Clarify scope and procedure for 'Configure a lifecycle policy' #2535
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yetanothertw
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Aug 26, 2025
| @@ -10,22 +10,22 @@ products: | |||
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| # Configure a lifecycle policy [set-up-lifecycle-policy] | |||
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| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. | |||
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both data streams and standalone indices. When used with the latter, some additional configuration is required compared to the more automated process for data streams. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. | |||
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Although I understand what you mean with standalone indices, I'm not sure I've encountered this exact terminology in the docs. The broader term index is preferred, even in the Index basics doc that introduces this concept. Contrast between an index and a data stream is implied through describing a data stream as an abstraction, without labelling the
former as standalone or traditional or any other synonyms.
Suggested change
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both data streams and standalone indices. When used with the latter, some additional configuration is required compared to the more automated process for data streams. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. | |
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both indices and [data streams](/manage-data/data-store/data-streams.md). When used with the former, additional configuration is required compared to the more automated process for data streams. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. |
I think that specifying what the additional required configuration steps are might be useful. Maybe something like:
Suggested change
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both data streams and standalone indices. When used with the latter, some additional configuration is required compared to the more automated process for data streams. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. | |
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both indices and [data streams](/manage-data/data-store/data-streams.md). There are fewer configuration steps required to set up ILM with data streams. In comparison, configuring ILM with indices requires you to create an initial managed index and alias in addition to defining a policy and creating a template to apply it. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. |
| An [{{ilm}}](/manage-data/lifecycle/index-lifecycle-management.md) ({{ilm-init}}) policy defines how your indices are managed over time, automating when and how they transition as they age. You can use {{ilm-init}} to manage both data streams and standalone indices. When used with the latter, some additional configuration is required compared to the more automated process for data streams. This page describes the steps to configure an {{ilm-init}} lifecycle policy for both scenarios. | ||
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| :::{note} | ||
| This page is specifically about using {{ilm-init}} with indices or data streams. If you're looking for a simpler, less feature-rich lifecycle management option for data streams only, refer to [Data stream lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle/data-stream.md). Check [Data lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle.md) to compare these lifecycle management options. |
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Not sure about the less feature-rich description. Makes it sound like we're indicating it may be inferior to ILM or something.
Suggested change
| This page is specifically about using {{ilm-init}} with indices or data streams. If you're looking for a simpler, less feature-rich lifecycle management option for data streams only, refer to [Data stream lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle/data-stream.md). Check [Data lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle.md) to compare these lifecycle management options. | |
| This page is specifically about using {{ilm-init}} with indices or data streams. If you're looking for a simpler data streams lifecycle management option that focuses on a data retention period, refer to [Data stream lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle/data-stream.md). Check [Data lifecycle](/manage-data/lifecycle.md) to compare these lifecycle management options. |
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| **Consider these aspects when configuring an {{ilm-init}} policy:** | ||
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| * For {{ilm-init}} to manage an index, you need to specify a valid policy in the `index.lifecycle.name` index setting. | ||
| * For {{ilm-init}} to manage an index or data stream, you need to specify a valid policy in the `index.lifecycle.name` index setting. |
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Maybe something like:
Suggested change
| * For {{ilm-init}} to manage an index or data stream, you need to specify a valid policy in the `index.lifecycle.name` index setting. | |
| * To manage an index or data stream with {{ilm-init}}, you need to specify a valid policy in the `index.lifecycle.name` index setting. |
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This addresses Edu's feedback for the popular Configure a lifecycle policy page, clarifying a few things:
Please see preview page.
Rel: #190