OpenSearch Serverless Data Lifecycle Policy

Question

```
[
  {
    "Resource": [
      "index/demo-collection/demo-index"
    ],
    "ResourceType": "index",
    "MinIndexRetention": "30d"
  }
]
```

I wanted to understand the MinIndexRetention field in the Data Lifecycle Policy .
Does it retain the entire index for a minimum of 30 days from the index creation date regardless of when data is inserted in that index?

Srini V · Accepted Answer

The MinIndexRetention field specifies the minimum amount of time that an entire index must be retained before the lifecycle policy can perform actions like deleting or archiving the index. This ensures important data is not accidentally removed too soon.

The retention period is calculated from the index creation date, not the individual document ingestion times. So even if some documents in the index are newer, the entire index will be retained for at least the configured MinIndexRetention period.

For example, setting MinIndexRetention to "30 days" in your case means the lifecycle policy won't take any action on the index until it is at least 30 days old. This helps prevent accidental deletion of recent data, while still allowing long-term index management.

The MinIndexRetention value and unit (days, weeks, months, years) can be configured based on the user's data retention requirements and policies. After the minimum retention period elapses, the policy will then evaluate the index for further actions like deletion or archiving based on other configured criteria.

OpenSearch Serverless Data Lifecycle Policy

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