# \[FATAL\] 2020-03-09 05:19:25.972 \[LogStash::Runner\] runner - Logstash could not be started because there is already another instance using the configured data directory. If you wish to run multiple instances, you must change the "path.data" setting
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645
**Category:** Logstash
**Created:** [March 9, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645 "2020-03-09T05:51:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Pathshala\_Gopi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Pathshala_Gopi)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645/1 "2020-03-09T05:51:20Z")
I created two different droplets in Digitalocen and install nginx and filebeat on those two droplets.I configured my filebeat.yml file as below:
VM1 filebeat.yml:\_
filebeat.prospectors:
- type: log
paths:
- /var/log/nginx/\*.log
filebeat.config.modules:
path: ${path.config}/modules.d/ .yml
reload.enabled: true
setup.template.settings:
index.number\_of\_shards: 3
output.logstash:
hosts: ["134.209.153.109:5045"]
VM2 filebeat.yml:\_
filebeat.prospectors:
- type: log
paths:
- /var/log/nginx/ _.log
filebeat.config.modules:
path: ${path.config}/modules.d/_ .yml
reload.enabled: true
setup.template.settings:
index.number\_of\_shards: 3
output.logstash:
hosts: ["134.209.153.109:5044"]
"After this I installed ELK in another Droplet and configured Logstash like below"
My Logstash vm1.conf file:
input {
beats {
port =\> 5045
}
}
filter {
if [fileset][module] == "nginx" {
if [fileset][name] == "access" {
grok {
match =\> { "message" =\> ["%{IPORHOST:[nginx][access][remote\_ip]} - %{DATA:[nginx][access][user\_name]} [%{HTTPDATE:[nginx][access][time]}] "%{WORD:[nginx][access][method]} %{DATA:[nginx][access][url]} HTTP/%{NUMBER:[nginx][access][http\_version]}" %{NUMBER:[nginx][access][response\_code]} %{NUMBER:[nginx][access][body\_sent][bytes]} "%{DATA:[nginx][access][referrer]}" "%{DATA:[nginx][access][agent]}""] }
remove\_field =\> "message"
}
output {
elasticsearch {
hosts =\> ["134.209.153.109:9200"]
manage\_template =\> false
index =\> "vm1\_nginx-1"
}
}
My Logstash vm2.conf file:
input {
beats {
port =\> 5044
}
}
filter {
if [fileset][module] == "nginx" {
if [fileset][name] == "access" {
grok {
match =\> { "message" =\> ["%{IPORHOST:[nginx][access][remote\_ip]} - %{DATA:[nginx][access][user\_name]} [%{HTTPDATE:[nginx][access][time]}] "%{WORD:[nginx][access][method]} %{DATA:[nginx][access][url]} HTTP/%{NUMBER:[nginx][access][http\_version]}" %{NUMBER:[nginx][access][response\_code]} %{NUMBER:[nginx][access][body\_sent][bytes]} "%{DATA:[nginx][access][referrer]}" "%{DATA:[nginx][access][agent]}""] }
remove\_field =\> "message"
}
output {
elasticsearch {
hosts =\> ["134.209.153.109:9200"]
manage\_template =\> false
index =\> "vm2\_nginx-1"
}
}
I configured my file and whhen i run logstash i am getting the error like below
[FATAL] 2020-03-09 05:19:25.972 [LogStash::Runner] runner - Logstash could not be started because there is already another instance using the configured data directory. If you wish to run multiple instances, you must change the "path.data" setting.
[ERROR] 2020-03-09 05:19:25.988 [LogStash::Runner] Logstash - java.lang.IllegalStateException: Logstash stopped processing because of an error: (SystemExit) exit
Can you please help me out how to solve the problem.How to change path.setting ( " If you wish to run multiple instances, you must change the "path.data" setting")
Thanks in advance
---
### Author:  [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2020, 6:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645/2 "2020-03-09T06:37:56Z")
Please do not open multiple threads on the same topic.
---
### Author:  [@Pathshala\_Gopi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Pathshala_Gopi)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2020, 6:44am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645/3 "2020-03-09T06:44:56Z")
OK ....!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2020, 6:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/fatal-2020-03-09-0525-972-logstash-runner-runner-logstash-could-not-be-started-because-there-is-already-another-instance-using-the-configured-data-directory-if-you-wish-to-run-multiple-instances-you-must-change-the-path-data-setting/222645/4 "2020-04-06T06:45:02Z")
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