如何为AWS Elasticsearch新创建的索引自动应用索引策略

Great question! Let's break down the best approaches to automatically apply your ISM policy to new Nginx log indices in AWS Elasticsearch:

Using an Elasticsearch Index Template (Recommended) #

Your proposed template works in theory, but using "index_patterns": ["*"] is way too broad—it would attach your policy to every single new index in your cluster, which might not be what you intend (e.g., system indices or other application logs). Instead, you should target only your Nginx-specific indices to keep things clean.

Here's the refined template you should execute in Dev Tools:

PUT _template/nginx_logs_template
{ 
  "index_patterns": ["nginx-error-logs*", "nginx-access-logs*"], 
  "settings": { 
    "opendistro.index_state_management.policy_id": "index_lifecycle_management_policy" 
  },
  "priority": 100
}

• The priority field ensures this template overrides any default templates that might have lower priority values (prevents conflicts).
• This method is robust because it enforces the policy at the Elasticsearch level—any new index matching your Nginx patterns will get the policy applied automatically, no matter if it comes from Filebeat, Logstash, or even a direct API call.

Alternative: Configuring in Filebeat/Logstash #

You can also set the policy ID directly in your data pipeline configs, but this is less flexible:

• Filebeat: Add the policy ID to your Elasticsearch output section:

  output.elasticsearch:
    hosts: ["your-aws-es-endpoint"]
    index: "nginx-%{[log_type]}-logs-%{+yyyy.MM.dd}"
    ilm.policy_id: "index_lifecycle_management_policy"
  

• Logstash: Include it in the Elasticsearch output plugin:

  output {
    elasticsearch {
      hosts => ["your-aws-es-endpoint"]
      index => "nginx-%{log_type}-logs-%{+yyyy.MM.dd}"
      ilm_policy_id => "index_lifecycle_management_policy"
    }
  }
  

The downside here is that if you ever create Nginx indices through another tool or method, the policy won't be applied automatically. That's why the index template approach is the better long-term choice—it's cluster-wide and covers all cases.

How to Verify It's Working #

Once you've applied the template, wait for a new Nginx index to be created (or manually create a test one). Then run this in Dev Tools to confirm the policy is attached:

GET nginx-access-logs-<your-test-date>/_settings

Look for the opendistro.index_state_management.policy_id key in the response—it should match your policy name.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Nitin G