# Number of shards - a few question about it

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/number-of-shards-a-few-question-about-it/8643
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [August 6, 2012, 8:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/number-of-shards-a-few-question-about-it/8643 "2012-08-06T08:21:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![twardy\_r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@twardy\_r](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/twardy_r)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 8:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/number-of-shards-a-few-question-about-it/8643/1 "2012-08-06T08:21:14Z")

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Hi,  
i have three question about number of shards

1. is possible to change number of shards of existing index ? Whether i must create new index and "copy" data?
2. What are the recommendations: same number of shards for each index, or individually set number of shards for indexes
3. Where i find informatiion/method/algorithm/tool to determine right number of shards?

Thanks in advance for info

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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 6, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/number-of-shards-a-few-question-about-it/8643/2 "2017-07-06T03:17:40Z")

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