Splunk SPLK-2002 Exam Dumps & Practice Test Questions

Question No 1:

In a Splunk Indexer Cluster, which command is used to permanently decommission a peer node from the cluster?

A. splunk stop -f
B. splunk offline -f
C. splunk offline --enforce-counts
D. splunk decommission --enforce-counts

Answer: D. splunk decommission --enforce-counts

Explanation:

When managing a Splunk Indexer Cluster, peer nodes are responsible for indexing and replicating data within the cluster. There are situations where it might be necessary to permanently remove or decommission a peer node from the cluster. This process involves more than just shutting down or disconnecting the node—it ensures that data integrity and replication across the remaining nodes are maintained.

The correct command for this operation is:

splunk decommission --enforce-counts

• splunk decommission: This part of the command starts the process of marking the peer node as inactive within the cluster. It informs the system that this peer will no longer participate in indexing or replication activities, and the cluster will need to adjust to accommodate its removal.

• --enforce-counts: This option is crucial for ensuring that the data replication requirements (i.e., the replication factor) are still met after the peer node is removed. It forces the cluster to verify that the remaining nodes hold the required number of copies of the data to maintain availability and consistency.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect:

• A. splunk stop -f: This command stops a Splunk instance forcibly. While it may stop the peer node, it doesn't decommission it from the cluster or manage replication. It merely shuts down the instance without considering the cluster’s data integrity.

• B. splunk offline -f: The splunk offline -f command puts the instance into an offline mode, temporarily removing it from the cluster’s active operations. However, it does not permanently decommission the node or ensure data replication across the remaining nodes. It’s a temporary solution rather than a permanent decommissioning.

• C. splunk offline --enforce-counts: This command places the peer node offline, but like option B, it does not fully decommission the node. It only enforces replication counts during the offline process, which is temporary and does not address the complete removal of the node from the cluster.

Thus, splunk decommission --enforce-counts is the correct choice as it ensures the node is permanently removed and that the cluster maintains data consistency and replication integrity.

Question No 2:

Which of the following CLI commands is used to convert a Splunk instance into a license slave?

A. splunk add licenses
B. splunk list licenser-slaves
C. splunk edit licenser-localslave
D. splunk list licenser-localslave

Answer: C. splunk edit licenser-localslave

Explanation:

In a Splunk deployment, license management is an important aspect of maintaining proper compliance and ensuring the system has the right licensing configurations. In large-scale deployments, there is often a need to centralize license management, which is where the concept of license slaves comes in. A license slave is an instance that does not manage its own license but instead receives license information from a license master.

To convert a Splunk instance into a license slave, the correct command is:

splunk edit licenser-localslave

• splunk edit licenser-localslave: This command is used to configure an existing Splunk instance to function as a license slave. Once configured as a slave, the instance no longer holds its own licenses but instead consumes license data from the designated license master. This ensures the proper distribution of licensing across multiple Splunk instances in large environments.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect:

• A. splunk add licenses: This command is used to add new licenses to a Splunk instance. It does not convert the instance into a license slave; instead, it adds license data to the instance.

• B. splunk list licenser-slaves: This command is useful for listing all the configured license slaves within the environment. While it shows the status of slave instances, it doesn’t perform the conversion of an instance into a license slave.

• D. splunk list licenser-localslave: This command lists the local license slave status but does not configure or convert an instance into a license slave. It simply reports on whether a local instance is functioning as a license slave.

In summary, splunk edit licenser-localslave is the correct command for configuring a Splunk instance as a license slave, enabling centralized license management in distributed Splunk deployments.

Question No 3:

In a Splunk Enterprise environment, internal system metrics and performance data are captured and stored for monitoring and diagnostic purposes. This type of operational insight is logged under a specialized index known as _introspection.

Which of the following log files are recorded in the _introspection index?

A. audit.log
B. metrics.log
C. disk_objects.log
D. resource_usage.log

Correct Answers:

B. metrics.log
C. disk_objects.log
D. resource_usage.log

Explanation:

Splunk Enterprise includes the _introspection index specifically for capturing detailed internal metrics and system health information. This index is vital for administrators to assess Splunk's operational performance, resource utilization, and infrastructure behavior. Here's a summary of the logs included:

• metrics.log: This log collects crucial performance data, such as indexing rate, search latency, and resource load across the system. It provides a high-level overview of how well Splunk is performing.

