Elasticsearch Index Lifecycle Management (ILM) is designed to automate the management of index data across various phases, but users often encounter common configuration issues that require troubleshooting. These include ensuring ILM is running, correctly configuring data deletion phases, understanding the min_age calculation, explicitly attaching policies to indices, and managing existing indices manually. Users should be aware that policy updates only take effect when indices move to a new phase, and ILM operations are performed with permissions of the last editing user. Errors often arise from misconfigured rollover aliases, incorrect index name patterns, and insufficient cluster resources. Effective troubleshooting involves checking policy attachments, resolving alias conflicts, and maintaining good cluster hygiene, with resources such as ILM history and verbose logging available for deeper insights. If issues persist, users are encouraged to seek assistance through Elastic's community and support channels.