Splunk SPLK-1005 Splunk Cloud Certified Admin Exam Practice Test

The correct attribute/value pair to successfully extract the timestamp from the provided events is TIME_FORMAT = %b %d %H:%M:%S. This format corresponds to the structure of the timestamps in the provided data:

%b represents the abbreviated month name (e.g., Sep).

%d represents the day of the month.

%H:%M:%S represents the time in hours, minutes, and seconds.

This format will correctly extract timestamps like "Sep 12 06:11:58".

Splunk Documentation Reference: Configure Timestamp Recognition

Configuring a Universal Forwarder (UF) as an Intermediate Forwarder involves making changes to its configuration to allow it to receive data from other forwarders before sending it to indexers.

D. It is only possible to make this change directly in configuration files or via a deployment app:This is the correct answer. Configuring a Universal Forwarder as an Intermediate Forwarder is done by editing the configuration files directly (like outputs.conf), or by deploying a pre-configured app via a deployment server. The Splunk Web UI (Management Console) does not provide an interface for configuring a Universal Forwarder as an Intermediate Forwarder.

A. This can only be turned on using the Settings > Forwarding and Receiving menu in Splunk Web/UI:Incorrect, as this applies to Heavy Forwarders, not Universal Forwarders.

B. The configuration changes can be made using Splunk Web, CLI, directly in configuration files, or via a deployment app:Incorrect, the Splunk Web UI is not used for configuring Universal Forwarders.

C. The configuration changes can be made using CLI, directly in configuration files, or via a deployment app:While CLI could be used for certain configurations, the specific Intermediate Forwarder setup is typically done via configuration files or deployment apps.

Splunk Documentation References:

Universal Forwarder Configuration

Intermediate Forwarder Configuration

In Splunk, it's considered best practice to create small, single-purpose deployment apps rather than large, multi-purpose ones. This approach ensures better manageability, easier updates, and clearer version control. Option D, which suggests creating large, multi-purpose deployment apps, is not a best practice.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Deployment Server Best Practices

Splunk executes scripts from specific directories that are structured within its installation paths. These directories typically include:

SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/bin: This directory is used to store scripts that are part of the core Splunk system configuration.

SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/<app name>/bin: Each Splunk app can have its own bin directory where scripts specific to that app are stored.

SPLUNK_HOME/bin/scripts: This is a standard directory for storing scripts that may be globally accessible within Splunk's environment.

However,C. SPLUNKHOMS/ctc/scripts/localis not a recognized or standard path used by Splunk for executing scripts. This path does not adhere to the typical directory structure within the SPLUNK_HOME environment, making it the correct answer as it does not correspond to a valid script execution path in Splunk.

Splunk Documentation References:

Using Custom Scripts in Splunk

Directory Structure of SPLUNK_HOME

The delete command in Splunk does not remove events from disk but rather marks them as "deleted" in the index. This means the events are not accessible via searches, but they still occupy space on disk. Only users with the can_delete capability (typically admins) can use the delete command.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Delete Command

Windows inputs in Splunk, particularly those that involve more advanced data collection capabilities beyond simple file monitoring, can utilize scripts or custom inputs. These are typically referred to asModular Inputs.

C. Modular:This is the correct answer. Modular Inputs are designed to be configurable via the Splunk Web UI and can collect data using custom or predefined scripts, handling more complex data collection tasks. This is the type of input that is used for collecting Windows-specific data such as Event Logs, Performance Monitoring, and other similar inputs.

Splunk Documentation References:

Modular Inputs

Windows Data Collection

In props.conf, valid stanzas can include source types, hosts, and source specifications. The correct syntax uses colons for specific types, such as source types and hosts, but follows a particular format:

A. [sourcetype::linux_secure]is the correct answer. This is a valid stanza format for a source type in props.conf. It indicates that the following configurations apply specifically to the linux_secure source type.

B. [host=nyc25]:Incorrect, the correct format for a host-based stanza uses double colons, not an equal sign.

C. [host::nyc]:* Incorrect, wildcards are not used in this manner within props.conf.

D. [host

]:* Incorrect, the correct format requires double colons for host stanzas.

