Briefly, this error occurs when Elasticsearch is unable to execute the initial scan request of a delete by query operation. This could be due to insufficient permissions, a malformed query, or issues with the underlying data. To resolve this, ensure that the user has the necessary permissions to perform the operation. Check the syntax and structure of the query to ensure it is correct. Also, verify the integrity of the data being queried. If the issue persists, consider reindexing the data or restarting the Elasticsearch cluster.
This guide will help you check for common problems that cause the log ” unable to execute the initial scan request of delete by query ” to appear. To understand the issues related to this log, read the explanation below about the following Elasticsearch concepts: delete, delete-by-query, deletebyquery, plugins and request.
Overview
Delete-by-query is an Elasticsearch API, which was introduced in version 5.0 and provides functionality to delete all documents that match the provided query. In lower versions, users had to install the Delete-By-Query plugin and use the DELETE /_query endpoint for this same use case.
What it is used for
This API is used for deleting all the documents from indices based on a query. Once the query is executed, Elasticsearch runs the process in the background to delete all the matching documents so you don’t have to wait for the process to be completed.
Examples
Delete all the documents of an index without deleting the mapping and settings:
POST /my_index/_delete_by_query?conflicts=proceed&pretty
{
"query": {
"match_all": {}
}
}The conflict parameter in the request is used to proceed with the request even in the case of version conflicts for some documents. The default conflict behavior is to abort the request altogether.
Notes
- A long-running delete_by_query can be terminated using _task API.
- Inside the query body, you can use the same syntax for queries that are available under the _search API.
Common problems
Elasticsearch takes a snapshot of the index when you hit delete by query request and uses the _version of the documents to process the request. If a document gets updated in the meantime, it will result in a version conflict error and the delete operation will fail.
Overview
DELETE is an Elasticsearch API which removes a document from a specific index. This API requires an index name and _id document to delete the document.
Delete a document
DELETE /my_index/_doc/1
Notes
- A delete request throws 404 error code if the document does not already exist in the index.
- If you want to delete a set of documents that matches a query, you need to use delete by query API.
Log Context
Log “unable to execute the initial scan request of delete by query” classname is TransportDeleteByQueryAction.java.
We extracted the following from Elasticsearch source code for those seeking an in-depth context :
public void onFailure(Throwable e) {
listener.onFailure(e);
}
});
} catch (Throwable t) {
logger.error("unable to execute the initial scan request of delete by query"; t);
listener.onFailure(t);
}
}
void executeScroll(final String scrollId) {
