# Illegal\_argument\_exception: index.lifecycle.rollover\_alias is empty or not defined

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/illegal-argument-exception-index-lifecycle-rollover-alias-is-empty-or-not-defined/293933>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** ilm-index-lifecycle-management\
**Created:** [January 10, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/illegal-argument-exception-index-lifecycle-rollover-alias-is-empty-or-not-defined/293933 "2022-01-10T18:33:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dev9](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dev9/32/81258_2.png) [@dev9](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dev9)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/illegal-argument-exception-index-lifecycle-rollover-alias-is-empty-or-not-defined/293933/1 "2022-01-10T18:33:57Z")

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Hi,  
I noticed this error last week on our elastic `illegal_argument_exception: setting [index.lifecycle.rollover_alias] for index [test-2022.01.07] is empty or not defined`  
I did some research and found this article on the elastic documentation  
[Tutorial: Automate rollover with ILM | Elasticsearch Guide [7.16] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/getting-started-index-lifecycle-management.html#ilm-gs-apply-policy)  
After reviewing the documentation, I applied the changes by setting the rollover alias. Now if I query elastic for my test index template, I get the following;

```auto
PUT _index_template/test/
{
     
        "index_patterns" : [
          "test-*"
        ],
        "template" : {
          "settings" : {
            "index" : {
              "lifecycle" : {
                "name" : "unity_index_ilm_policy",
                "rollover_alias": "test_rollover"  
              },
              "number_of_shards" : "3",
              "number_of_replicas" : "3"
            }
          },
          "mappings" : {
            "properties" : {
              "serviceComponent" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serverName" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "source" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serverPort" : {
                "type" : "integer"
              },
              "serviceProcessId" : {
                "type" : "integer"
              },
              "duration" : {
                "type" : "integer"
              },
              "identityDelegate" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "result" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serviceVersion" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "dataClassification" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "identity" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "requestId" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "resultReason" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "action" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "correlationId" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "details" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "class" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serviceRealm" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "messageId" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "messageRole" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "requestRole" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "correlationRole" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serviceName" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "target" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "@timestamp" : {
                "type" : "date"
              },
              "clientIp" : {
                "type" : "ip"
              },
              "serviceEnvironment" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              },
              "serverIp" : {
                "type" : "ip"
              },
              "xForwardedFor" : {
                "type" : "ip",
                "ignore_malformed": true
              },
              "category" : {
                "fielddata" : true,
                "type" : "text"
              }
            }
          },
          "aliases": {
            "test_rollover":{
               "is_write_index": true
            }
          }
        },
        "composed_of" : [
          "severity",
          "schemaversion"
        ]
}

```

Today, I am seeing the same error under Index Management indices tab.  
Is there anything else I should change?  
Thanks

---

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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:** [February 7, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/illegal-argument-exception-index-lifecycle-rollover-alias-is-empty-or-not-defined/293933/2 "2022-02-07T18:34:17Z")

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