# Does the Final Flow log aggregate the previous (non-final) flow logs?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** packetbeat\
**Created:** [July 19, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797 "2017-07-19T15:11:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bobby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Bobby](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Bobby)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 3:11pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797/1 "2017-07-19T15:11:40Z")

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Hi, I'm looking to get clarification on what my flow logs are telling me.

For a given request, I'd like to know the total number of bytes that have been sent and received by that request. Currently, I have my period configured for a value \> 0, so I'm getting intermediate flow logs whose final flag is set to false. Questions related to this:

- For each of those flow logs, do the "net\_bytes\_total" fields report bytes sent and received since the last flow log? Or is it reporting the total bytes sent and received since the "start\_time"?

- Same question for the flow log where final is set to true. Do the "net\_bytes\_total" fields report bytes sent and received since the last (non-final) flow log? Or is it reporting the total bytes sent and received since the "start\_time"?

- If I set my period to -1, I only get the final logs. Will that guarantee the net\_bytes\_totals represent the total bytes sent and received since the "start\_time"?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![andrewkroh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/andrewkroh/32/3784_2.png) [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797/2 "2017-07-19T21:10:44Z")

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See the [flow documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/packetbeat/current/flows.html). The note at the end of the page answers most of your questions.

The `net_bytes_total` in all events is the total bytes for the flow (aggregate) since the start.

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**Author:** ![Bobby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Bobby](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Bobby)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797/3 "2017-07-19T21:38:24Z")

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Hi Andrew,

I've read that page. What I'm unclear on is the scope of the aggregate. For all flow logs, (regardless of whether or not the final flag is set), does net\_bytes\_total reflect the total bytes for the flow since the timestamp indicated in the start\_time field?

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**Author:** ![andrewkroh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/andrewkroh/32/3784_2.png) [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797/4 "2017-07-19T21:40:49Z")

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> [@Bobby](#):
>
> does net\_bytes\_total reflect the total bytes for the flow since the timestamp indicated in the start\_time field?

Yes.

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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:** [August 16, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/does-the-final-flow-log-aggregate-the-previous-non-final-flow-logs/93797/5 "2017-08-16T21:40:58Z")

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