The xpack.ilm.enabled setting in Elasticsearch controls whether the Index Lifecycle Management (ILM) features are enabled or disabled. ILM is a powerful tool that helps manage the lifecycle of indices, including their creation, deletion, and rollover.
- Default Value:
true - Possible Values:
trueorfalse - Recommendation: It's generally recommended to keep ILM enabled unless you have a specific reason to disable it.
This setting is a node-level setting, meaning it applies to individual nodes in the cluster. When set to true, the node will participate in ILM operations. When set to false, the node will not execute any ILM-related tasks.
The xpack.ilm.enabled setting has been available since the introduction of ILM in Elasticsearch 6.6.0.
Example
To disable ILM on a specific node, you can add the following line to the elasticsearch.yml file:
xpack.ilm.enabled: false
Disabling ILM might be necessary if you want to manage index lifecycles manually or if you're troubleshooting ILM-related issues. However, be aware that disabling ILM will stop all ILM-related operations, which could impact your index management strategy.
Common Issues
- Disabling ILM without an alternative index management strategy can lead to uncontrolled index growth.
- Inconsistent settings across nodes can cause unexpected behavior in ILM operations.
Do's and Don'ts
- Do ensure all nodes have consistent
xpack.ilm.enabledsettings. - Do have a clear understanding of your index management needs before disabling ILM.
- Don't disable ILM without a plan for managing indices manually.
- Don't frequently toggle this setting, as it can disrupt ongoing ILM operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens to existing ILM policies when xpack.ilm.enabled is set to false?
A: Existing policies remain in place but are not executed. When re-enabled, ILM will resume managing indices according to these policies.
Q: Can I disable ILM for specific indices while keeping it enabled cluster-wide?
A: Yes, you can disable ILM for specific indices by setting index.lifecycle.name to null for those indices.
Q: Will disabling ILM affect my ability to create new indices?
A: No, disabling ILM does not affect index creation. However, any automated index creation or rollover that was managed by ILM will no longer occur.
Q: How does disabling ILM impact performance?
A: Disabling ILM typically has minimal direct impact on performance. However, without ILM managing index lifecycles, you may experience performance issues over time due to unmanaged index growth.
Q: Can I re-enable ILM without losing my previous policies and configurations?
A: Yes, re-enabling ILM will restore the previous policies and configurations. ILM policies are stored in the cluster state and are not deleted when ILM is disabled.
