Splunk SPLK-1003 Exam Dumps & Practice Test Questions

Question 1:

Which parameter in the indexes.conf file is used to determine the duration, in seconds, that data is retained before being transitioned to the frozen state in a Splunk environment?

A. maxDaysToKeep
B. moveToFrozenAfter
C. maxDataRetentionTime
D. frozenTimePeriodInSecs

Answer: D

Explanation:

In Splunk, managing the lifecycle of indexed data is crucial for optimizing performance and conserving disk space. One of the key components of this data lifecycle management is controlling how long indexed data remains accessible before being archived or deleted. This process is governed by configurations defined in the indexes.conf file. The specific setting responsible for controlling retention based on time is frozenTimePeriodInSecs.

The frozenTimePeriodInSecs parameter defines the number of seconds that data should remain in the index before being marked as “frozen.” Once data is considered frozen, it can either be deleted or archived externally, depending on the additional configurations set up by the administrator. This provides organizations the flexibility to manage data storage costs and comply with regulatory or operational policies regarding data lifecycle.

For instance, if frozenTimePeriodInSecs is set to 604800 (which equates to 7 days), Splunk will keep the data in a searchable state for one week. After this time elapses, the data transitions to the frozen state and is no longer searchable unless archived and restored.

Let’s look at the incorrect choices:

• A. maxDaysToKeep: This is not a valid configuration parameter in Splunk. While it may seem intuitively correct, Splunk uses frozenTimePeriodInSecs for retention based on time.

• B. moveToFrozenAfter: Although this seems similar, it is not a valid setting within indexes.conf. Splunk relies on the frozenTimePeriodInSecs setting to move data to the frozen state.

• C. maxDataRetentionTime: This is not recognized by Splunk. It may appear descriptive, but it is not a functional configuration parameter within the system.

Correct configuration of frozenTimePeriodInSecs is critical in ensuring that indexed data does not consume storage indefinitely and aligns with business or compliance retention policies. By managing this parameter, administrators can enforce time-based data retention policies, reduce system overhead, and ensure smooth Splunk performance.

Question 2:

Which functions are performed by the Splunk Universal Forwarder during the process of sending data to an indexer? (Select all that apply)

A. Sending alerts
B. Compressing data
C. Obfuscating/hiding data
D. Indexer acknowledgement

Answer: B, D

Explanation:

The Splunk Universal Forwarder (UF) plays a central role in data collection and forwarding within a Splunk deployment. It is a lightweight, efficient agent installed on source machines to capture and transmit logs, metrics, and other data to a Splunk indexer. Understanding its capabilities is vital for configuring an effective and scalable data pipeline.

Among its features, data compression is an important capability. The Universal Forwarder can compress outgoing data streams before transmitting them to the indexer. This helps conserve bandwidth and ensures faster data transfer, especially beneficial in environments where network resources are limited or where there’s a high volume of log traffic. Compression is typically implemented using Gzip or similar algorithms and can be configured in the forwarder’s outputs configuration.

Another key function of the Universal Forwarder is the indexer acknowledgment mechanism. When this feature is enabled, the forwarder waits for a confirmation from the indexer that the data has been successfully received and indexed. This process ensures reliable delivery of log data and protects against data loss in the event of transmission failures. If no acknowledgment is received, the forwarder resends the data, ensuring eventual consistency.

Now let’s evaluate the incorrect options:

• A. Sending alerts: This is not within the scope of the Universal Forwarder's responsibilities. Alerts in Splunk are generated at the indexer or search head level based on queries, thresholds, and events found within indexed data. The forwarder does not analyze or trigger alerts—it merely forwards raw data.

• C. Obfuscating/hiding data: The Universal Forwarder does not perform any data masking or obfuscation. It forwards data as-is, without altering its content. Any necessary transformations, filtering, or masking must be done either before ingestion or at the indexer level.

