Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

What is the purpose of inputs.conf on a search head?

1. Defines user roles and permissions

2. Configures search settings for indexed data

3. Specifies what data to collect including Splunk logs

4. Manage clustering for data replication

The correct answer is: Specifies what data to collect including Splunk logs

The purpose of inputs.conf on a search head is to specify what data to collect, including Splunk logs. This configuration file is essential for defining the data sources that Splunk should monitor and ingest. By outlining the types of data, such as Splunk logs, inputs.conf assists in the data onboarding process, allowing Splunk to collect and index relevant information from various sources. It’s important to note that inputs.conf does not handle user roles or permissions, which are managed through different configuration files. Additionally, while it does relate to indexed data, it does not configure search settings; this is managed elsewhere, typically in search-specific configuration files. Finally, inputs.conf is not responsible for managing clustering for data replication, as that falls under separate configurations related to clustering. Overall, inputs.conf serves a critical role in ensuring that the necessary data is collected for analysis within Splunk.