# Do you still need curator when using Elasticsearch 7.5

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** curator\
**Created:** [December 21, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726 "2019-12-21T05:54:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gurdipe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/gurdipe/32/34814_2.png) [@gurdipe](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/gurdipe)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 5:54am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726/1 "2019-12-21T05:54:48Z")

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Hi All,

Sorry for the simple question I have just started looking at Elasticsearch 7.5 and was wondering do you still need to use curator 5.8 to curate, or manage, your Elasticsearch indices and snapshots or can this now be done entirely by the features in Elasticsearch 7.5

Kind Regards

Gurdipe

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**Author:** ![theuntergeek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/theuntergeek/32/44961_2.png) [@theuntergeek](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/theuntergeek)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726/2 "2019-12-21T15:57:41Z")

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That "need" is entirely subjective. If the features of ILM and SLM meet your needs, then no, you do not need Curator. If, however, your approach to index and snapshot management and retention requires features not yet supported by ILM and SLM, then Curator is still there for you.

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**Author:** ![gurdipe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/gurdipe/32/34814_2.png) [@gurdipe](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/gurdipe)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 10:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726/3 "2019-12-22T10:50:48Z")

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Thank you so much for the brilliant reply, makes a lot of sense. Again sorry for the simple question but what is ILM and SLM. I will start to look for these two in the Elasticsearch 7.5 documentation.

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**Author:** ![theuntergeek](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/theuntergeek/32/44961_2.png) [@theuntergeek](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/theuntergeek)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726/4 "2019-12-22T14:10:17Z")

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ILM is short for Index Lifecycle Management, and SLM is short for Snapshot Lifecycle Management.

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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:** [January 19, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/do-you-still-need-curator-when-using-elasticsearch-7-5/212726/5 "2020-01-19T14:10:24Z")

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