Logstash on Windows

gistfile1.txt

Download the following
* Logstash https://www.elastic.co/downloads/logstash
* Java JDK http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html
* NSSM https://nssm.cc/ 

Create this folder structure
\Logstash
\Logstash\config
\Logstash\java

Extract the Logstash version under \Logstash so that it creates for example \Logstash\logstash-1.4.2

Extract the JDK under \Logstash\java so it creates for example \Logstash\java\jdk1.8.0_31

Extract nssm.exe to \Logstash

Create \Logstash\Logstash.bat

  set ES_MIN_MEM=256m
  set ES_MAX_MEM=1g
  set JAVA_HOME=C:\Logstash\java\jdk1.8.0_31
  cd C:\Logstash\logstash-1.4.2
  C:\Logstash\logstash-1.4.2\bin\logstash.bat agent --config config --log logstash.log

Logstash will use Java from \Logstash\java\, read all config files in \Logstash\config and log to \Logstash\logstash.log

Run nssm.exe to create a service that points to your bat file.

Upgrading Java is done by extracting a new JDK version into the java folder, modify the bat file and restarting the service.
Upgrading Logstash is the same process.