• disk_objects.log: This log tracks information related to indexed data storage, including the use of disk space across buckets. Monitoring this log helps ensure efficient storage management and helps detect storage-related issues early.

• resource_usage.log: This file logs the consumption of key system resources such as CPU, memory, and disk I/O. It is a valuable tool for detecting performance bottlenecks or overutilized components within the deployment.

By contrast, audit.log is not stored in the _introspection index. Instead, it belongs to the _audit index, which captures user access, configuration changes, and security-related events for auditing and compliance purposes.

Familiarity with what resides in the _introspection index is essential for diagnosing infrastructure issues and maintaining the health of a Splunk deployment.

Question No 4:

Which of the following components are typically found in a Splunk diagnostic (diag) file?

Splunk provides a built-in diagnostic tool (splunk diag) that packages key system and application data into a compressed archive. 

This file is often used by administrators and Splunk support to troubleshoot problems and analyze system behavior.

A. User search history, dashboards, forwarder deployment logs, license alerts
B. Server specifications, current open connections, internal Splunk log files, index listings
C. Raw event data, knowledge objects, saved searches, data models
D. REST API tokens, authentication credentials, KV Store records, SSL certificates

Correct Answer:

B. Server specifications, current open connections, internal Splunk log files, index listings

Explanation:

The Splunk diagnostic file (diag) is generated using the command splunk diag. It is designed to gather a snapshot of system and Splunk configuration details to assist in troubleshooting and support cases. The file contains non-sensitive operational and environmental data, including:

Server Specifications:

• Includes details about the host machine such as CPU cores, memory, disk I/O statistics, OS version, and file system layout.

• Helps evaluate whether hardware meets Splunk's recommended requirements.

Current Open Connections:

• Contains network diagnostics such as open ports, active TCP/UDP sessions, and socket bindings.

• Useful for identifying communication or ingestion issues between Splunk components (like indexers and forwarders).

Internal Splunk Log Files:

• Logs such as splunkd.log, metrics.log, and web_service.log are included.

• These are essential for pinpointing internal errors, warnings, system health checks, and performance trends.

Index Listings:

• Includes metadata about indexes like storage location, volume usage, retention policies, and bucket information.

• Enables analysis of indexing behavior and capacity planning.

Incorrect Options:

A. User search history, dashboards, forwarder deployment logs, license alerts

• Incorrect because user-specific artifacts like searches or dashboards are not included in a typical diag.

• Forwarder logs and license alerts may be logged, but they are not guaranteed components.

C. Raw event data, knowledge objects, saved searches, data models

• Incorrect as the diag does not include raw event data or large knowledge objects due to privacy and size concerns.

D. REST API tokens, authentication credentials, KV Store records, SSL certificates

• Incorrect and highly unlikely. Splunk intentionally excludes sensitive content such as credentials, private keys, and tokens to ensure diagnostic files remain safe to share with support.

The Splunk diag file is primarily a diagnostic and support tool designed to capture operational details without exposing sensitive or user-specific data.

Answer B is correct because it includes the core components commonly found in a diag file: server specs, network connections, internal logs, and index information — all of which are essential for effective analysis and troubleshooting.

Question No 5:

Which of the following statements about Splunk indexer clustering are correct?

In a Splunk indexer cluster, multiple components work together to manage and replicate indexed data for reliability and scalability. The cluster consists of peer nodes (indexers), a master node (cluster manager), and search heads that execute queries.Understanding the version compatibility among these components is essential to ensure stable operations and effective communication.

A. All peer nodes must run the same version of Splunk.
B. The master node must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the search heads.
C. Peer nodes must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the master node.
D. The search head must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the peer nodes.

Correct Answers:

A. All peer nodes must run the same version of Splunk.
B. The master node must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the search heads.