In summary, the Splunk Universal Forwarder’s core responsibilities include data collection, compression to optimize transmission, and ensuring reliable delivery through acknowledgments. It does not handle higher-level tasks such as alerting or data masking. Therefore, the correct capabilities are B. Compressing data and D. Indexer acknowledgement.

Question 3:

You are configuring a security system that uses both a whitelist and a blacklist to manage access control. An item (such as an IP address or domain) is mistakenly added to both lists. 

When this overlap occurs, which list’s rule is enforced by the system?

A. Blacklist
B. Whitelist
C. They cancel each other out
D. The rule that was configured first

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

In most access control and security systems, both whitelists and blacklists are used to define what should be allowed or blocked. A whitelist explicitly permits certain items such as IP addresses, domains, or applications, while a blacklist blocks those that are known to be malicious or unauthorized.

In scenarios where the same item is listed in both the whitelist and the blacklist—an overlap that creates a direct conflict—the blacklist typically takes priority. This is a security-first design principle used to err on the side of caution.

Why does the blacklist override the whitelist?

Security systems are built to be conservative in the face of potential threats. Blacklists follow a deny-first policy, meaning any item placed on the blacklist is considered harmful or suspicious and is automatically denied access, regardless of its presence on a whitelist. This logic helps prevent security breaches caused by errors or misconfigurations where something malicious is mistakenly whitelisted.

For example, if an IP address is known to be part of a botnet and is blacklisted, even if someone mistakenly adds it to a whitelist, the system should still block it. By ensuring the blacklist wins in any conflict, the system minimizes potential damage from overlooked vulnerabilities.

Let’s consider why the other options are incorrect:

• B. Whitelist: While whitelisting is useful for granting permission to known, trusted entities, allowing something that is also blacklisted contradicts the purpose of having a blacklist. Allowing it could introduce serious risks.

• C. They cancel each other out: This is not how most security tools are designed. They do not ignore both rules. Instead, they follow a clear policy—usually giving precedence to whichever setting is more restrictive (typically the blacklist).

• D. The rule that was configured first: Most modern security systems are not sequence-dependent. The configuration order is irrelevant. Instead, systems are designed with logical hierarchies or rule precedence, where deny actions often take precedence over allow actions.

In summary, when an entity is found in both a whitelist and a blacklist, the blacklist takes precedence as a proactive security measure to ensure system safety and data integrity. This conservative approach protects against accidental access by known threats.

Question 4:

You are configuring Splunk and need to apply a regular expression-based transformation to event data during search time. 

Which configuration file should you modify to apply the SEDCMD setting for search-time data manipulation?

A. props.conf
B. inputs.conf
C. indexes.conf
D. transforms.conf

Correct Answer:  A

Explanation:

In Splunk, managing how incoming data is processed, parsed, and displayed is a critical part of configuration. One powerful method used to clean or modify event data at search time is through the SEDCMD directive. This setting allows administrators to apply regular expression (regex) replacements on event text, primarily for purposes such as removing sensitive information, formatting strings, or standardizing event entries.

The SEDCMD setting is used specifically in the props.conf file. This file controls how data is parsed and handled once it has been ingested into Splunk. If you want to perform a search-time transformation using SEDCMD, you configure it in props.conf, not in the other configuration files.

This example shows how you might remove or mask credit card numbers from syslog input using SEDCMD.

Let’s review the other options and why they’re incorrect:

• B. inputs.conf: This file defines where Splunk collects data from (e.g., files, directories, network inputs). It does not handle parsing, field extraction, or data transformation. SEDCMD is not used here.

• C. indexes.conf: This file is used to configure index properties such as where data is stored, how much disk space to use, and retention settings. Like inputs.conf, it plays no role in data transformation.

• D. transforms.conf: This file is used in conjunction with props.conf to define more complex field extractions, event routing, or lookups. However, the SEDCMD itself is not declared here. Instead, transforms.conf holds the rules, while props.conf applies them. In the case of SEDCMD, the entire operation is managed directly in props.conf.

