Splunk Enterprise platform instrumentation refers to data that the Splunk Enterprise deployment logs in the _introspectionindex. Which of the following logs are included in this index? (Select all that apply.)
A Splunk architect has inherited the Splunk deployment at Buttercup Games and end users are complaining that the events are inconsistently formatted for a web sourcetype. Further investigation reveals that not all web logs flow through the same infrastructure: some of the data goes through heavy forwarders and some of the forwarders are managed by another department. Which of the following items might be the cause for this issue?
Correct Answer: B
Question 58
Which of the following is a best practice to maximize indexing performance?
Correct Answer: D
Explanation A best practice to maximize indexing performance is to minimize configuration generality. Configuration generality refers to the use of generic or default settings for data inputs, such as source type, host, index, and timestamp. Minimizing configuration generality means using specific and accurate settings for each data input, which can reduce the processing overhead and improve the indexing throughput. Using automatic source typing, using the Splunk default settings, and not using pre-trained source types are examples of configuration generality, which can negatively affect the indexing performance
Question 59
A new Splunk customer is using syslog to collect data from their network devices on port 514. What is the best practice for ingesting this data into Splunk?
Correct Answer: D
The best practice for ingesting syslog data from network devices on port 514 into Splunk is to configure syslog to write logs and use a Splunk forwarder to collect the logs. This practice will ensure that the data is reliably collected and forwarded to Splunk, without losing any data or overloading the Splunk indexer. Configuring syslog to send the data to multiple Splunk indexers will not guarantee data reliability, as syslog is a UDP protocol that does not provide acknowledgment or delivery confirmation. Using a Splunk indexer to collect a network input on port 514 directly will not provide data reliability or load balancing, as the indexer may not be able to handle the incoming data volume or distribute it to other indexers. Using a Splunk forwarder to collect the input on port 514 and forward the data will not provide data reliability, as the forwarder may not be able to receive the data from syslog or buffer it in case of network issues. For more information, see [Get data from TCP and UDP ports] and [Best practices for syslog data] in the Splunk documentation.
Question 60
When designing the number and size of indexes, which of the following considerations should be applied?
Correct Answer: D
When designing the number and size of indexes, the following considerations should be applied: * Expected daily ingest volumes: This is the amount of data that will be ingested and indexed by the Splunk platform per day. This affects the storage capacity, the indexing performance, and the license usage of the Splunk deployment. The number and size of indexes should be planned according to the expected daily ingest volumes, as well as the peak ingest volumes, to ensure that the Splunk deployment can handle the data load and meet the business requirements12. * Data retention time policies: This is the duration for which the data will be stored and searchable by the Splunk platform. This affects the storage capacity, the data availability, and the data compliance of the Splunk deployment. The number and size of indexes should be planned according to the data retention time policies, as well as the data lifecycle, to ensure that the Splunk deployment can retain the data for the desired period and meet the legal or regulatory obligations13. * Access controls: This is the mechanism for granting or restricting access to the data by the Splunk users or roles. This affects the data security, the data privacy, and the data governance of the Splunk deployment. The number and size of indexes should be planned according to the access controls, as well as the data sensitivity, to ensure that the Splunk deployment can protect the data from unauthorized or inappropriate access and meet the ethical or organizational standards14. Option D is the correct answer because it reflects the most relevant and important considerations for designing the number and size of indexes. Option A is incorrect because the number of concurrent users is not a direct factor for designing the number and size of indexes, but rather a factor for designing the search head capacity and the search head clustering configuration5. Option B is incorrect because the number of installed apps is not a direct factor for designing the number and size of indexes, but rather a factor for designing the app compatibility and the app performance. Option C is incorrect because it omits the expected daily ingest volumes, which is a crucial factor for designing the number and size of indexes. References: 1: Splunk Validated Architectures 2: [Indexer capacity planning] 3: [Set a retirement and archiving policy for your indexes] 4: [About securing Splunk Enterprise] 5: [Search head capacity planning] : [App installation and management overview]
