SPLK-1002 Splunk Core Certified Power User Exam Questions and Answers

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/8.0.2/Search/Abouttransactions

In other cases, it's usually better to use the stats command, which performs more efficiently, especially in a distributed environment. Often there is a unique ID in the events and stats can be used.

The correct answer is C. A macro is a portion of a search that can be reused in multiple places.

A macro is a way to reuse a piece of SPL code in different searches. A macro can be any part of a search, such as an eval statement or a search term, and does not need to be a complete command. A macro can also take arguments, which are variables that can be replaced by different values when the macro is called. A macro can also contain another macro within it, which is called a nested macro1.

To create a macro, you need to define its name, definition, arguments, and description in the Settings > Advanced Search > Search Macros page in Splunk Web or in the macros.conf file. To use a macro in a search, you need to enclose the macro name in backtick characters (`) and provide values for the arguments if any1.

For example, if you have a macro named my_macro that takes one argument named object and has the following definition:

search sourcetype= object

You can use it in a search by writing:

my_macro(web)

This will expand the macro and run the following SPL code:

search sourcetype=web

The benefits of using macros are that they can simplify complex searches, reduce errors, improve readability, and promote consistency1.

The other options are not correct because they describe other types of knowledge objects in Splunk, not macros. These objects are:

• A. An event type is a method of categorizing events based on a search. An event type assigns a label to events that match a specific search criteria. Event types can be used to filter and group events, create alerts, or generate reports2.
• B. A field alias is a way to associate an additional (new) name with an existing field name. A field alias can be used to normalize fields from different sources that have different names but represent the same data. Field aliases can also be used to rename fields for clarity or convenience3.
• D. An alert is a knowledge object that enables you to schedule searches for specific events and trigger actions when certain conditions are met. An alert can be used to monitor your data for anomalies, errors, or other patterns of interest and notify you or others when they occur4.

References:

• About event types
• About field aliases
• About alerts
• Define search macros in Settings
• Use search macros in searches

• Tags are a knowledge object that allow you to assign an alias to one or more field values . Tags are applied to events at search time and can be used as search terms or filters .
• Tags can help you make your data more understandable by replacing cryptic or complex field values with meaningful names . For example, you can tag the value 200 in the status field as success, or tag the value 404 as not_found .

The correct answer is B. Calculated fields can be chained together to create more complex fields.

Calculated fields are fields that are added to events at search time by using eval expressions. They can be used to perform calculations with the values of two or more fields already present in those events. Calculated fields can be defined with Splunk Web or in the props.conf file. They can be used in searches, reports, dashboards, and data models like any other extracted field1.

Calculated fields can also be chained together to create more complex fields. This means that you can use a calculated field as an input for another calculated field. For example, if you have a calculated field named total that sums up the values of two fields named price and tax, you can use the total field to create another calculated field named discount that applies a percentage discount to the total field. To do this, you need to define the discount field with an eval expression that references the total field, such as:

discount = total * 0.9

This will create a new field named discount that is equal to 90% of the total field value for each event2.

References:

• About calculated fields
• Chaining calculated fields

The correct answer is A. chart, timechart, stats, eventstats.

Transforming commands are commands that change the format of the search results into a table or a chart. They can be used to perform statistical calculations, create visualizations, or manipulate data in various ways1.

Transactions are groups of events that share some common values and are related in some way. Transactions can be defined by using the transaction command or by creating a transaction type in the transactiontypes.conf file2.

Some transforming commands can be used with transactions to create tables or charts based on the transaction fields. These commands include:

• chart: This command creates a table or a chart that shows the relationship between two or more fields. It can be used to aggregate values, count occurrences, or calculate statistics3.
• timechart: This command creates a table or a chart that shows how a field changes over time. It can be used to plot trends, patterns, or outliers4.
• stats: This command calculates summary statistics on the fields in the search results, such as count, sum, average, etc. It can be used to group and aggregate data by one or more fields5.
• eventstats: This command calculates summary statistics on the fields in the search results, similar to stats, but it also adds the results to each event as new fields. It can be used to compare events with the overall statistics.