To summarize, props.conf is the correct file where SEDCMD should be defined for applying search-time transformations using regular expressions. It provides a flexible way to manipulate event data without altering the original raw data, ensuring Splunk users see cleaned or formatted entries during their searches.

Question 5:

In a Splunk deployment that uses forwarders, an administrator must configure data collection from various sources. Which of the following are valid ways to set up data inputs on a Splunk forwarder? (Select all that apply.)

A. CLI
B. Edit inputs.conf
C. Edit forwarder.conf
D. Use Forwarder Management

Answer: A, B, D

Explanation:

When managing a Splunk forwarder, setting up inputs to collect data from system logs, files, or network sources is essential. A forwarder needs to be told what data to collect and how to send it to the indexer. Splunk provides several supported methods to define and configure these inputs, and understanding each method helps streamline data onboarding and ensure consistent configurations across your environment.

A. CLI (Command-Line Interface):
Using the CLI is one of the quickest and most flexible ways to configure data inputs. The CLI enables administrators to add inputs without having to manually edit configuration files. For instance, commands like splunk add monitor /path/to/file allow admins to define file or directory monitors. The CLI is particularly useful in scripting and automation, especially in environments with many forwarders, allowing inputs to be defined programmatically.

B. Editing inputs.conf:
The inputs.conf file is the primary configuration file used for defining data input sources in Splunk. It allows administrators to manually specify paths, ports, or other input sources. For example, a section like [monitor:///var/log] lets the forwarder know to monitor the /var/log directory. The inputs.conf file is flexible and supports a wide range of input configurations, making it a preferred method for advanced or fine-grained settings.

C. Editing forwarder.conf:
This file is not used for input configurations. Instead, forwarder.conf (which isn’t even a standard Splunk config file by default) would be incorrectly used in this context. Input definitions such as monitored paths, TCP/UDP listening ports, or script execution for input must be placed in inputs.conf. Therefore, this method is not valid.

D. Forwarder Management:
Splunk provides a centralized way to manage forwarder configurations via a Deployment Server using the Forwarder Management interface. This method is scalable and efficient, allowing administrators to apply configuration bundles—including inputs—to many forwarders at once. Forwarder Management automates the distribution of input definitions, reducing the need for manual configuration on each forwarder.

In summary, the valid methods for configuring inputs on a Splunk forwarder are the CLI, editing the inputs.conf file, and using Forwarder Management. The forwarder.conf file is not a recognized or supported method for this purpose.

Question 6:

A Splunk administrator needs to locate the core configuration files for the Splunk system. Which parent directory contains these essential configuration files?

A. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc
B. $SPLUNK_HOME/var
C. $SPLUNK_HOME/conf
D. $SPLUNK_HOME/default

Answer: A

Explanation:

Splunk relies heavily on configuration files to control its behavior—from how it ingests and parses data, to user roles, search behavior, and app settings. These files are stored in a specific hierarchy within the Splunk installation directory, denoted by the environment variable $SPLUNK_HOME. Knowing where to find these files is essential for any Splunk administrator.

A. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc:
This directory is the main repository for all of Splunk’s configuration files. It contains three important subdirectories:

• etc/system: Holds global configuration files that apply across the entire Splunk instance.

• etc/apps: Stores configuration files specific to installed apps, which can override system settings.

• etc/users: Contains user-specific settings that allow for personalized configurations.
  
  

Within these subdirectories, key files like inputs.conf, props.conf, outputs.conf, and indexes.conf are located. These govern how data is collected, parsed, forwarded, and indexed.

B. $SPLUNK_HOME/var:
This directory contains runtime and log data, not configuration files. It includes indexed data and operational logs in directories such as var/lib and var/log. While important for troubleshooting and understanding system performance, this directory is not relevant for configuration management.

C. $SPLUNK_HOME/conf:
This directory doesn’t exist in a standard Splunk installation. It’s a distractor and not a valid path for storing configuration files.

