Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

What happens to data with "index once" when adding data inputs?

1. It is continuously monitored

2. It is only indexed without being monitored

3. It is both uploaded and monitored

4. It is immediately forwarded

The correct answer is: It is only indexed without being monitored

When using the "index once" setting for data inputs in Splunk, the primary focus is on the ability to index the data without any further monitoring of that data source. This means that the data is processed and stored in the index, but once this initial indexing is completed, Splunk does not continue to check or monitor the data source for any changes or new data. This approach is beneficial for situations where only historical data needs to be ingested without the need for ongoing data capture. Since there is no continuous monitoring involved, any new entries or updates in the data source after the initial index will not be reflected in Splunk unless additional data inputs are configured separately. In contrast, data that is continuously monitored would allow real-time updates and new data to be captured as it comes in, which is not the case here. Therefore, the nature of "index once" distinctly aligns with the idea of one-time indexing without ongoing oversight.