[role="xpack"]
[testenv="basic"]
[[ilm-start]]
=== Start ILM API
++++
<titleabbrev>Start ILM</titleabbrev>
++++

Start the ILM plugin

==== Request

`POST /_ilm/start`

==== Description

This API will start the ILM plugin if it is currently stopped. ILM is started
by default when the cluster is formed so this API is only needed if ILM has
been stopped using the <<ilm-stop, Stop ILM API>>.

==== Request Parameters

`timeout`::
  (time units) Specifies the period of time to wait for the completion of the 
  start operation. When this period of time elapses, the API fails and returns
  an error. The default value is `30s`. For more information about time units, 
  see <<time-units>>.

`master_timeout`::
  (time units) Specifies the period of time to wait for the connection with master.
  When this period of time elapses, the API fails and returns an error.
  The default value is `30s`. For more information about time units, see <<time-units>>.


==== Examples

The following example starts the ILM plugin.

//////////////////////////

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
PUT _ilm/policy/my_policy
{
  "policy": {
    "phases": {
      "warm": {
        "min_age": "10d",
        "actions": {
          "forcemerge": {
            "max_num_segments": 1
          }
        }
      },
      "delete": {
        "min_age": "30d",
        "actions": {
          "delete": {}
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

PUT my_index

POST _ilm/stop
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TEST

//////////////////////////

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
POST _ilm/start
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TEST[continued]

If the request does not encounter errors, you receive the following result:

[source,js]
--------------------------------------------------
{
  "acknowledged": true
}
--------------------------------------------------
// CONSOLE
// TESTRESPONSE