SPLK-1005 Splunk Cloud Certified Admin Questions and Answers

To view the runtime configuration instructions for a monitored file in inputs.conf on the forwarder, the correct command to use involves accessing the internal REST API that provides details on data inputs.

C. ./splunk _internal rest /services/data/inputs/monitor is the correct answer. This command uses Splunk's internal REST endpoint to retrieve information about monitored files, including their runtime configurations as defined in inputs.conf.

Splunk Documentation References:

Splunk REST API - Data Inputs

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

Explanation: Default Splunk Cloud roles include power, user, and admin, each with unique permissions suitable for common operational and administrative functions. [Reference: Splunk Docs on user roles in Splunk Cloud]

The best approach to meet the requirements of the marketing department is to create a new role that inherits the user role but with restricted access to only the marketing_data index. This setup allows users to perform searches and view dashboards while ensuring they cannot access other indexes such as those containing security or operations data.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Splunk Role-based Access Control

In a managed Splunk Cloud environment, several features are available to ensure that the platform is secure, scalable, and meets enterprise requirements. The key features include:

Availability of premium apps: Splunk Cloud supports the installation and use of premium apps such as Splunk Enterprise Security, IT Service Intelligence, etc.

SSO Integration: Single Sign-On (SSO) integration is supported, allowing organizations to leverage their existing identity providers for authentication.

IP address whitelisting and blacklisting: To enhance security, managed Splunk Cloud environments allow for IP address whitelisting and blacklisting to control access.

Given the options:

Option C correctly lists these features, making it the accurate choice.

Option A incorrectly states "no IP address whitelisting or blacklisting," which is indeed available.

Option B mentions "no SSO integration" and "no availability of premium apps," both of which are inaccurate.

Option D talks about a "maximum concurrent search limit of 20," which does not represent the standard limit settings and may vary based on the subscription level.

Splunk Documentation References:

Splunk Cloud Features and Capabilities

Single Sign-On (SSO) in Splunk Cloud

Security and Access Control in Splunk Cloud

The props.conf file is a crucial configuration file in Splunk that is used for both search-time and index-time configurations.

At index-time, props.conf is used to define how data should be parsed and indexed, such as timestamp recognition, line breaking, and data transformations.

At search-time, props.conf is used to configure how data should be searched and interpreted, such as field extractions, lookups, and sourcetypes.

B. props.conf is the correct answer because it is the only file listed that serves both index-time and search-time purposes.

Splunk Documentation References:

props.conf - configuration for search-time and index-time

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

The correct SEDCMD setting to mask the credit card numbers, ensuring that the masked version replaces each digit with an "x" character, is Option A.

The SEDCMD syntax works as follows:

s/ starts the substitute command.

(?cc_num=\d{7})\d{9}/ matches the specific pattern of the credit card number in the logs.

\1xxxxxxxxx replaces the matched portion with the first captured group (the first 7 digits of the cc_num), followed by 9 "x" characters to mask the remaining digits.

/g ensures that the substitution is applied globally, throughout the string.

Thus, Option A correctly implements this requirement.

Splunk Documentation Reference: SEDCMD for Masking Data

SEDCMD is a directive used within the props.conf file in Splunk to perform inline data transformations. Specifically, it uses sed-like syntax to modify data as it is being processed.

A. Can only be used to mask or truncate raw data: This is the correct answer because SEDCMD is typically used to mask sensitive data, such as obscuring personally identifiable information (PII) or truncating parts of data to ensure privacy and compliance with security policies. It is not used for more complex transformations such as changing the sourcetype per event.

B. Configured in props.conf and transform.conf: Incorrect, SEDCMD is only configured in props.conf.

C. Can be used to manipulate the sourcetype per event: Incorrect, SEDCMD does not manipulate the sourcetype.

D. Operates on a REGEX pattern match of the source, sourcetype, or host of an event: Incorrect, while SEDCMD uses regex for matching patterns in the data, it does not operate on the source, sourcetype, or host specifically.

Splunk Documentation References:

SEDCMD Usage

Mask Data with SEDCMD

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

The recommended method to test the onboarding of a new data source before putting it into production is to send test data to a test index. This approach allows you to validate data parsing, field extractions, and indexing behavior without affecting the production environment or data.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Onboarding New Data Sources

In Splunk Cloud, only apps that have been certified and vetted by Splunk are supported. This is because Splunk Cloud is a managed service, and Splunk ensures that all apps meet specific security, performance, and compatibility requirements before they can be installed. This certification process guarantees that the apps won’t negatively impact the overall environment, ensuring a stable and secure cloud service.

Self-service installation is available, but it is limited to apps that are certified for Splunk Cloud. Non-certified apps cannot be installed directly; they require a review and approval process by Splunk support.

Splunk Cloud Reference: Refer to Splunk’s documentation on app installation and the list of Cloud-vetted apps available on Splunkbase to understand which apps can be installed in Splunk Cloud.

Source:

Splunk Docs: About apps in Splunk Cloud

Splunkbase: Splunk Cloud Apps

Explanation: The ellipsis (...) in [monitor:///var/log/.../*.log] allows Splunk to monitor files ending in .log in all nested directories under /var/log/. [Reference: Splunk Docs on monitor stanza syntax]

Explanation: In Splunk Cloud, expired events can be archived to customer-managed storage solutions, such as on-premises storage. This allows organizations to retain data beyond the standard retention period if needed. [Reference: Splunk Docs on data archiving in Splunk Cloud]

To mask unstructured data before sending it to Splunk Cloud, the SEDCMD should be configured in the props.conf file on a Heavy Forwarder. The Heavy Forwarder is responsible for data parsing and transformation before forwarding the data to Splunk Cloud. This ensures that sensitive data is masked before it reaches the indexing stage.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Using SEDCMD to Mask Data

Explanation: For setting up a deployment client, the correct stanza syntax in inputs.conf includes specifying targetUri with the port 8089, which is the management port for Splunk instances, not the data port 9997. [Reference: Splunk Docs on deployment server configurations]

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

Explanation: In Splunk Cloud, role-based access controls are managed by mapping LDAP groups to Splunk roles. Therefore, any change in roles should be managed by the LDAP administrator, who can adjust Mia’s group to an LDAP group mapped to the power role. [Reference: Splunk Docs on LDAP integration in Splunk Cloud]

The regex replacement processor is part of the parsing stage in Splunk's data ingestion pipeline. This stage is responsible for handling data transformations, which include applying regex replacements.

D. Parsing pipeline is the correct answer. The parsing pipeline is where initial data transformations, including regex replacement, occur before the data is indexed. This stage processes events as they are parsed from raw data, including applying any regex-based modifications.

Splunk Documentation References:

Data Processing Pipelines in Splunk

In Splunk, an index is a data repository that stores both raw data and associated indexing information. Specifically, the raw data is stored in a compressed format, and the indexing information is stored in tsidx files (time series index files). These tsidx files enable fast searching and retrieval of data based on time. The correct terminology and structure make option B accurate.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Splunk Indexes

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/local is 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