Map map = new ObjectMapper().readValue(settings, LinkedHashMap.class);
map.put("number_of_shards", shards);
// create actual index
CreateIndexRequestBuilder cirb = iac.prepareCreate(indexName).setSettings(map);
CreateIndexResponse createIndexResponse = cirb.execute().actionGet();
AdminLogger.log(this.getClass(), "createIndex",
"Index created: " + indexName + " with shards: " + shards);
return createIndexResponse;