Data Flow Manager (DFM)
Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. DFM can be deployed entirely on-premise and works seamlessly with existing on-premise NiFi clusters, ensuring full data control and compliance.

Yes. DFM fully supports OpenShift-based NiFi deployments, enabling containerized, enterprise-grade operations.

Yes, DFM can do both. In addition to registering existing NiFi clusters, DFM can launch new NiFi clusters across:

• Virtual Machines (VMs)
• Self-managed Kubernetes
• AKS, EKS, and GKE
• OpenShift

Any cluster deployed using DFM is a vanilla Apache NiFi instance, with no custom forks or dependencies.

DFM can onboard your existing NiFi Kubernetes clusters without disrupting current operations.

Yes. To run DFM effectively, the recommended minimum infrastructure is:

• CPU: 4 cores
• Memory: 8 GB RAM

Storage: 50 GB SSD

No. DFM does not introduce any vendor lock-in. NiFi clusters deployed using DFM are fully independent. Even if DFM is removed, the NiFi cluster continues to run normally. Users can manage it directly using standard NiFi tools and processes.

With DFM, you can deploy and manage NiFi clusters on:

• Virtual Machines (VMs) for traditional or on-premise setups (commonly x86-based).
• Container platforms (using Helm Charts) for modern, cloud-native deployments. 

It ensures a consistent management and operational experience across all deployment models.

 Yes. DFM automatically handles container restarts as part of cluster operations. It: 

• Detects container failures.
• Helps minimize downtime and service disruption. 
• Reduces the need for manual operational intervention.

Yes. DFM supports deploying NiFi clusters across multiple locations, allowing teams to run NiFi in different data centers or regions while managing everything centrally through DFM.

Yes. DFM allows NiFi container ports to be exposed during cluster setup, enabling NiFi to function as a server in the same way as traditional deployments.

Yes. DFM works 100% offline and can be fully deployed in both on-premise and cloud environments without requiring an internet connection, ensuring maximum security and data privacy.

Yes. DFM is built with a modern, scalable architecture:

• A React-based frontend. 
• A backend service layer. 
• A PostgreSQL database for storing configuration and metadata.

No. DFM prevents conflicts when multiple users access the same canvas, ensuring safe and consistent operations without overwriting changes.

DFM has been tested with up to 500 concurrent users. There is no hard limit, and performance scales based on your deployment resources.

Yes. A single DFM instance can manage multiple environments, providing centralized control and monitoring without the need for separate installations for each environment.

 Yes. DFM works with Cloudera Flow Management (CFM) and is fully compatible with your existing clusters and flows. DFM acts as a companion, not a replacement for Cloudera. It enhances operations and management while allowing seamless integration or gradual adoption without disrupting your current setup.

Yes, depending on the NiFi setup you are using.

• With Cloudera NiFi, Cloudera-specific and custom processors are supported and can be deployed using DFM.
• With open-source Apache NiFi:
  • If the processor is available as an NAR file, DFM can deploy it without changes.
  • If a Cloudera-specific processor is not compatible, the Ksolves team can help replace it with open-source alternatives or build custom processors.

Yes. Ksolves provides enterprise-grade Apache NiFi support that can be bundled with DFM. This includes:

• Core NiFi technical support and troubleshooting. 
• Patches and fixes for technical issues. 
• 24×7 production support. 
• Security vulnerability remediation
• Custom processor development

Ksolves is an active Apache NiFi open-source contributor.

Yes. Ksolves offers enterprise-level SLAs and stability guarantees comparable to those provided by large vendors such as Cloudera and IBM.

NiFi support is not included by default with DFM, but can be bundled as part of a combined package. The bundled option:

• Provides end-to-end NiFi operations and support. 
• Is more cost-effective than traditional vendor offerings. 
• Delivers the same SLA guarantees at a significantly lower cost.

DFM supports both major Apache NiFi versions:

• Apache NiFi 1.x
• Apache NiFi 2.x, including the latest releases

This ensures compatibility with both existing and modern NiFi deployments.

 Yes. DFM fully supports NiFi 2.2 and integrates smoothly with your existing clusters and flows – no changes required to how you run or manage NiFi today.

Security is a core focus for both DFM and NiFi deployments.

