="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
export TOKEN="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/create" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "bob",
    "collectionName": "my_collection_1"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {}
# }

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/create" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "alice",
    "collectionName": "my_collection_1"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {}
# }

C++

c++

#include "milvus/MilvusClientV2.h"

auto client = milvus::MilvusClientV2::Create();

milvus::ConnectParam connect_param{"YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT", "YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"};
auto status = client->Connect(connect_param);
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}

status = client->CreateAlias(milvus::CreateAliasRequest()
                                .WithCollectionName("my_collection_1")
                                .WithAlias("bob"));
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}

status = client->CreateAlias(milvus::CreateAliasRequest()
                                .WithCollectionName("my_collection_1")
                                .WithAlias("alice"));
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}

List Aliases

The following code snippet demonstrates the procedure to list the aliases allocated to a specific collection.

Python

python

# 9.2. List aliases
res = client.list_aliases(
    collection_name="my_collection_1"
)

print(res)

# Output
#
# {
#     "aliases": [
#         "bob",
#         "alice"
#     ],
#     "collection_name": "my_collection_1",
#     "db_name": "default"
# }

Java

java

import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.request.ListAliasesReq;
import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.response.ListAliasResp;

// 9.2 List alises
ListAliasesReq listAliasesReq = ListAliasesReq.builder()
    .collectionName("my_collection_1")
    .build();

ListAliasResp listAliasRes = client.listAliases(listAliasesReq);

System.out.println(listAliasRes.getAlias());

// Output:
// [bob, alice]

NodeJS

javascript

// 9.2 List aliases
res = await client.listAliases({
    collection_name: "my_collection_1"
})

console.log(res.aliases)

// Output
// 
// [ 'bob', 'alice' ]
// 

Go

go

aliases, err := client.ListAliases(ctx, milvusclient.NewListAliasesOption("my_collection_1"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}
fmt.Println(aliases)

cURL

bash

export CLUSTER_ENDPOINT="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
export TOKEN="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/list" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": [
#         "bob",
#         "alice"
#     ]
# }

C++

c++

milvus::ListAliasesResponse response;
auto status = client->ListAliases(milvus::ListAliasesRequest()
                                    .WithCollectionName("my_collection_1"),
                                  response);
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}
for (auto alias : response.Aliases()) {
    std::cout << "\t" << alias << std::endl;
}

Describe Alias

The following code snippet describes a specific alias in detail, including the name of the collection to which it has been allocated.

Python

python

# 9.3. Describe aliases
res = client.describe_alias(
    alias="bob"
)

print(res)

# Output
#
# {
#     "alias": "bob",
#     "collection_name": "my_collection_1",
#     "db_name": "default"
# }

Java

java

import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.request.DescribeAliasReq;
import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.response.DescribeAliasResp;

// 9.3 Describe alias
DescribeAliasReq describeAliasReq = DescribeAliasReq.builder()
    .alias("bob")
    .build();

DescribeAliasResp describeAliasRes = client.describeAlias(describeAliasReq);

System.out.println(describeAliasRes);

// Output:
// DescribeAliasResp(databaseName=default, collectionName=my_collection_1, alias=bob)

NodeJS

javascript

// 9.3 Describe aliases
res = await client.describeAlias({
    collection_name: "my_collection_1",
    alias: "bob"
})

console.log(res)

// Output
// 
// {
//   status: {
//     extra_info: {},
//     error_code: 'Success',
//     reason: '',
//     code: 0,
//     retriable: false,
//     detail: ''
//   },
//   db_name: 'default',
//   alias: 'bob',
//   collection: 'my_collection_1'
// }
// 

Go

go

alias, err := client.DescribeAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewDescribeAliasOption("bob"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}
fmt.Println(alias)

cURL

bash

export CLUSTER_ENDPOINT="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
export TOKEN="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/describe" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "bob"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {
#         "aliasName": "bob",
#         "collectionName": "my_collection_1",
#         "dbName": "default"
#     }
# }

C++

c++

milvus::DescribeAliasResponse response;
auto status = client->DescribeAlias(milvus::DescribeAliasRequest().WithAlias("bob"),
                                    response);
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}
std::cout << "Collection name: " << response.Desc().CollectionName() << std::endl;
std::cout << "Database name: " << response.Desc().DatabaseName() << std::endl;

Alter Alias

You can reallocate the alias already allocated to a specific collection to another.

