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Configuring Instances

How do I change my instance's settings or add environment variables?

Use the Settings tab. When creating a new Nautobot instance, the Settings tab lets you pass any environment variable and its value; for an existing instance, open the Settings tab on the instance page to add or edit them. This is how you provide non-default nautobot_config.py settings — each entry becomes an environment variable the instance reads at startup. Note: this tab should not be used for secrets — see Secrets.

Do environment variables I set need a NAUTOBOT_ prefix?

It depends on the setting. Standard Nautobot settings are read from NAUTOBOT_-prefixed environment variables (for example NAUTOBOT_ALLOWED_HOSTS or NAUTOBOT_CELERY_TASK_TIME_LIMIT); you can find each setting and its environment-variable name in the Nautobot settings reference. A set of Nautobot Cloud–specific settings are read without the prefix — for example the SSO variables SSO, SSO_ENABLE_GROUP_SYNC, SSO_CLAIMS_GROUP, SSO_SUPERUSER_GROUPS, and SSO_STAFF_GROUPS (see Enable SSO and Group Sync on an instance). When in doubt, use the exact variable name given in the documentation for that setting or app, and open a support ticket if you're unsure.

How do I increase timeout values for long-running jobs or requests?

Job and task timeouts are Nautobot settings you can set from the Settings tab of your instance using environment variables: NAUTOBOT_CELERY_TASK_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT (default 300 seconds) and NAUTOBOT_CELERY_TASK_TIME_LIMIT (default 600 seconds). After changing them, Update the instance for the change to take effect. Web-server and load-balancer (HTTP) request timeouts are managed at the platform level — if you need those raised, open a support ticket.

Can I add Nautobot Jobs by placing files in JOBS_ROOT?

No. In Nautobot Cloud an instance's local filesystem is ephemeral and is not shared across its web and worker pods, so files placed in JOBS_ROOT would not persist or run reliably. Add Jobs using a Git Repository instead — Nautobot syncs Jobs from Git on demand. If you need Jobs baked directly into your instance, open a support ticket to discuss.