# Best way to insert data into Elasticsearch **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [March 31, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862 "2017-03-31T18:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_McClain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/david_mcclain/32/8613_2.png) [@David\_McClain](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/David_McClain)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/1 "2017-03-31T18:38:18Z")
When inserting data into elasticsearch with Logstash (Where logstash is doing the parsing), is it better to: - Point all incoming index requests to any node (i.e. doesn't really matter what node, as long as it gets to the right cluster - Point all incoming index requests to any **master** node (same as above, but only master nodes, not data nodes) - Point all incoming index requests to **all** nodes (Logstash's Elasticsearch output plugin can take an array of ES hosts - so, this would be including them all) - Something else? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/2 "2017-03-31T19:03:23Z")
Send requests to any of the data nodes. Dedicated master nodes should not serve traffic. ---
**Author:** ![David\_McClain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/david_mcclain/32/8613_2.png) [@David\_McClain](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/David_McClain)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/3 "2017-04-07T19:24:18Z")
If I have 5 data nodes, is it better to send all insert requests to 1 node or spread it across all 5 with a load balancer external to ES? ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/4 "2017-04-07T19:54:50Z")
It'd be better to round robin it, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![David\_McClain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/david_mcclain/32/8613_2.png) [@David\_McClain](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/David_McClain)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/5 "2017-04-07T20:01:11Z")
So what would be the difference (if any) in: - Using an external Load Balancer in front of the nodes to Round Robin across them evenly - Using the functionality for Logstash's elasticsearch output plugin to accept multiple hostnames, and putting all of the nodes in that list instead of pointing it at the load balancer. ---
**Author:** ![nik9000](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nik9000/32/44947_2.png) [@nik9000](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nik9000)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/6 "2017-04-07T20:23:37Z")
Not much. Do whatever you are more comfortable with. The load balancer option will let you change the list without doing anything to logstash. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/best-way-to-insert-data-into-elasticsearch/80862/7 "2017-05-05T20:31:04Z")
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