Getting Data In

Log files with differing retention periods

jamesoconnell
Path Finder

Can log files with different retention requirements exist and be accessed within same index?

Regards,
James O'Connell.

Tags (1)
0 Karma

dbcottam
New Member

I have the same question and would like further instruction. How can I set up multiple search indexes? I need one for mail with a retention of four months for example and another index for proxy logs, etc.

How do I set up the indexes to the specific source? Thanks

0 Karma

mikelanghorst
Motivator

No, the retention period is based upon individual indexes. If you have logs with different requirements you'll need to direct them to different indexes. You can configure roles to search multiple indexes by default to make it easier.

0 Karma

jamesoconnell
Path Finder

Thank you Mike for the response. I figured the answer was no, but didn't know about the role configuration across multiple indexes by default.

Let me make sure I understand what you mean -- I know I can setup a given role to search on selected indexes by default when no index is specified -- is this what you mean?

Thanks again,
James O'Connell.

0 Karma
Got questions? Get answers!

Join the Splunk Community Slack to learn, troubleshoot, and make connections with fellow Splunk practitioners in real time!

Meet up IRL or virtually!

Join Splunk User Groups to connect and learn in-person by region or remotely by topic or industry.

Get Updates on the Splunk Community!

SOK it to Me: Top 3 Benefits of Using Splunk Operator on Kubernetes that’ll Make ...

    Thursday, July 9, 2026  |  11:00AM–12:00PM PDT Duration: 1 hour (includes Q&A) Managing can feel like a ...

Upgrade Prep for 10.4, Network Observability Deep Dives, and More from Splunk Lantern

Splunk Lantern is Splunk’s customer success center that provides practical guidance from Splunk experts on key ...

Splunk Developer Day announcements: AI agents, MCP tools, Forecasting, and Custom ...

Splunk Developer Day was packed with product and platform updates for developers building in the AI ...