Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

How does Splunk handle input configs for log files by default?

1. Automatically all files are monitored

2. Specific inputs must be configured

3. Only archives are monitored

4. Inputs are ignored

The correct answer is: Specific inputs must be configured

Splunk requires explicit configuration for monitoring log files, which involves setting up specific input configurations. By default, Splunk does not automatically monitor all files that exist within a directory; instead, users need to define which files to monitor by configuring inputs within the inputs.conf file or through the Splunk Web interface. This approach allows users to have control over what data is ingested, ensuring that only relevant and desired log files are processed, thus optimizing performance and resource utilization. The other options are misleading in that they suggest more automated behavior or limitations that do not reflect how Splunk typically functions regarding log file monitoring. The need for specific configuration empowers administrators to manage their data input according to organizational needs effectively.