# journal space usage

**URL:** <https://community.netdata.cloud/t/journal-space-usage/7331>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [February 19, 2025, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/journal-space-usage/7331 "2025-02-19T12:24:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmpscabral](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/community.netdata.cloud/cmpscabral/32/4414_2.png) [@cmpscabral](https://community.netdata.cloud/u/cmpscabral)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/journal-space-usage/7331/1 "2025-02-19T12:24:03Z")

</div>

I have two folders inside /var/log/journal

1. [xxxxx]
2. [xxxxx].netdata

Disk usage is freed up on folder 1 when I run journalctl --vacuum… The other one stays the same.

Is is safe to delete/vacuum/rotate the folder /var/log/journal/[xxxxxxxx].netdata ? Is yes, how?

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Costa\_Tsaousis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/community.netdata.cloud/costa_tsaousis/32/1851_2.png) [@Costa\_Tsaousis](https://community.netdata.cloud/u/Costa_Tsaousis)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:36pm UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/journal-space-usage/7331/2 "2025-02-19T12:36:21Z")

</div>

The folder ending in `.netdata` is a journal namespace, set by systemd (the Netdata systemd service unit defines this - in order for Netdata logs to be isolated and not pollute your system logs).

Generally, you can vacuum it like this:

```auto
sudo journalctl --namespace=netdata --vacuum-size=100M

```

If your `journalctl` does not support the `--namespace` parameter, you can run it like this:

```auto
sudo journalctl --directory=/var/log/journal/<machine-id>.netdata --vacuum-size=100M

```

If you have a newer systemd version (I believe v248+), you can define the max size you want for netdata:

```auto
# /etc/systemd/journald@netdata.conf
[Journal]
SystemMaxUse=100M

```

For older versions, the only solution to change the default retention, is to have a cron job running vacuum regularly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmpscabral](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/community.netdata.cloud/cmpscabral/32/4414_2.png) [@cmpscabral](https://community.netdata.cloud/u/cmpscabral)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/journal-space-usage/7331/3 "2025-02-19T12:42:42Z")

</div>

Thank you! Worked perfectly