# When do delete policies in ILM actually get applied?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Tags:** ilm-index-lifecycle-management
**Created:** [November 30, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563 "2021-11-30T14:36:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@riahc3](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/riahc3)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/1 "2021-11-30T14:36:33Z")
Hello
We have a ILM policy that deletes logs older than 240 days.
We also have a monitoring system that watches the mount point where the logs get stored for space.
Every 1-2 months, we get a alert that it gets near its threshold but randomly the next hours/days , it gets away from it but then meets it again. We imagine this is happening because it gets filled up, the ILM policy kicks in clearing logs but then in x timeframe, logs keep coming in and it fills up again.
I would like to be able to explain how the arch works when it comes to ILM and deleting: What process runs in this policy? Is it EXACTLY 240 days or is there a "refresh period" to where it looks at the policy THEN applies it? etc
Thank you
---
### Author:  [@DineshNaik](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/DineshNaik)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/2 "2021-11-30T17:32:31Z")
@riahc3 You need to check the policy details defined in your setup , if its default or changed as per your use case.
To view the `logs` policy in Kibana:
1. Open the menu and go to **Stack Management \> Index Lifecycle Policies**.
2. Select the `logs` policy.
The `logs` policy uses the recommended rollover defaults: Start writing to a new index when the current write index reaches 50GB or becomes 30 days old.
Refer [page](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/example-using-index-lifecycle-policy.html) for more details on the same.
---
### Author:  [@leandrojmp](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/leandrojmp)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/3 "2021-11-30T17:46:24Z")
According to the [documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/ilm-settings.html#_cluster_level_settings) the ILM checks for indices that match any of the conditions every 10 minutes.
What does your policy looks like? Are you deleting only by time? Please, share it.
---
### Author:  [@riahc3](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/riahc3)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/4 "2021-12-01T13:55:32Z")
```auto
{
"logs-ilp" : {
"version" : 4,
"modified_date" : "2021-09-01T09:06:02.218Z",
"policy" : {
"phases" : {
"hot" : {
"min_age" : "0ms",
"actions" : {
"set_priority" : {
"priority" : 100
}
}
},
"delete" : {
"min_age" : "210d",
"actions" : { }
}
}
}
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@riahc3](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/riahc3)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/5 "2021-12-01T13:56:02Z")
That would be the policy @leandrojmp
---
### Author:  [@riahc3](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/riahc3)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/6 "2021-12-01T13:56:27Z")
Yes, I am currently using a custom made policy for my logs.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/when-do-delete-policies-in-ilm-actually-get-applied/290563/7 "2021-12-29T13:57:28Z")
This topic was automatically closed 28 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.