# TTL and file handles **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [May 9, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/ttl-and-file-handles/7608 "2012-05-09T01:30:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![electic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@electic](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/electic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/ttl-and-file-handles/7608/1 "2012-05-09T01:30:42Z")
Hi, I have the latest version of ES. I have created an index with a TTL of 5h. I noticed over time the file handles keep increasing and increasing. Is this normal? I have changed the file-max of the machine but it seems to be growing pretty steadily. With a TTL, isn't the file handles supposed to stay constant? Or are the deletes creating more and more sparce files that require a merge? Any help on how to make this more robust with a TTL is greatly appreciated. Raj ---
**Author:** ![kimchy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/kimchy/32/44952_2.png) [@kimchy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/kimchy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:36am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/ttl-and-file-handles/7608/2 "2012-05-09T09:36:17Z")
Yes, deletes are only marked as deleted, and eventually get merged out. On Wed, May 9, 2012 at 4:30 AM, electic [electic@gmail.com](mailto:electic@gmail.com) wrote: > Hi, > > I have the latest version of ES. I have created an index with a TTL of 5h. > I noticed over time the file handles keep increasing and increasing. Is > this normal? I have changed the file-max of the machine but it seems to be > growing pretty steadily. With a TTL, isn't the file handles supposed to > stay constant? Or are the deletes creating more and more sparce files that > require a merge? > > Any help on how to make this more robust with a TTL is greatly appreciated. > > Raj ---
**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, 3:29am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/ttl-and-file-handles/7608/3 "2017-07-06T03:29:40Z")
Closed on July 6, 2017, 3:29am UTC