# Using Pipelines or not .. a shakespearean dilemma!

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-pipelines-or-not-a-shakespearean-dilemma/167668>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [February 8, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-pipelines-or-not-a-shakespearean-dilemma/167668 "2019-02-08T16:50:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nandrik](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nandrik/32/39951_2.png) [@nandrik](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nandrik)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-pipelines-or-not-a-shakespearean-dilemma/167668/1 "2019-02-08T16:50:51Z")

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I have two different applications running on two different servers, shipping logs and exposing server API information to Logstash.

The output from each application has a different data rate. Let's say:

- App1 sends data @ 1x rate
- App2 sends data @ 15x rate

Each app sends 4 different types of logs (json/log4j, different fields, etc.).  
Also the shipping method for the 4 datasets is different, 2 come from filebeat and 1 from the jdbc\_input plugin.  
Mixing the data from the two apps is not a current priority.

Currently, for App1, I have 9 logstash configuration files:  
`4 datasets x 2 files (input, filter) + 1 common output file = 9 config files`

Namely:

1. Filebeat --\> Grok --\> Elasticsearch
2. Filebeat --\> Grok --\> Elasticsearch
3. JDBC Input (Postgres) --\> Mutate/Replace --\> Elasticsearch
4. HTTP Plugin (public API) --\> N/A --\> Elasticsearch

I wonder what's the best practice for onboarding App2.

Some of the questions I have, are:

- How can I develop my logstash configuration for App2 without impacting the operation of App1, i.e. not having to restart logstash while I develop my grok filters?
- Should I be using [multiple pipelines](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/6.5/multiple-pipelines.html)? If so, should I join all config files (input, filter, output) into one or do [pipeline-to-pipeline](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/6.5/pipeline-to-pipeline.html) (in beta)?
- If I'm running a single node (which I am), what's best from a performance perspective? ([introductory note](https://www.elastic.co/blog/logstash-multiple-pipelines) seems to argue that pipelines are the way to go in this case)
- Should I use 1 pipeline per data set or per application/server (data source)?
- How should I think about tradeoffs between complexity of pipelines, performance and ability to keep onboarding new datasets from new apps?

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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 8, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/using-pipelines-or-not-a-shakespearean-dilemma/167668/2 "2019-03-08T16:59:42Z")

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