# What are the best practices for data retention? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Tags:** ilm-index-lifecycle-management\ **Created:** [February 19, 2021, 12:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-are-the-best-practices-for-data-retention/264858 "2021-02-19T12:50:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lachezar.uzunov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecae2f/32.png) [@lachezar.uzunov](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/lachezar.uzunov)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2021, 12:50pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-are-the-best-practices-for-data-retention/264858/1 "2021-02-19T12:50:02Z")
Hello, I am wondering what is the best practices for handling a big data indexes. For example if a firewall sends way too much logs to elastic stack, what is the best way to handle this situation? Is it possible to archive data but be able to read it? ---
**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:** [February 22, 2021, 12:49am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-are-the-best-practices-for-data-retention/264858/2 "2021-02-22T00:49:42Z")
Best practise is to use [ILM][ILM: Manage the index lifecycle | Elasticsearch Reference [7.11] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/index-lifecycle-management.html)). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/what-are-the-best-practices-for-data-retention/264858/3 "2021-03-22T00:50:37Z")
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