These commands can be applied to transactions by using the transaction fields as arguments. For example, if you have a transaction type named “login” that groups events based on the user field and has fields such as duration and eventcount, you can use the following commands with transactions:

• | chart count by user : This command creates a table or a chart that shows how many transactions each user has.
• | timechart span=1h avg(duration) by user : This command creates a table or a chart that shows the average duration of transactions for each user per hour.
• | stats sum(eventcount) as total_events by user : This command creates a table that shows the total number of events for each user across all transactions.
• | eventstats avg(duration) as avg_duration : This command adds a new field named avg_duration to each transaction that shows the average duration of all transactions.

The other options are not valid because they include commands that are not transforming commands or cannot be used with transactions. These commands are:

• diff: This command compares two search results and shows the differences between them. It is not a transforming command and it does not work with transactions.
• datamodel: This command retrieves data from a data model, which is a way to organize and categorize data in Splunk. It is not a transforming command and it does not work with transactions.
• pivot: This command creates a pivot report, which is a way to analyze data from a data model using a graphical interface. It is not a transforming command and it does not work with transactions.

References:

• About transforming commands
• About transactions
• chart command overview
• timechart command overview
• stats command overview
• [eventstats command overview]
• [diff command overview]
• [datamodel command overview]
• [pivot command overview]

 The following commands are used when creating visualizations: geom, geostats, and iplocation. Visualizations are graphical representations of data that show trends, patterns, or comparisons. Visualizations can have different types, such as charts, tables, maps, etc. Visualizations can be created by using various commands that transform the data into a suitable format for the visualization type. Some of the commands that are used when creating visualizations are:

• geom: This command is used to create choropleth maps that show geographic regions with different colors based on some metric. The geom command takes a KMZ file as an argument that defines the geographic regions and their boundaries. The geom command also takes a field name as an argument that specifies the metric to use for coloring the regions.
• geostats: This command is used to create cluster maps that show groups of events with different sizes and colors based on some metric. The geostats command takes a latitude and longitude field as arguments that specify the location of the events. The geostats command also takes a statistical function as an argument that specifies the metric to use for sizing and coloring the clusters.
• iplocation: This command is used to create location-based visualizations that show events with different attributes based on their IP addresses. The iplocation command takes an IP address field as an argument and adds some additional fields to the events, such as Country, City, Latitude, Longitude, etc. The iplocation command can be used with other commands such as geom or geostats to create maps based on IP addresses.

Tags are a type of knowledge object that enable you to assign descriptive keywords to events based on the values of their fields. Tags can help you to search more efficiently for groups of event data that share common characteristics, such as functionality, location, priority, etc. For example, you can tag all the IP addresses of your routers as router, and then search for tag=router to find all the events related to your routers. Tags can also help you to normalize data from different sources by using the same tag name for equivalent field values. For example, you can tag the field values error, fail, and critical as severity=high, and then search for severity=high to find all the events with high severity level2

1: Splunk Core Certified Power User Track, page 10. 2: Splunk Documentation, About tags and aliases.

The fillnull command replaces null values with 0 by default, if the value argument is not specified. You can use the value argument to specify a different value to replace null values with, such as N/A or NULL.

https://docs .splunk.com/Documentation/DashApp/0.9.0/DashApp/chartsBub

Splunk ships with the following KMZ files for choropleth maps: States of the United States and Countries of the World. A KMZ file is a compressed file that contains a KML file and other resources. A KML file is an XML file that defines geographic features and their properties. A KMZ file can be used to create choropleth maps in Splunk by using the geom command. A choropleth map is a type of map that shows geographic regions with different colors based on some metric. Splunk ships with two KMZ files that define the geographic regions for choropleth maps:

• States of the United States: This KMZ file defines the 50 states of the United States and their boundaries. The name of this KMZ file is us_states.kmz and it is located in the $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/maps/appserver/static/geo directory.
• Countries of the World: This KMZ file defines the countries of the world and their boundaries. The name of this KMZ file is world_countries.kmz and it is located in the $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/maps/appserver/static/geo directory.