• Ksolves performs VPAT testing for DFM builds. 
• Docker images are hardened following security best practices. 
• Under the NiFi support package, Ksolves provides timely remediation of Apache NiFi vulnerabilities, including patches and fixes as issues are identified. 

This ensures secure, compliant, and production-ready deployments.

 No. DFM does not store or process customer data. DFM functions purely as a control and management layer, while all data remains within the customer’s NiFi environment, ensuring full data ownership and privacy.

Yes. All DFM images are vulnerability-scanned to ensure they meet security best practices before deployment.

Yes. DFM is built to meet enterprise compliance requirements.

• Compliant with GDPR data protection principles. 
• Aligned with ISO security standards. 
• Supports SOC 2 compliance requirements. 

This makes DFM suitable for regulated and security-sensitive environments.

This feature is on the DFM roadmap. DFM plans to add centralized TLS certificate management to make it easier to store and manage certificates used for secure connections (such as MQ or FIX gateways). 

This will reduce the need to manually handle certificates within the NiFi canvas and improve both security and ease of use.

DFM is a separate application that runs outside the NiFi cluster. It is

• Installed in the customer’s environment on a dedicated VM or container. 
• Not installed on NiFi servers or embedded within NiFi itself. 

DFM includes built-in support for SSO and LDAP-based authentication, making it easy to integrate with existing enterprise identity systems.

Yes. DFM supports integration with Active Directory, LDAP, and Azure AD, allowing organizations to manage user access using their existing identity and access management systems.

 Yes. It provides: 

• Versioned flow deployments
• Approval workflows
• Rollback to previous canvas versions

This ensures governed and reliable NiFi operations.

Yes. DFM allows you to roll back to the previous canvas version quickly, ensuring minimal disruption.

Yes. DFM supports partial deployments, so you can deploy just a process group or specific components without affecting the rest of the canvas.

 DFM makes deployment automation simple and reliable:

• Integrates with NiFi Registry to manage flow versions automatically. 
• Provides APIs for seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines.

Yes. DFM fully supports custom NAR files.

They can be hot-loaded. There’s no need to stop or restart NiFi when deploying custom processors.

Yes. DFM gives full visibility into NiFi cluster health and performance and can connect with your existing monitoring systems.

Yes. DFM includes NiFi-specific dashboards that provide detailed monitoring, including:

• Total processors
• Running processors
• Total queues
• Cluster-level health 
• Individual process group status
• Configurable alerts 

This lets teams quickly track performance and drill down to specific process groups when needed.

DFM currently monitors queues and data build-ups to help teams spot congestion early. While dedicated back pressure monitoring is an upcoming feature, the existing queue visibility already helps identify and address potential flow slowdowns before they impact performance.

No. DFM is focused on NiFi operations, not development. Flow development is still done using the standard NiFi UI. It does not replace traditional flow development.

 DFM 2.0 supports:

• OpenAI
• Other major LLMs (pluggable)

Yes. Ksolves serves clients in Israel and has experience supporting global NiFi and DFM deployments.

Ksolves offers a structured support model with:

• A support ticketing portal for logging and tracking issues.
• A NiFi knowledge base with documentation, best practices, and troubleshooting guides. 

This ensures faster issue resolution and easy access to technical guidance.

Customers interested in trying DFM need to sign a DFM NDA. Once completed, they can access a 30-day free trial to explore DFM’s features and capabilities.

Yes. DFM supports minor NiFi upgrades within the same major version, such as 1.x to 1.x or 2.x to 2.x.

Major version upgrades (for example, 1.x to 2.x) are not fully automated yet, as they often involve custom configurations and environment-specific changes.

No. DFM does not require an upgrade every time NiFi or your cluster is upgraded. It continues to manage and monitor your NiFi environment without disruption.

DFM follows a well-defined roadmap and release cycle, ensuring regular updates, new features, and improvements while maintaining stability and reliability for your NiFi operations.

 Yes. DFM supports adding nodes to a cluster dynamically, enabling horizontal scaling to meet increasing workloads without disrupting ongoing operations.

Yes. DFM allows you to launch new NiFi clusters and migrate flows from existing clusters, making it easy to scale, modernize, or reorganize your NiFi environments.