Explanation:

A. All peer nodes must run the same version of Splunk.

This is true. For an indexer cluster to function properly, all peer nodes (indexers) must run the exact same version of Splunk. This ensures compatibility in indexing, replication, and cluster coordination processes. Mismatched versions can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential data loss or corruption during replication.

B. The master node must run the same version or a newer version than the search heads.

This is true. The master node (also called the cluster manager) is responsible for overseeing the cluster’s configuration and managing index replication. It must be on the same version or a more recent version than the connected search heads. If the master is on an older version, it may not support features required by newer search heads, which can break query execution or cluster visibility.

C. Peer nodes must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the master node.

This is false. Peer nodes do not need to be a later version than the master node. In fact, all peer nodes simply need to match each other's version to ensure consistency. They can be the same version as the master node or even slightly older, as long as the cluster maintains version alignment where necessary.

D. The search head must run the same version or a later version of Splunk compared to the peer nodes.

This is false. While version compatibility is important, the search head is not required to run a newer version than the peer nodes. It can run the same or even an earlier version, as long as it is compatible with the rest of the cluster. The search head interacts with peer nodes primarily to retrieve and display search results, and it does not participate in data replication.

• Correct: A, B

• Incorrect: C, D

Understanding version alignment in a Splunk indexer cluster is key to maintaining cluster health, avoiding replication issues, and ensuring stable search functionality. Peer nodes require strict version matching, while the master node should lead or match in version compared to the search heads.

Question No 6:

In a typical software monitoring system such as Splunk, the metrics.log file is responsible for logging system performance data, including license usage.

What is the default time interval at which the metrics.log file records license utilization statistics?

A. 10 seconds
B. 30 seconds
C. 60 seconds
D. 300 seconds

Correct Answer: C. 60 seconds

Explanation:

The metrics.log file plays a critical role in tracking key operational metrics, including license consumption, in systems like Splunk. By default, this file generates license utilization reports every 60 seconds.

This one-minute interval is designed to offer a practical cadence—frequent enough to provide administrators with timely insights, yet moderate enough to prevent excessive log volume that could burden the system or waste storage resources.

Here’s a breakdown of the alternative intervals:

• A. 10 seconds: While technically possible, logging this frequently could flood the system with data and degrade performance.

• B. 30 seconds: Offers more frequent updates but still generates a higher volume of logs than typically necessary.

• D. 300 seconds (5 minutes): This longer interval might delay detection of sudden changes in license usage, reducing responsiveness.

The default 60-second logging interval ensures that trends in license usage are captured consistently, allowing IT teams to detect anomalies, prevent overages, and plan resource usage efficiently. While adjustable, this setting offers a sensible balance between system insight and performance impact.

The metrics.log file logs license utilization every 60 seconds by default, providing a steady stream of performance data without overwhelming the system.

Question No 7:

You are working with a Search Head Cluster in Splunk and need to distribute configurations to the search head cluster members. 

What is the best practice for handling this distribution?

A. The deployer only distributes configurations to search head cluster members when they "phone home".
B. The deployer must be used to distribute non-replicable configurations to search head cluster members.
C. The deployer must distribute configurations to search head cluster members for them to be valid configurations.
D. The deployer only distributes configurations to search head cluster members with the splunk apply shcluster-bundle command.

Correct Answer:
B. The deployer must be used to distribute non-replicable configurations to search head cluster members.

Explanation:

In Splunk, the Search Head Cluster Deployer is a key component responsible for distributing configurations to search head cluster members. These configurations often involve knowledge objects, app settings, and other non-replicable configurations that are specific to each search head.

The best practice is that the deployer handles the distribution of non-replicable configurations, which are configurations that should not be shared between cluster members automatically. Examples include custom knowledge objects or specific settings for individual search heads.

• Option A is incorrect because the deployer does not operate based on search heads "phoning home." The deployer actively pushes configurations to the search heads.

• Option C is not correct because the deployer’s role is focused on non-replicable configurations, not all configurations. Replicable configurations are automatically synchronized across search heads without needing the deployer.

• Option D is misleading. While splunk apply shcluster-bundle is useful in certain cases, the deployer itself does the automatic distribution without requiring this command for all configurations.

