Optimizing long-term data retention with Elastic Cloud Hosted: Ensuring compliance and efficiency for government

The recently introduced Elasticsearch logsdb index mode is designed to significantly reduce data storage costs by efficiently storing and searching essential log data. Logsdb index mode can cut data storage costs by up to 65%, making it an ideal choice for public sector organizations aiming to optimize their data management budgets. By using logsdb index mode, government agencies can maintain comprehensive log data for compliance and auditing purposes without incurring prohibitive costs. This capability ensures that critical log data remains accessible and manageable, supporting long-term data retention strategies while adhering to budget constraints.

Unlike other vendors, Elastic's data tiering approach optimizes data management by categorizing data into storage tiers based on access frequency and cost:

• Hot tier: Designed for frequently accessed, critical data that you need to analyze quickly. Data in the hot tier is typically retained for one to seven days for immediate analysis. 

• Cold tier: Suitable for infrequently accessed, read-only data, using low-cost object storage like AWS S3. It balances cost and performance through caching and partial restores. 

• Frozen tier: Ideal for long-term retention, storing data entirely in object storage for up to two years or longer. Elastic's unique searchable snapshots capability enables direct searches without any rehydration, maintaining efficient search performance. Most Elastic customers have been adopting a hot-frozen architecture, where data is stored for one to three days in the hot tier, and the rest are in the frozen tier. This approach significantly reduces costs while retaining high levels of search performance.

Elastic's cold and frozen tiers perform with search speeds comparable to competitors' hot tiers, often eliminating the need for a warm tier. This approach allows storage of up to 20 times more read-only data at the same cost, reducing total ownership costs and enhancing data availability, compliance, and business outcomes.

Elastic integrates with multiple object storage solutions, allowing government agencies to offload data to a repository of their choice, such as AWS, Azure Blob Storage, or Google Cloud Platform. Elasticsearch also offers the option to store data locally for use cases that require regulation or data sovereignty. 

Here's how it works:

• Repository setup: In Elastic Cloud, configure a snapshot repository using your preferred cloud storage service. This involves setting up the necessary credentials and permissions to allow Elastic to store and retrieve data from your chosen storage solution.

• Searchable snapshots: Once the repository is configured, create searchable snapshots of your indices. These snapshots are stored in the configured repository and can be queried directly without needing to restore them to the Elastic cluster.

• Cost efficiency and flexibility: By using your own storage accounts, you maintain control over your data and can optimize costs based on specific performance needs and retention requirements. Searchable snapshots provide a cost-effective way to retain long-term data while ensuring it remains accessible for analytical and compliance purposes.

Learn more about snapshot repositories.

Elastic's data tiering strategy — from hot to frozen — provides government agencies with a powerful tool for managing long-term data retention in the cloud. By using searchable snapshots and logsdb index mode, agencies can achieve cost savings, scalability, and compliance — all while maintaining the ability to search and analyze data efficiently. As data continues to grow, Elastic offers a sustainable solution for managing and using this valuable resource.