private void initLogstashHost() {

    if (logstashHost != null) {
      return;
    }

    Properties props;
    try {
      props = IOUtils.readPropertiesFromFile(propsFile);
    } catch (final Exception e) {
      throw new IllegalStateException("Failed reading properties file : " + e.getMessage());
    }
    logstashHost = props.getProperty("logstash_server_host");
  }