Thus, using the deployer for non-replicable configurations ensures that each search head has its required settings without unnecessary replication.

Question No 8:

In Splunk, which internal index is specifically used to store events related to license usage and monitoring?

A. _audit
B. _license
C. _internal
D. _introspection

Correct Answer: B. _license

Explanation:

Splunk uses internal indexes to store a variety of system-related events. One key index is the _license index, which tracks license usage events. This includes monitoring the amount of data indexed against the volume allowed by your Splunk license.

The _license index stores essential data about:

• Indexing Usage: Tracks how much data is indexed daily and alerts administrators if it exceeds licensed limits.

• License Violations: If the indexing exceeds the allocated volume, violations are logged.

• License Auditing: Provides a historical record of license usage, which is crucial for audits or resolving licensing issues.

Here’s why the other options are incorrect:

• _audit: This index stores events related to system auditing, not license usage.

• _internal: It contains internal system events like health and performance data but not license-specific events.

• _introspection: Used for internal performance data, not related to licensing.

Thus, _license is the dedicated index for tracking and managing Splunk's licensing data and events.

Question No 9:

Which of the following search commands in Splunk can be used to identify the most frequent values for a specific field within a dataset?

A. stats count by <field>
B. sort -count <field>
C. top <field>
D. rare <field>

Correct Answer: C. top <field>

Explanation:

In Splunk, when you need to identify the most frequent values for a specific field in a dataset, the top command is the most appropriate choice. The command is used to return the most common values for a given field, sorted by frequency. By default, it also provides the count of how many times each value appears.

For example, if you want to see the most common HTTP status codes in your web logs, you would use the following search query:

This search will return the top status codes (e.g., 200, 404, etc.) along with their corresponding frequency.

Why other answers are incorrect:

• A. stats count by <field>: This command provides a count of events for each unique value of a field, but it does not necessarily sort the results by frequency in a meaningful way. It can be used to count values, but it's not as specialized as top for ranking the most frequent values.

• B. sort -count <field>: This would sort the data by a field in descending order, but it requires a prior aggregation (such as stats or top) to provide the count or frequency. It's not the direct way to extract the top frequent values.

• D. rare <field>: The rare command does the opposite of top. It identifies the least frequent values of a given field, not the most frequent ones.

The top command is designed specifically for quickly finding the most common values, making it an essential tool for data analysis and troubleshooting.

Question No 10:

In Splunk, which of the following statements is true about the use of the eval command?

A. It is used for statistical analysis and aggregation of events.
B. It can be used to create new fields based on existing data using expressions.
C. It is used to group events by specific fields and summarize the data.
D. It automatically indexes new fields for future use in searches.

Correct Answer: B. It can be used to create new fields based on existing data using expressions.

Explanation:

The eval command in Splunk is a powerful command used to create new fields, transform data, and calculate expressions within the search pipeline. It allows you to derive values, perform calculations, or manipulate strings based on the existing data fields in your events.

For instance, if you wanted to calculate the average response time from two fields, response_time and additional_delay, you could use the following eval command:

In this example, the eval command creates a new field called total_response_time based on the sum of two existing fields. You can also use eval for more complex expressions, such as converting timestamps, manipulating strings, or performing conditional logic.

Why other answers are incorrect:

• A. eval is not used for statistical analysis or aggregation. Statistical commands like stats, timechart, and chart are more suitable for aggregation.

• C. eval is not for grouping or summarizing data. For grouping and summarizing, commands like stats, chart, or timechart are used, not eval.

• D. eval does not index new fields. Fields created by eval are temporary and are only available within the current search pipeline. They are not indexed or stored for future searches unless explicitly saved in a Splunk configuration or log.

The eval command is essential for creating calculated fields, transforming data, and preparing results for further analysis, making it a core tool for any Splunk user aiming to manipulate or refine data during a search.

These questions and explanations highlight important aspects of working with Splunk and are designed to help you understand key commands and their proper application within a Splunk environment. Mastering commands like top and eval is critical for the SPLK-2002 exam and for performing effective data analysis in Splunk.