# Can I use rally to compare different index/cluster configurations?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-use-rally-to-compare-different-index-cluster-configurations/77583>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** rally\
**Created:** [March 6, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-use-rally-to-compare-different-index-cluster-configurations/77583 "2017-03-06T21:59:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![priyank\_mathur](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/priyank_mathur/32/16136_2.png) [@priyank\_mathur](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/priyank_mathur)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-use-rally-to-compare-different-index-cluster-configurations/77583/1 "2017-03-06T21:59:17Z")

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Can rally compare how different index/cluster mapping/configurations perform?

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**Author:** ![danielmitterdorfer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/danielmitterdorfer/32/110510_2.png) [@danielmitterdorfer](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/danielmitterdorfer)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-use-rally-to-compare-different-index-cluster-configurations/77583/2 "2017-03-07T00:33:44Z")

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Hi @priyank_mathur,

yes, you can do this with Rally. See the [docs on options how to run benchmarks against remote clusters](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/recipes.html). If you want to compare different index settings or different mappings, you'd most likely need to [write your own track](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/adding_tracks.html) because otherwise you don't have any control over index level settings / mappings.

You should [setup a dedicated Elasticsearch metrics store](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/configuration.html#advanced-configuration) because you then have access to each individual metrics record that Rally captures. To get started you can then use [Rally's tournament mode](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/tournament.html) but for more deeper analysis you should famliarize yourself with [raw metrics records](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/metrics.html) and do your analyses directly in Kibana.

Regarding benchmarking methodology, you should [run several iterations](http://esrally.readthedocs.io/en/stable/command_line_reference.html#laps) of your benchmarks before you draw conclusions because you need to also consider run-to-run variation.

Daniel

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/can-i-use-rally-to-compare-different-index-cluster-configurations/77583/3 "2017-04-04T00:33:46Z")

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