D. $SPLUNK_HOME/default:
This directory is actually a subdirectory within $SPLUNK_HOME/etc, specifically inside app or system directories (e.g., $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/default). It contains default configuration settings, which can be overridden by user-defined configurations in the local directory. However, it’s not the root or parent directory for all configuration files.

Therefore, the correct answer is A, as $SPLUNK_HOME/etc is the central location for Splunk's system, app, and user configuration files. Admins should become familiar with the layout of this directory to properly manage and troubleshoot their Splunk environments.

Question 7:

A Splunk administrator needs to configure a forwarder that not only transmits data to an indexer but also processes and parses the data before sending it. Which type of forwarder is most appropriate for this requirement?

A. Universal forwarder
B. Heaviest forwarder
C. Hyper forwarder
D. Heavy forwarder

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

In a Splunk architecture, forwarders play a critical role in transporting data from sources to indexers for further processing and storage. Depending on the operational requirements—whether raw data needs to be transmitted as-is or pre-processed first—different types of forwarders are available.

A Universal Forwarder (UF) is the most commonly used forwarder in Splunk deployments due to its lightweight nature and efficiency. However, it is limited in functionality. It only collects and forwards raw, unprocessed data to indexers or intermediate forwarders. The Universal Forwarder cannot parse, transform, or index data, making it unsuitable in cases where preprocessing is needed before the data reaches its destination.

The option "Heaviest Forwarder" is not a valid Splunk term. There is no official component by this name, so this answer choice is factually incorrect.

Similarly, "Hyper Forwarder" does not exist in Splunk terminology. This distractor is also invalid and should be dismissed outright.

The correct type of forwarder for scenarios requiring data processing and parsing prior to indexing is the Heavy Forwarder (HF). Unlike the Universal Forwarder, the Heavy Forwarder has the full capability of a Splunk Enterprise instance. It can perform advanced tasks such as parsing, event breaking, field extraction, and data filtering. This allows the data to be structured and optimized before being passed along to an indexer or another component.

For example, if an organization wants to extract fields or apply transformations close to the data source to reduce load on the indexer, the Heavy Forwarder is the tool of choice. It ensures that only relevant and well-structured data is sent downstream, improving performance and efficiency across the environment.

Therefore, when the requirement is to parse and process data before it is transmitted to the indexer, the Heavy Forwarder is the only appropriate option. It provides the necessary capabilities to manipulate data at the edge, aligning perfectly with the scenario in this question.

Question 8:

In a distributed Splunk deployment, once data is indexed across several machines, there is a need to retrieve and unify this data to generate reports from search queries. 

Which Splunk component is responsible for executing these searches and compiling results from various indexers?

A. Indexers
B. Forwarder
C. Search head
D. Search peers

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

In a distributed Splunk environment, each component has a specialized role in managing the end-to-end data lifecycle—from collection and indexing to search and visualization.

Indexers are responsible for ingesting and storing raw data. They handle the indexing process, where data is broken down, parsed, and stored for fast search retrieval. Although indexers play a key role in data storage and retrieval, they do not handle the coordination or presentation of search results. Their primary function is backend data processing.

Forwarders, such as Universal or Heavy Forwarders, are used for collecting data from various sources and sending it to Splunk indexers. Forwarders do not execute searches, compile results, or generate reports. Their role ends once the data is delivered to the indexer.

The Search Head is the component designed to provide the user interface for searching and reporting in Splunk. It is responsible for initiating search queries entered by users, distributing those queries to the relevant search peers (which are usually indexers), collecting the results, and consolidating them into a single, cohesive response. It then presents the results in visual formats like tables, charts, and dashboards.

Search Peers are simply indexers that participate in distributed search. When a search is initiated, the Search Head breaks the query into sub-searches and sends them to these peers. While search peers return data fragments, they do not compile or organize the final output—that responsibility lies solely with the Search Head.

Thus, in a distributed Splunk environment, the Search Head is the central component that brings everything together. It queries multiple indexers, gathers the results, and renders them into meaningful reports or visual dashboards for analysis.

