Which indexes.conf should I edit to set retirement policy?

[wuming79]

Hi,

I'm trying to delete old data due to space issue and I found this http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/6.2.1/Indexer/Setaretirementandarchivingpolicy.

But then I found that I have 4 indexes.conf on my linux. Which one should I edit?

[gcusello · Accepted solution]

Hi wuming79,
indexes.conf is usually in apps or in $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/local.
From your screenshot I see that you haven't installed apps with indexes.conf, so you have to:

• copy the file you find in $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/default in $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/local,

• then modify it changing or adding to the stanzas of the indexes to delete old data the following row.

  frozenTimePeriodInSecs = xxx

where xxx is the retention time in seconds (e.g. one year is 31,536,000).

When you'll install or create new apps you have to do the same thing to indexes.conf file that you can find in the app (remember always to copy file from default to local folder).

Bye.
Giuseppe

[wuming79]

Hi,

May I know what kind of apps will have indexes.conf installed on local? I have installed many apps such as "Splunk for Snort", "Correlation{X}", "Splunk Security Essentials for Ransomware" but everytime when I follow the instructions from the documents, there are bound to be something missing or different...

[andrei1bc]

An example app is https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/2647/ . After you install this one, a new index will be created.