# Is Cross-Cluster Searching Available in Free (Open Source / Basic) License?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Tags:** license, ccs-cross-cluster-search\
**Created:** [April 25, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341 "2019-04-25T01:46:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Sander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/michael_sander/32/838_2.png) [@Michael\_Sander](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Michael_Sander)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341/1 "2019-04-25T01:46:29Z")

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Do you need a paid x-pack license to run cross cluster search? Or is it possible to use this feature on the free license?

The Elasticsearch documentation on cross cluster search and security indicates that to do cross cluster searching you need to:

> Enable the Elasticsearch security features on every node in each connected cluster. ... `xpack.security.enabled`

See [Cross cluster search and security | Elasticsearch Guide [6.7] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elastic-stack-overview/6.7/cross-cluster-configuring.html).

X-pack, in turn, requires a paid license. Accordingly, it seems that you need a paid license to do cross cluster searching. Am I reading this correctly? Is cross cluster searching a feature that is unavailable on the free version?

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**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341/2 "2019-04-25T05:42:21Z")

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According to [https://www.elastic.co/subscriptions](https://www.elastic.co/subscriptions) you don't need a commercial license to run cross cluster search.

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**Author:** ![DavidTurner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/davidturner/32/22453_2.png) [@DavidTurner](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DavidTurner)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 7:36am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341/3 "2019-04-25T07:36:58Z")

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> [@Michael\_Sander](#):
>
> The Elasticsearch documentation on cross cluster search and security indicates that to do cross cluster searching you need to:

I think I see the confusion - you're reading the page about configuring cross-cluster search _with security_. Naturally you need have a licence to use the security features in order to do this.

Cross-cluster search alone (without security) is included in the OSS distribution and [documented in the reference manual here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/modules-cross-cluster-search.html).

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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:** [May 23, 2019, 7:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-cross-cluster-searching-available-in-free-open-source-basic-license/178341/4 "2019-05-23T07:37:02Z")

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