# Spreading files across data paths

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/spreading-files-across-data-paths/227026>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [April 7, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/spreading-files-across-data-paths/227026 "2020-04-07T23:13:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Flatline2005](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@Flatline2005](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Flatline2005)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/spreading-files-across-data-paths/227026/1 "2020-04-07T23:13:48Z")

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There are lots of docs talking about the distribution of shards across nodes in a cluster, but very little about the actual usage of **multiple data paths within nodes**.  
It is clear that a shard cannot be split over different paths, but _WHEN_ and _HOW_ does Elasticsearch (say 7.6) decide to create or to move a shard from one data path to another (across nodes, or within the same node)?

It is written that when a disk reaches a given watermark (e.g. 90%) the system decides to reallocate shards.  
BUT does this include the possibility to reallocate them within the same node, i.e. moving it to a new empty disk, for instance?

Is it possible to tell Elastic to use a given data path when creating a new index, for instance?

Is there any clear document explaining these behaviours in detail?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/christian_dahlqvist/32/4617_2.png) [@Christian\_Dahlqvist](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Christian_Dahlqvist)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2020, 8:41am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/spreading-files-across-data-paths/227026/2 "2020-04-13T08:41:58Z")

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> [@Flatline2005](#):
>
> BUT does this include the possibility to reallocate them within the same node, i.e. moving it to a new empty disk, for instance?

As far as I know Elasticsearch never moves shards between paths on the same node, only onto different nodes.

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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 11, 2020, 8:42am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/spreading-files-across-data-paths/227026/3 "2020-05-11T08:42:07Z")

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