[role="xpack"]
[testenv="basic"]
[[index-lifecycle-management]]
= Manage the index lifecycle

[partintro]
--
You can configure {ilm} ({ilm-init}) policies to automatically manage indices according to
your performance, resiliency, and retention requirements. 
For example, you could use {ilm-init} to:

* Create a new index each day, week, or month and archive previous ones
* Spin up a new index when an index reaches a certain size
* Delete stale indices to enforce data retention standards

[TIP]
To automatically back up your indices and manage snapshots, 
use <<getting-started-snapshot-lifecycle-management,snapshot lifecycle policies>>.

* <<overview-index-lifecycle-management>>
* <<getting-started-index-lifecycle-management>>
* <<ilm-policy-definition>>
* <<set-up-lifecycle-policy>>
* <<update-lifecycle-policy>>
* <<index-lifecycle-error-handling>>
* <<start-stop-ilm>>
* <<using-policies-rollover>>
* <<ilm-with-existing-indices>>
* <<index-lifecycle-and-snapshots>>

--
include::overview-ilm.asciidoc[]

include::getting-started-ilm.asciidoc[]

include::policy-definitions.asciidoc[]

include::set-up-lifecycle-policy.asciidoc[]

include::update-lifecycle-policy.asciidoc[]

include::error-handling.asciidoc[]

include::start-stop-ilm.asciidoc[]

include::using-policies-rollover.asciidoc[]

include::ilm-with-existing-indices.asciidoc[]

include::ilm-and-snapshots.asciidoc[]