Python

python

# 9.4 Reassign aliases to other collections
client.alter_alias(
    collection_name="my_collection_2",
    alias="alice"
)

res = client.list_aliases(
    collection_name="my_collection_2"
)

print(res)

# Output
#
# {
#     "aliases": [
#         "alice"
#     ],
#     "collection_name": "my_collection_2",
#     "db_name": "default"
# }

res = client.list_aliases(
    collection_name="my_collection_1"
)

print(res)

# Output
#
# {
#     "aliases": [
#         "bob"
#     ],
#     "collection_name": "my_collection_1",
#     "db_name": "default"
# }

Java

java

import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.request.AlterAliasReq;

// 9.4 Reassign alias to other collections
AlterAliasReq alterAliasReq = AlterAliasReq.builder()
        .collectionName("my_collection_2")
        .alias("alice")
        .build();

client.alterAlias(alterAliasReq);

ListAliasesReq listAliasesReq = ListAliasesReq.builder()
        .collectionName("my_collection_2")
        .build();

ListAliasResp listAliasRes = client.listAliases(listAliasesReq);

System.out.println(listAliasRes.getAlias());

listAliasesReq = ListAliasesReq.builder()
        .collectionName("my_collection_1")
        .build();

listAliasRes = client.listAliases(listAliasesReq);

System.out.println(listAliasRes.getAlias());

// Output:
// [bob]

NodeJS

javascript

// 9.4 Reassign aliases to other collections
res = await client.alterAlias({
    collection_name: "my_collection_2",
    alias: "alice"
})

console.log(res.error_code)

// Output
// 
// Success
// 

res = await client.listAliases({
    collection_name: "my_collection_2"
})

console.log(res.aliases)

// Output
// 
// [ 'alice' ]
// 

res = await client.listAliases({
    collection_name: "my_collection_1"
})

console.log(res.aliases)

// Output
// 
// [ 'bob' ]
// 

Go

go

err = client.AlterAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewAlterAliasOption("alice", "my_collection_2"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}

aliases, err := client.ListAliases(ctx, milvusclient.NewListAliasesOption("my_collection_2"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}
fmt.Println(aliases)

aliases, err = client.ListAliases(ctx, milvusclient.NewListAliasesOption("my_collection_1"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}
fmt.Println(aliases)

cURL

bash

export CLUSTER_ENDPOINT="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
export TOKEN="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/alter" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "alice",
    "collectionName": "my_collection_2"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {}
# }

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/describe" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "alice"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {
#         "aliasName": "alice",
#         "collectionName": "my_collection_2",
#         "dbName": "default"
#     }
# }

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/describe" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "bob"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {
#         "aliasName": "alice",
#         "collectionName": "my_collection_1",
#         "dbName": "default"
#     }
# }

C++

c++

auto status = client->AlterAlias(milvus::AlterAliasRequest()
                                    .WithAlias("alice")
                                    .WithCollectionName("my_collection_2"));
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}

milvus::ListAliasesResponse response;
status = client->ListAliases(milvus::ListAliasesRequest()
                                .WithCollectionName("my_collection_2"),
                             response);
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}
std::cout << "aliases of my_collection_2" << std::endl;
for (auto alias : response.Aliases()) {
    std::cout << "\t" << alias << std::endl;
}

status = client->ListAliases(milvus::ListAliasesRequest()
                                .WithCollectionName("my_collection_1"),
                             response);
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}
std::cout << "aliases of my_collection_1" << std::endl;
for (auto alias : response.Aliases()) {
    std::cout << "\t" << alias << std::endl;
}

Drop Alias

The following code snippet demonstrates the procedure to drop an alias.

Python

python

# 9.5 Drop aliases
client.drop_alias(
    alias="bob"
)

client.drop_alias(
    alias="alice"
)

Java

java

import io.milvus.v2.service.utility.request.DropAliasReq;

// 9.5 Drop alias
DropAliasReq dropAliasReq = DropAliasReq.builder()
    .alias("bob")
    .build();

client.dropAlias(dropAliasReq);

dropAliasReq = DropAliasReq.builder()
    .alias("alice")
    .build();

client.dropAlias(dropAliasReq);

NodeJS

javascript

// 9.5 Drop aliases
res = await client.dropAlias({
    alias: "bob"
})

console.log(res.error_code)

// Output
// 
// Success
// 

res = await client.dropAlias({
    alias: "alice"
})

console.log(res.error_code)

// Output
// 
// Success
// 

Go

go

err = client.DropAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewDropAliasOption("bob"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}

err = client.DropAlias(ctx, milvusclient.NewDropAliasOption("alice"))
if err != nil {
    fmt.Println(err.Error())
    // handle error
}

cURL

bash

export CLUSTER_ENDPOINT="YOUR_CLUSTER_ENDPOINT"
export TOKEN="YOUR_CLUSTER_TOKEN"

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/drop" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "bob"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {}
# }

curl --request POST \
--url "${CLUSTER_ENDPOINT}/v2/vectordb/aliases/drop" \
--header "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--header "Request-Timeout: 10" \
-d '{
    "aliasName": "alice"
}'

# {
#     "code": 0,
#     "data": {}
# }

C++

c++

auto status = client->DropAlias(milvus::DropAliasRequest().WithAlias("bob"));
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}

status = client->DropAlias(milvus::DropAliasRequest().WithAlias("alice"));
if (!status.IsOk()) {
    std::cout << status.Message() << std::endl;
}