Use of the same ElasticSearch infrastructure for several Liferay DXP versions

Issue

• I would like to use the same ElasticSearch installation for different versions of Liferay DXP such as 7.3, 7.4, and 2024.Q3.

Environment

• Quarterly Releases: 2024.Q3, 2024.Q2, 2024.Q1, 2023.Q4, 2023.Q3
• Liferay DXP 7.3, 7.4

Resolution

• It is technically possible to use the same Elasticsearch infrastructure for several different versions of Liferay DXP if the compatibility matrix allows it. However, this is not recommended in production environments for various reasons:

  • Index structure changes between Liferay versions can lead to indexing and search issues.

  • Resource contention: Both Liferay instances will be competing for resources on the same Elasticsearch cluster, potentially impacting performance.

  • Maintenance complexity: Upgrading or maintaining one Liferay version could impact the other if it requires changes to the Elasticsearch cluster.

• It is generally recommended to have separate Elasticsearch clusters for different Liferay versions, especially in production environments:

  • This ensures optimal performance, stability, and maintainability.

  • Reindexing one of the installations will only affect its own indices within the Elasticsearch cluster.

  • It will prevent the accidental deletion of indices belonging to other installations.