SPLK-1005 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Splunk Cloud Certified Admin Certification

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

Explanation: Placing configuration overrides in the local folder within a custom app allows for easy maintenance and ensures that these overrides are preserved during upgrades, as files in default are overwritten. [Reference: Splunk Docs on configuration file precedence]

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, 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

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 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

Explanation: Splunk Cloud enables only a subset of REST API endpoints for customer use to ensure security and control over the environment, allowing essential functionality while maintaining a secure setup. [Reference: Splunk Docs on REST API access in Splunk Cloud]

The SHOULD_LINEMERGE setting is used in Splunk to control whether or not multiple lines of an event should be combined into a single event. This setting is configured in the props.conf file, where Splunk handles data parsing and field extraction. Setting SHOULD_LINEMERGE = true merges lines together based on specific rules.

Splunk Documentation Reference: props.conf - SHOULD_LINEMERGE

In a Splunk Cloud environment, the Data Preview feature is used to create and test new sourcetypes. This feature allows you to upload sample data, configure parsing settings, and define sourcetypes interactively without directly editing configuration files like props.conf or using the CLI.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Data Preview

The delete command in Splunk does not remove events from disk but rather marks them as "deleted" in the index. This means the events are not accessible via searches, but they still occupy space on disk. Only users with the can_delete capability (typically admins) can use the delete command.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Delete Command

Explanation: SEDCMD in props.conf applies regular expressions to modify data as it is ingested. It is useful for transforming raw event data before indexing. [Reference: Splunk Docs on SEDCMD]

Explanation: splunk cmd <scriptname> allows running scripts in Splunk’s environment for testing purposes. This ensures the script behaves as expected within Splunk’s CLI context. [Reference: Splunk Docs on scripted inputs]

The statement about monitor inputs that is true is that the ignoreOlderThan option allows files to be ignored based on their file modification time. This setting helps prevent Splunk from indexing older data that is not relevant or needed.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Monitor files and directories

In Splunk Cloud, when there is a need for a change request that might involve modifying settings, upgrading, or other actions requiring Splunk Support, the process typically requires submitting a support case.

D. Any person with the appropriate entitlement: This is the correct answer. Any individual who has the necessary permissions or entitlements within the Splunk environment can submit a support case. This includes administrators or users who have been granted the ability to engage with Splunk Support. The request does not necessarily have to come from a Certified Splunk Cloud Administrator or the infrastructure owner; rather, it can be submitted by anyone with the correct level of access.

Splunk Documentation References:

Submitting a Splunk Support Case

Managing User Roles and Entitlements

The acceptFrom parameter is used in Splunk to specify which IP addresses or DNS names are allowed to send data to a Splunk instance. The supported formats include IPv4, IPv6, CIDR notation, and DNS names.

B. IPv4, IPv6, CIDRs, DNS names is the correct answer. These are the valid formats that can be used with the acceptFrom argument. Wildcards are not supported in acceptFrom parameters for security reasons, as they would allow overly broad access.

Splunk Documentation References:

acceptFrom Parameter Usage

Splunk Cloud Support should be contacted when issues arise that cannot be resolved internally or when problem isolation has been unsuccessful.

C. When unable to resolve issues or perform problem isolation is the correct answer. Splunk Cloud Support is typically involved when internal troubleshooting has been exhausted, and the issue requires expert assistance or deeper investigation. While scripted input troubleshooting might be handled by internal teams, contacting support for unresolved issues is the appropriate step.

Splunk Documentation References:

When to Contact Splunk Support

Explanation: [monitor:///var/log/httpd-[0-9].log] is a valid path and syntax for inputs.conf to monitor files ending in .log under /var/log, with other correct index, sourcetype, and host settings specified. [Reference: Splunk Docs on monitor stanzas]

In Splunk Cloud, you can install apps via self-service, which allows you to install certain approved apps without involving Splunk Support. This self-service capability is provided for apps that have already been vetted and approved for use in the Splunk Cloud environment.

Option A typically requires support involvement because premium apps often need licensing or other special considerations.

Option B might involve the Request Install button, but some apps might still require vetting or support approval.

Option D is incorrect because apps that have not gone through the vetting process cannot be installed via self-service and would require Splunk Support for evaluation and approval.

Splunk Documentation Reference: Install apps on 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