# Why is replica shard in UNASSIGNED state if it exists on disk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [February 1, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001 "2018-02-01T10:50:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YuWatanabe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/yuwatanabe/32/13259_2.png) [@YuWatanabe](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/YuWatanabe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001/1 "2018-02-01T10:50:50Z")
I would like to ask question regarding the shard allocation for [rolling restart](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/guide/2.x/_rolling_restarts.html),. I am trying to figure out why shard allocation happens after following steps for rolling restart. I have done below test. ### Environment 1. 1 cluster with 2 master eligible nodes. 2. elasticsearch v6.1.1 ### Steps 1.Create index ``` PUT test-indices { "settings" : { "number_of_shards": 2, "number_of_replicas": 1 } } ``` 2.Check which node each shard is located. Primary shard are spread on each node. ``` GET _cat/shards/test-indices?v index shard prirep state docs store ip node test-indices 1 r STARTED 0 233b 172.31.27.43 node2 test-indices 1 p STARTED 0 233b 172.31.27.43 node1 test-indices 0 p STARTED 0 233b 172.31.27.43 node2 test-indices 0 r STARTED 0 233b 172.31.27.43 node1 ``` 3.Disable shard reallocation and do sync flush. ``` PUT _cluster/settings { "persistent" : { "cluster.routing.allocation.enable" : "none" } } POST _flush/synced ``` 4.Shutdown node2 5.Start node2 6.Check shards before re-enabling shard allocation. All replicas are **UNASSIGNED**. Even the replica for _shard 0_ . ``` GET _cat/shards/test-indices?v index shard prirep state docs store ip node test-indices 1 p STARTED 0 264b 172.31.27.43 node1 test-indices 1 r UNASSIGNED test-indices 0 p STARTED 0 264b 172.31.27.43 node1 test-indices 0 r UNASSIGNED ``` 7 Also check the cluster state API and replica for _shard 0_ is **UNASSIGNED** ``` GET _cluster/state/routing_table/test-indices { "cluster_name": "mycluster", "compressed_size_in_bytes": 15865, "routing_table": { "indices": { "test-indices": { "shards": { "0": [ { "state": "STARTED", "primary": true, "node": "g-_vH5rwT-inWJuhHyjHcA", "relocating_node": null, "shard": 0, "index": "test-indices", "allocation_id": { "id": "QR-dWeL6ToGYShiHIROEDg" } }, { "state": "UNASSIGNED", "primary": false, "node": null, "relocating_node": null, "shard": 0, "index": "test-indices", "recovery_source": { "type": "PEER" }, "unassigned_info": { "reason": "NODE_LEFT", "at": "2018-02-01T10:40:13.350Z", "delayed": false, "details": "node_left[nB9E_CoCQmuC-Gjx4gvucA]", "allocation_status": "no_attempt" } } ], "1": [ { "state": "STARTED", "primary": true, "node": "g-_vH5rwT-inWJuhHyjHcA", "relocating_node": null, "shard": 1, "index": "test-indices", "allocation_id": { "id": "5ZWVGFTgS0Gsg1R2Sf8iQQ" } }, { "state": "UNASSIGNED", "primary": false, "node": null, "relocating_node": null, "shard": 1, "index": "test-indices", "recovery_source": { "type": "PEER" }, "unassigned_info": { "reason": "NODE_LEFT", "at": "2018-02-01T10:40:13.350Z", "delayed": false, "details": "node_left[nB9E_CoCQmuC-Gjx4gvucA]", "allocation_status": "no_attempt" } } ] } } } } } ``` It makes sense for replica shard on shard 1to be **UNASSIGNED** because it was promoted to **primary shard** , however, why is the replica shard for _shard 0_ **UNASSIGNED** if it exists on the disk ? ---
**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 1, 2018, 11:35pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001/2 "2018-02-01T23:35:41Z")
> [@YuWatanabe](#): > > 1 cluster with 2 master eligible nodes. That's bad, see [Important Configuration Changes | Elasticsearch: The Definitive Guide [2.x] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/guide/2.x/important-configuration-changes.html#_minimum_master_nodes) > [@YuWatanabe](#): > > It makes sense for replica shard on shard 1to be UNASSIGNED because it was promoted to primary shard, however, why is the replica shard for shard 0 UNASSIGNED if it exists on the disk ? How did you enable allocation after the restart? ---
**Author:** ![YuWatanabe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/yuwatanabe/32/13259_2.png) [@YuWatanabe](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/YuWatanabe)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001/3 "2018-02-02T01:48:58Z")
@warkolm Thank you for the reply. > That's bad, see [Important Configuration Changes | Elasticsearch: The Definitive Guide [2.x] | Elastic](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/guide/2.x/important-configuration-changes.html#_minimum_master_nodes) Yes. Thanks for mentioning. > How did you enable allocation after the restart? No . I have not enabled the allocation. _cluster.routing.allocation.enable_ is set as **none**. ---
**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 2, 2018, 5:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001/4 "2018-02-02T05:08:08Z")
If allocation is still disabled, what you are seeing is expected. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 5:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-is-replica-shard-in-unassigned-state-if-it-exists-on-disk/118001/5 "2018-03-02T05:08:48Z")
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