# Why kibana is making two indices
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-kibana-is-making-two-indices/221812
**Category:** Kibana
**Created:** [March 3, 2020, 5:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-kibana-is-making-two-indices/221812 "2020-03-03T05:55:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tbhaxor](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/tbhaxor)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2020, 5:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-kibana-is-making-two-indices/221812/1 "2020-03-03T05:55:36Z")
Before running kibana instance i deleted all the indices. What is see is kibana is making 2 indices, earlier it was used to create only one **`.kibana`**
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### Author:  [@rashmi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rashmi)
#### Post date: [March 17, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-kibana-is-making-two-indices/221812/2 "2020-03-17T04:50:30Z")
When changes are necessary, a new incremental `.kibana_N` index is created with updated mappings, then the saved objects are loaded in batches from the existing index, transformed to whatever extent necessary, and added to this new index.
Once the objects are migrated, the `.kibana` index alias is updated to point to the new index, and Kibana finishes starting up and serving HTTP traffic.
That's why you are seeing the other .kibana\_2 index. The is caused by stopping the process which is in charge of handling the migration. So if you are in the process of migration/upgrade you do see the .kibana\_2 index as well.
Hope this helps
Thanks
Rashmi
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### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2020, 4:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/why-kibana-is-making-two-indices/221812/3 "2020-04-14T04:50:31Z")
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