# Once Filebeat/Elasticsearch has ingested log files, can the logs themselves be deleted?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473 "2024-02-16T14:36:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![artschooldropout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@artschooldropout](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/artschooldropout)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 2:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473/1 "2024-02-16T14:36:17Z")

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I'm using Filebeat/Elasticsearch to index Zeek network traffic logs. I'm missing a key piece of understanding about Filebeat/Elasticsearch. Once the logs have been ingested and indexed, are the logs themselves accessed to produce search results? I'm wondering if I can delete the logs themselves.

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**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 2:48pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473/2 "2024-02-16T14:48:48Z")

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Hi @artschooldropout

Once the logs have been ingested into elasticsearch, yes, you can delete them from the source system that will have no impact on the data that's in elasticsearch.

Just remember if you want to re-ingest them they won't be there anymore.

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**Author:** ![artschooldropout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@artschooldropout](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/artschooldropout)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473/3 "2024-02-16T14:49:37Z")

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Got it. Thank you!

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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:** [March 15, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/once-filebeat-elasticsearch-has-ingested-log-files-can-the-logs-themselves-be-deleted/353473/4 "2024-03-15T14:50:26Z")

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