For this reason, C. Search head is the correct answer.

Question 9:

In a Splunk architecture where a deployment server manages client forwarders, which specific directory on the deployment server must be used to store apps that are to be distributed to the forwarders?

A. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps
B. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/search
C. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/master-apps
D. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/deployment-apps

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

In a Splunk deployment, forwarders (such as Universal or Heavy Forwarders) play a vital role in collecting and sending data to the indexing tier. These forwarders often require standardized configurations and apps, which are efficiently managed and distributed using a deployment server. The deployment server's job is to centrally push configurations and apps to many forwarders in an automated and scalable manner.

To facilitate this, Splunk designates a specific directory on the deployment server where all deployment apps must be stored: $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/deployment-apps. Only apps placed in this directory can be recognized and distributed to client forwarders. The forwarders, configured as deployment clients, communicate with the deployment server, requesting updates and pulling apps from this specific location.

Let’s review the options:

• A. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps:
  This directory is reserved for local apps installed directly on the Splunk instance. While functional for internal configurations, it is not used by the deployment server to push apps to other instances. Apps stored here are not accessible to forwarders via deployment management.

• B. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/search:
  This is not a standard directory for app deployment. It might be mistakenly assumed to be related to search heads, but it has no defined role in deployment or app management for clients.

• C. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/master-apps:
  This folder is intended for indexer clusters and is used by the Cluster Master Node to distribute configurations to peer indexers. It has no interaction with forwarders or deployment servers.

• D. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/deployment-apps:
  This is the correct directory. Any apps that are to be pushed to forwarders must be placed here. The deployment server references this location to manage and distribute apps and configurations based on deployment client classes and server classes.

Therefore, if you're administering a Splunk deployment and wish to distribute configurations or custom apps to forwarders, the appropriate and functional location is $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/deployment-apps. This is the only directory recognized by the deployment server for this purpose, making D the correct answer.

Question 10:

In a Splunk setup using a search head cluster, which component is responsible for pushing apps and configurations to all the members of the cluster?

A. Deployer
B. Cluster Master
C. Deployment Server
D. Search Head Cluster Master

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A Search Head Cluster in Splunk consists of multiple search heads that work together to provide scalability, high availability, and distributed search capabilities. Maintaining consistency across all members of the cluster is critical. Every search head must have the same apps, knowledge objects, configurations, and user roles. This synchronization is achieved through a dedicated component known as the Deployer.

The Deployer is a standalone Splunk instance (not a member of the cluster) tasked with distributing configurations and apps to all members of the search head cluster. When an administrator needs to push a new app or update existing settings (like search-time field extractions or dashboard definitions), they prepare the content and place it in a staging area on the deployer. Then, using the splunk apply shcluster-bundle command, the deployer pushes the app bundle to all cluster members, ensuring uniformity.

Let’s assess the options:

• A. Deployer:
  This is the correct component. It’s specifically designed for search head clusters to push apps and configurations to all members simultaneously. It is the only supported method for keeping search head cluster members in sync with centralized updates.

• B. Cluster Master:
  Also known as the Indexer Cluster Master Node, this component is responsible for managing indexer clusters—not search heads. It handles replication, indexing peer configurations, and data availability. It plays no role in managing search head apps or configurations.

• C. Deployment Server:
  The deployment server is intended for distributing configurations to forwarders, not search heads. While it can manage a variety of Splunk instances, it is not supported for managing search head clusters, and its use in that context is discouraged.

• D. Search Head Cluster Master:
  Although this term is sometimes used informally, Splunk does not define a distinct “Search Head Cluster Master.” The search head cluster is self-managing in terms of orchestration and election, but configuration updates must still be done using the Deployer.

In summary, in any environment using search head clustering, the only supported and reliable method to push apps and configuration updates to cluster members is through the Deployer. This ensures configuration consistency and avoids drift between nodes. That makes A the correct answer.