Splunk Documentation References:

props.conf Specification

In Splunk, to configure a TCP input on a specific port and restrict traffic from certain IP addresses, you can use the acceptFrom setting. The correct stanza that enables a TCP input on port 1025 and allows traffic from all IP addresses except 10.5.5.1 would look like this:

[tcp://1025]

acceptFrom = !10.5.5.1

Here, !10.5.5.1 denotes that traffic from this IP should be denied, while all other IP addresses are allowed. Therefore, Option B is correct.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Inputs.conf - acceptFrom

When a forwarder is unable to send data to indexers, it queues the data in memory and optionally on disk. The setting used for the disk queue is persistentQueueSize. This configuration defines the size of the disk queue that stores data temporarily on the forwarder when it cannot immediately forward the data to an indexer.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Configure forwarding and receiving in Splunk

When a forwarder phones home to a Deployment Server, it compares the checksum of its apps with those on the Deployment Server. If the checksums do not match, the app on the forwarder is always deleted and re-downloaded from the Deployment Server. This ensures that the forwarder has the most current and correct version of the app as dictated by the Deployment Server.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Deployment Server Overview

In Splunk, when configuring file and directory monitor inputs, several settings are available that control how data is indexed and processed. These settings are defined in the inputs.conf file. Among the given options:

host:Specifies the hostname associated with the data. It can be set to a static value, or dynamically assigned using settings like host_regex or host_segment.

index:Specifies the index where the data will be stored.

sourcetype:Defines the data type, which helps Splunk to correctly parse and process the data.

TCP_Routing:Used to route data to specific indexers in a distributed environment based on TCP routing rules.

host_regex:Allows you to extract the host from the path or filename using a regular expression.

host_segment:Identifies the segment of the directory structure (path) to use as the host.

Given the options:

Option Bis correct because it includes host, index, sourcetype, TCP_Routing, host_regex, and host_segment. These are all valid settings for file and directory monitor inputs in Splunk.

Splunk Documentation References:

Monitor Inputs (inputs.conf)

Host Setting in Inputs

TCP Routing in Inputs

By referring to the Splunk documentation on configuring inputs, it's clear that Option B aligns with the valid settings used for file and directory monitoring, making it the correct choice.

For input apps that are not permitted on Splunk Cloud, the recommended place to deploy them is on a Universal Forwarder or Heavy Forwarder. These forwarders handle data collection and preprocessing before sending the data to Splunk Cloud. This setup allows organizations to leverage apps and configurations that are not supported directly in the cloud environment.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Forwarding Data to Splunk Cloud

transforms.conf is used for various advanced data processing tasks in Splunk, including:

Per-Event Sourcetype: Dynamically assigning a sourcetype based on event content.

Per-Event Host Name: Dynamically setting the host field based on event content.

Per-Event Index Routing: Directing specific events to different indexes based on their content.

Option B correctly identifies these common uses of transforms.conf.

Splunk Documentation Reference: transforms.conf - Configuration

In Splunk, to ingest data from files or directories, the basic configuration in inputs.conf requires at least the following elements:

monitor stanza:Specifies the file or directory to be monitored.

sourcetype:Identifies the format or type of the incoming data, which helps Splunk to correctly parse it.

index:Determines where the data will be stored within Splunk.

The host attribute is optional, as Splunk can auto-assign a host value, but specifying it can be useful in certain scenarios. However, it is not mandatory for data ingestion.

Splunk Cloud Reference:For more details, you can consult the Splunk documentation on inputs.conf file configuration and best practices.

Source:

Splunk Docs: Monitor files and directories

Splunk Docs: Inputs.conf examples

The statement about monitor inputs that is true is that the ignoreOlderThan option allows files to be ignored based on their file modification time. This setting helps prevent Splunk from indexing older data that is not relevant or needed.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Monitor files and directories

In Splunk Cloud, configuring indexes is one of the primary responsibilities of a Splunk Cloud administrator. This task includes setting up new indexes, managing retention policies, and configuring index settings as required by the organization's data retention and compliance policies. Other tasks like configuring deployer, cluster master, or indexers are typically handled by Splunk Enterprise administrators, not Splunk Cloud administrators.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Splunk Cloud Administrator Guide

The correct monitor statement that will capture all variations of the syslog file paths across different systems is [monitor:///var/log/network/syslog*/linux_secure/*].

This configuration works because:

syslog* matches directories that start with "syslog" (like syslog01, syslog02, etc.).

The wildcard * after linux_secure/ will capture all files within that directory, including different filenames like syslog.log and syslog.log.2020090801.

This setup will ensure that all the necessary files from the different syslog hosts are monitored.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Monitor files and directories

In Splunk Cloud, when an app on Splunkbase indicates "Request Install," it means that the app is not available for direct self-service installation and requires intervention from Splunk Support. This could be because the app needs to undergo an additional review for compatibility with the managed cloud environment or because it requires special installation procedures.

In these cases, customers need to contact Splunk Support to request the installation of the app. Support will ensure that the app is properly vetted and compatible with Splunk Cloud before proceeding with the installation.

Splunk Cloud Reference:For further details, consult Splunk’s guidelines on requesting app installations in Splunk Cloud and the processes involved in reviewing and approving apps for use in the cloud environment.

Source:

Splunk Docs: Install apps in Splunk Cloud Platform

Splunkbase: App request procedures for Splunk Cloud