# Logstash index diretory vs files

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-index-diretory-vs-files/136449>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [June 19, 2018, 8:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-index-diretory-vs-files/136449 "2018-06-19T08:29:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aminhk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@aminhk](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/aminhk)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 8:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-index-diretory-vs-files/136449/1 "2018-06-19T08:29:07Z")

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Hi guys,

I have a question. I have 5 log files and 5 configs file for logstash.

if i put all the .conf file in directory and start logstash to index that directory is better than calling each conf file separately(logstash -f logfile) ?  
better refers to using less resource like heap and .... ? I think when i call logstash to index a directory, it uses one logstash instance so it uses less heap size than 5 logstash instances.

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**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 8:43am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-index-diretory-vs-files/136449/2 "2018-06-19T08:43:40Z")

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Yes. Logstash obviously has a fixed overhead so from a system resource perspective you'll want to run as few instances as possible.

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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:** [July 17, 2018, 8:43am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-index-diretory-vs-files/136449/3 "2018-07-17T08:43:51Z")

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