# Create a dedicated read nodes index

## From scratch

:::::steps
::::step{title="Create the index"}
Call [Create an index](/guides/database-2025-10-control-plane-create-index). In the request body, in the `spec.serverless.read_capacity` object, set the following fields:

| Field                       | Value                                                                                                 | Notes                                                                                              |
| :-------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `mode`                      | `Dedicated`                                                                                           |                                                                                                    |
| `dedicated.node_type`       | `b1` or `t1`                                                                                          | See [node types](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-concepts#node-types)                      |
| `dedicated.scaling`         | `Manual`                                                                                              | The only supported value                                                                           |
| `dedicated.manual.shards`   | Number of [shards](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-size-and-test#number-of-shards) needed     | Minimum 1 shard; each shard provides 250 GB of storage                                             |
| `dedicated.manual.replicas` | Number of [replicas](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-size-and-test#number-of-replicas) needed | Minimum 0 (this [pauses](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-manage#pause-an-index) the index) |

:::callout{intent="note"}
To learn how to determine the number of shards and replicas your index requires, see [Calculate the size of your index](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-size-and-test#calculate-the-size-of-your-index).
:::

This example creates an index with two shards and one replica:

:::code-group
```bash Request expandable theme={null}
PINECONE_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"

curl "https://api.pinecone.io/indexes" \
     -H "Accept: application/json" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -H "Api-Key: $PINECONE_API_KEY" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2025-10" \
     -d '{
           "name": "example-dedicated-index",
           "dimension": 1024,
           "metric": "cosine",
           "deletion_protection": "enabled",
           "tags": {
             "environment": "production"
           },
           "vector_type": "dense",
           "spec": {
             "serverless": {
               "cloud": "aws",
               "region": "us-east-1",
               "read_capacity": {
                 "mode": "Dedicated",
                 "dedicated": {
                   "node_type": "b1",
                   "scaling": "Manual",
                   "manual": {
                     "shards": 2,
                     "replicas": 1
                   }
                 }
               }
             }
           }
         }'
```
:::

:::code-group
```jsonc Response expandable theme={null}
{
  "name": "example-dedicated-index",
  "vector_type": "dense",
  "metric": "cosine",
  "dimension": 1024,
  "status": {
    "ready": false,
    "state": "Initializing"
  },
  "host": "example-dedicated-index-1c6ab6aa.svc.aped-4627-b74a.pinecone.io",
  "spec": {
    "serverless": {
      "region": "us-east-1",
      "cloud": "aws",
      "read_capacity": {
        "mode": "Dedicated",
        "dedicated": {
          "node_type": "b1",
          "scaling": "Manual",
          "manual": {
            "shards": 2, // <---- desired state
            "replicas": 1
          }
        },
        "status": {
          "state": "Migrating",
          "current_shards": null, // <---- current state
          "current_replicas": null
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "deletion_protection": "enabled",
  "tags": {
    "environment": "production"
  }
}
```
:::

The response includes two status fields:

| Field                                            | Description                                                                |
| :----------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`status.state`**                               | Overall index status (for example, `Initializing`, `Ready`, `Terminating`) |
| **`spec.serverless.read_capacity.status.state`** | Read capacity status (`Migrating`, `Scaling`, `Ready`, `Error`)            |

:::callout{intent="note"}
When creating a dedicated read nodes index, `status.state` transitions to `Ready` as soon as the index is ready for reads and writes.

However, `spec.serverless.read_capacity.status.state` remains `Migrating` until the index scales to its full read capacity, at which point it transitions to `Ready`.
:::
::::

::::step{title="Add your data"}
After the index is created, [upsert](/guides/index-data-upsert-data) or [import](/guides/index-data-import-data) your data.

:::callout{intent="tip"}
To upsert and search with text instead of vectors, you can configure your index to use a [hosted embedding model](/guides/index-data-create-an-index#embedding-models). Call [Configure an index](/guides/database-2025-10-control-plane-configure-index) and specify the `embed` object in the request body.
:::
::::
:::::

## From a backup

::::steps
:::step{title="Restore the backup"}
[Restore the backup](/guides/manage-data-restore-an-index) to a new on-demand index with the same data as the original.
:::

:::step{title="Delete extra namespaces"}
If the restored index has multiple namespaces, [delete](/guides/database-2026-07-data-plane-deletenamespace) all of them except the one you want to keep. Dedicated read nodes support only [one namespace](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-overview#namespace-limits).
:::

:::step{title="Migrate to dedicated read nodes"}
Convert the restored on-demand index by following [Migrate to dedicated read nodes](/guides/index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-migrate).
:::
::::

## Related pages

- [Dedicated read nodes overview](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-overview.md)
- [Dedicated read nodes concepts](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-concepts.md)
- [Migrate to dedicated read nodes](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-migrate.md)
- [Size and test a dedicated read nodes index](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-size-and-test.md)
- [Tune queries on dedicated read nodes](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-tune-queries.md)
- [Scale a dedicated read nodes index](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-scale.md)
- [Manage a dedicated read nodes index](./index-data-dedicated-read-nodes-manage.md)

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