# Search not adhering to time limits - searching many indexes **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [June 1, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665 "2021-06-01T16:55:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![P\_Larsen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/p_larsen/32/40097_2.png) [@P\_Larsen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/P_Larsen)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2021, 4:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665/1 "2021-06-01T16:55:10Z")
We have a search that we see running that has a time limit what appears to be 4 mins set but it is accessing indexes from way back in the past. What could be the issue? Grabbed from listing running tasks ```auto indices:data/read/search X8wgBzzzzzzz4Cd6Q:17202619082 - transport 1622555336427 13:48:56 625.3ms 10.1.00.00 elk-hot-1 indices[index-zero-000758,index-zero-000759,index-zero-000754,index-zero-000755,index-zero-000756,index-zero-000757,index-zero-000750,index-zero-000751,index-zero-000752,index-zero-000753,index-zero-000590,index-zero-000747,index-zero-000748,index-zero-000749,index-zero-000743,index-zero-000744,index-zero-000745,index-zero-000746,index-zero-000740,index-zero-000741,index-zero-000742,index-zero-000772,index-zero-000773,index-zero-000770,index-zero-000771,index-zero-000769,index-zero-000765,index-zero-000766,index-zero-000767,index-zero-000768,index-zero-000761,index-zero-000762,index-zero-000763,index-zero-000764,index-zero-000760,index-zero-000718,index-zero-000719,index-zero-000714,index-zero-000715,index-zero-000716,index-zero-000717,index-zero-000710,index-zero-000677,index-zero-000711,index-zero-000678,index-zero-000712,index-zero-000679,index-zero-000713,index-zero-000673,index-zero-000674,index-zero-000675,index-zero-000676,index-zero-000670,index-zero-000671,index-zero-000672,index-zero-000707,index-zero-000708,index-zero-000709,index-zero-000703,index-zero-000704,index-zero-000705,index-zero-000706,index-zero-000700,index-zero-000701,index-zero-000702,index-zero-000736,index-zero-000737,index-zero-000738,index-zero-000739,index-zero-000732,index-zero-000699,index-zero-000733,index-zero-000734,index-zero-000735,index-zero-000695,index-zero-000696,index-zero-000730,index-zero-000697,index-zero-000731,index-zero-000698,index-zero-000691,index-zero-000692,index-zero-000693,index-zero-000694,index-zero-000690,index-zero-000729,index-zero-000725,index-zero-000726,index-zero-000727,index-zero-000728,index-zero-000721,index-zero-000688,index-zero-000722,index-zero-000689,index-zero-000723,index-zero-000724,index-zero-000684,index-zero-000685,index-zero-000686,index-zero-000720,index-zero-000687,index-zero-000680,index-zero-000681,index-zero-000682,index-zero-000683], types[], search_type[QUERY_THEN_FETCH], scroll[5m], source[{"size":1000,"query":{"bool":{"must":[{"term":{"device_name.keyword":{"value":"abcde-cd","boost":1.0}}},{"term":{"command_name.keyword":{"value":"interface_stats","boost":1.0}}},{"term":{"interface_stats.admin_state":{"value":1,"boost":1.0}}},{"range":{"@timestamp":{"from":"now-4m","to":"now","include_lower":true,"include_upper":false,"boost":1.0}}}],"adjust_pure_negative":true,"boost":1.0}},"sort":[{"_doc":{"order":"asc"}}]}] ``` ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665/2 "2021-06-02T02:03:25Z")
> [@P\_Larsen](#): > > We have a search that we see running that has a time limit what appears to be 4 mins set but it is accessing indexes from way back in the past. Can you elaborate a little more on this please. Are you saying there's a query with a timestamp range query of the last 4 minutes? ---
**Author:** ![P\_Larsen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/p_larsen/32/40097_2.png) [@P\_Larsen](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/P_Larsen)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665/3 "2021-06-02T14:13:44Z")
Based on the task it lists last for mins but lists all the indexes matching the pattern. Does it still list all the indexes matching the pattern but does not actually access them? The output is just a bit confusing. If elastic is listing all the indexes for 4 weeks but still only READS/accesses the last 4 minutes then that would make sense and the long list of indexes is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665/4 "2021-06-02T23:14:53Z")
It checks the indexes that match the pattern to see if it needs to run the actual query. That's probably what you are seeing. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 11:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/search-not-adhering-to-time-limits-searching-many-indexes/274665/5 "2021-06-30T23:15:31Z")
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