From 2e4919d6169fae681acef577243577abc6f5f36a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Charlie Voiselle <464492+angrycub@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2020 09:14:17 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Adding info about bootstrap

---
 website/pages/docs/configuration/server.mdx | 18 ++++++++--------
 website/pages/docs/faq.mdx                  | 23 +++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/website/pages/docs/configuration/server.mdx b/website/pages/docs/configuration/server.mdx
index 42f4d031d..f30d49ef2 100644
--- a/website/pages/docs/configuration/server.mdx
+++ b/website/pages/docs/configuration/server.mdx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
---
+---
 layout: docs
 page_title: server Stanza - Agent Configuration
 sidebar_title: server
@@ -241,20 +241,19 @@ server {
 
 ### Bootstrapping with a Custom Scheduler Config
 
-While bootstrapping a node, you can use the `default_scheduler_config` stanza to
-prime the cluster with a [`SchedulerConfig`][update-scheduler-config]. The
+While [bootstrapping a cluster], you can use the `default_scheduler_config` stanza
+to prime the cluster with a [`SchedulerConfig`][update-scheduler-config]. The
 scheduler configuration determines which scheduling algorithm is configured—
-spread scheduling or binpacking—and which job types are eligible for
-preemption.
+spread scheduling or binpacking—and which job types are eligible for preemption.
 
 ~> **Warning:** Once the cluster is bootstrapped, you must configure this using
    the [update scheduler configuration][update-scheduler-config] API. This
    option is only consulted during bootstrap.
 
-The structure matches the [Update Scheduler Config][update-scheduler-config]
-API endpoint, which you should consult for canonical documentation. However, the attributes
-names must be adapted to HCL syntax by using snake case representations rather than 
-camel case.
+The structure matches the [Update Scheduler Config][update-scheduler-config] API
+endpoint, which you should consult for canonical documentation. However, the
+attributes names must be adapted to HCL syntax by using snake case
+representations rather than camel case.
 
 This example shows configuring spread scheduling and enabling preemption for all
 job-type schedulers.
@@ -276,3 +275,4 @@ server {
 [encryption]: https://learn.hashicorp.com/nomad/transport-security/gossip-encryption 'Nomad Encryption Overview'
 [server-join]: /docs/configuration/server_join 'Server Join'
 [update-scheduler-config]: /api-docs/operator#update-scheduler-configuration 'Scheduler Config'
+[bootstrapping a cluster]: /docs/faq#bootstrapping
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/website/pages/docs/faq.mdx b/website/pages/docs/faq.mdx
index abc413741..f8e13bef2 100644
--- a/website/pages/docs/faq.mdx
+++ b/website/pages/docs/faq.mdx
@@ -37,6 +37,29 @@ Consul on the other hand does not have this two-tier approach to servers and
 agents and instead [relies on federation to create larger logical
 clusters][consul_fed].
 
+## Q: What is "bootstrapping" a Nomad cluster? ((#bootstrapping))
+
+Bootstrapping is the process when a Nomad cluster elects its first leader
+and writes the initial cluster state to that leader's state store. Bootstrapping
+will not occur until at least a given number of servers, defined by
+[`bootstrap_expect`], have connected to each other. Once this process has
+completed, the cluster is said to be bootstrapped and is ready to use.
+
+Certain configuration options are only used to influence the creation of the
+initial cluster state during bootstrapping and are not consulted again so long
+as the state data remains intact. These typically are values that must be
+consistent across server members. For example, the [`default_scheduler_config`]
+option allows an operator to set the SchedulerConfig to non-default values
+during this bootstrap process rather than requiring an immediate call to the API
+once the cluster is up and running.
+
+If the state is completely destroyed, whether intentionally or accidentally, on
+all of the Nomad servers in the same outage, the cluster will re-bootstrap based
+on the Nomad defaults and any configuration present that impacts the bootstrap
+process.
+
 [consul_dc]: https://www.consul.io/docs/agent/options.html#_datacenter
 [consul_fed]: https://www.consul.io/docs/guides/datacenters.html
 [nomad_region]: /docs/configuration#datacenter
+[`bootstrap_expect`]: /docs/configuration/server#bootstrap_expect
+[`default_scheduler_config`]: /docs/configuration/server#default_scheduler_config