# How to choose the number of shards? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [October 20, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430 "2012-10-20T19:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Spooner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jonathan_spooner/32/2672_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Spooner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jonathan_Spooner)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430/1 "2012-10-20T19:05:37Z")
Are there any documents out there that describe sharding best practices? I have 36 million records in 1 index with 20 shards, 3 replicated, and 10 nodes. I'm not sure why the previous developer decided on 20 shards and we've see problems since the index grew from 26 to 36 million. Thanks, -- ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430/2 "2012-10-20T22:23:42Z")
I have a whole talk dedicated to it, have a look at it?: [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/videos/2012/06/05/big-data-search-and-analytics.html) On Oct 20, 2012, at 9:05 PM, Jonathan Spooner [jspooner@gmail.com](mailto:jspooner@gmail.com) wrote: > Are there any documents out there that describe sharding best practices? > > I have 36 million records in 1 index with 20 shards, 3 replicated, and 10 nodes. I'm not sure why the previous developer decided on 20 shards and we've see problems since the index grew from 26 to 36 million. > > Thanks, > > -- -- ---
**Author:** ![udy\_brill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/59ef9b/32.png) [@udy\_brill](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/udy_brill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 8:05am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430/3 "2013-12-17T08:05:31Z")
Hi, This link is broken. any chance for a new reference ? On Sunday, October 21, 2012 12:23:50 AM UTC+2, kimchy wrote: > I have a whole talk dedicated to it, have a look at it?: > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/videos/2012/06/05/big-data-search-and-analytics.html) > > On Oct 20, 2012, at 9:05 PM, Jonathan Spooner \<[jspo...@gmail.com](mailto:jspo...@gmail.com)\\> > wrote: > > > Are there any documents out there that describe sharding best practices? > > > I have 36 million records in 1 index with 20 shards, 3 replicated, and > > 10 nodes. I'm not sure why the previous developer decided on 20 shards and > > we've see problems since the index grew from 26 to 36 million. > > > > Thanks, > > > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/1f16f3be-1455-47e8-a467-d2570750b7e3%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/1f16f3be-1455-47e8-a467-d2570750b7e3%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 8:13am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430/4 "2013-12-17T08:13:40Z")
> **[Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale](https://www.elastic.co)** > > Power insights and outcomes with the Elasticsearch Platform and AI. See into your data and find answers that matter with enterprise solutions designed to help you build, observe, and protect. Try Elasticsearch free today. Regards, Mark Walkom Infrastructure Engineer Campaign Monitor email: [markw@campaignmonitor.com](mailto:markw@campaignmonitor.com) web: [www.campaignmonitor.com](http://www.campaignmonitor.com) On 17 December 2013 19:05, [udybrill@gmail.com](mailto:udybrill@gmail.com) wrote: > Hi, > > This link is broken. any chance for a new reference ? > > On Sunday, October 21, 2012 12:23:50 AM UTC+2, kimchy wrote: > > > I have a whole talk dedicated to it, have a look at it?: > > [Elasticsearch Platform — Find real-time answers at scale | Elastic](http://www.elasticsearch.org/videos/2012/06/05/big-data-) > > search-and-analytics.html > > > > On Oct 20, 2012, at 9:05 PM, Jonathan Spooner [jspo...@gmail.com](mailto:jspo...@gmail.com) wrote: > > > > > Are there any documents out there that describe sharding best > > > practices? > > > > > > I have 36 million records in 1 index with 20 shards, 3 replicated, and > > > 10 nodes. I'm not sure why the previous developer decided on 20 shards and > > > we've see problems since the index grew from 26 to 36 million. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > -- > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "elasticsearch" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > > To view this discussion on the web visit > > [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/1f16f3be-1455-47e8-a467-d2570750b7e3%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/1f16f3be-1455-47e8-a467-d2570750b7e3%40googlegroups.com) > > . > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAEM624YFQmM%2BBHOa75T\_hHoOfKG6A4GowJ7%2BtxabujA2XYk3jQ%40mail.gmail.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAEM624YFQmM%2BBHOa75T_hHoOfKG6A4GowJ7%2BtxabujA2XYk3jQ%40mail.gmail.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-to-choose-the-number-of-shards/9430/5 "2017-07-06T02:00:41Z")