Elasticsearch, Kibana, Elastic Cloud 8.1: Faster indexing, less disk storage, and smarter analytics capabilities

Elasticsearch, Kibana, and Elastic Cloud 8.1 introduce significant improvements in indexing speed, disk storage efficiency, geospatial analytics, and data exploration capabilities. With doc-value-only fields, data can be indexed 20% faster while reducing disk storage by around 20%, though at a tradeoff with search performance. The introduction of Geohexgrid aggregation enhances the accuracy of geospatial data analysis by using hexagon tiles, which improve the visual experience on maps. Kibana's analytical capabilities are expanded with new visualization types like gauge, waffle, and mosaic charts, facilitating deeper insights and flexible data exploration. The new field API simplifies script writing by providing streamlined access to document fields, even handling missing data automatically. Additionally, Kibana gains features like a new Document Explorer and enhanced visual customization, while Elastic Cloud offers these capabilities through its console for both current users and new customers via trials and training resources.