Splunk does not ship with KMZ files for States and provinces of the United States and Canada or Countries of the European Union. However, you can create your own KMZ files or download them from external sources and use them in Splunk.

The Field Extractor (FX) is a tool that helps you extract fields from your events using a graphical interface or by manually editing the regular expression2. The FX allows you to create field extractions that persist as knowledge objects, which are entities that you create to add knowledge to your data and make it easier to search and analyze2. Field extractions are methods that extract fields from your raw data using various techniques such as regular expressions, delimiters or key-value pairs2. When you create a field extraction using the FX, you can save it as a knowledge object that applies to your data at search time2. You can also manage and share your field extractions with other users in your organization2. Therefore, option C is correct, while options A, B and D are incorrect because they do not describe the use of the FX.

Normalize your data for each of these fields using a combination of field aliases, field extractions, and lookups.

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/CIM/4.15.0/User/UsetheCIMtonormalizedataatsearchtime

The regular expression mode of Field Extractor (FX) should be used for data with multiple, different characters separating fields or for unstructured data. The regular expression mode allows you to select a sample event and highlight the fields that you want to extract, and the field extractor generates a regular expression that matches similar events and extracts the fields from them.ReferencesSee Build field extractions with the field extractor - Splunk Documentation and Field Extractor: Select Method step - Splunk Documentation.

Highlighted search terms indicate matching search results in Splunk, which means that they show which parts of your events match your search string2. For example, if you search for error OR fail, Splunk will highlight error or fail in your events to show which events match your search string2. Therefore, option D is correct, while options A, B and C are incorrect because they are not indicated by highlighted search terms.

The recommended approach when using the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) add-on to normalize data is A. Consult the CIM data model reference tables. This is because the CIM data model reference tables provide detailed information about the fields and tags that are expected for each dataset in a data model. By consulting the reference tables, you can determine which data models are relevant for your data source and how to map your data fields to the CIM fields. You can also use the reference tables to validate your data and troubleshoot any issues with normalization. You can find the CIM data model reference tables in the Splunk documentation1 or in the Data Model Editor page in Splunk Web2. The other options are incorrect because they are not related to the CIM add-on or data normalization. The authentication command is a custom command that validates events against the Authentication data model, but it does not help you to normalize other types of data. The correlation command is a search command that performs statistical analysis on event fields, but it does not help you to map your data fields to the CIM fields. The CIM event type reference tables do not exist, as event types are not part of the CIM add-on.

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/8.1.0/SearchReference/Chart

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/8.1.0/SearchReference/Stats

The correct answer is C. By enclosing the macro name in backtick characters (`).

A macro is a way to reuse a piece of SPL code in different searches. A macro can take arguments, which are variables that can be replaced by different values when the macro is called. A macro can also contain another macro within it, which is called a nested macro1.

To reference a macro in a search, you need to enclose the macro name in backtick characters (). For example, if you have a macro named my_macro` that takes one argument, you can reference it in a search by using the following syntax:

| my_macro(argument) | ...

This will replace the macro name and argument with the SPL code contained in the macro definition. For example, if the macro definition is:

[my_macro(argument)] search sourcetype=$argument$

And you reference it in a search with:

index=main | my_macro(web) | stats count by host

This will expand the macro and run the following SPL code:

index=main | search sourcetype=web | stats count by host

References:

• Use search macros in searches

 To configure a Search Workflow Action to run at the same time range as the original search, you need to select the “Use the same time range as the search that created the field listing” checkbox. This will ensure that the workflow action search uses the same earliest and latest time parameters as the original search.

The following statements about tags are true: tags are based on field/value pairs and tags categorize events based on a search. Tags are custom labels that can be applied to fields or field values to provide additional context or meaning for your data. Tags can be used to filter or analyze your data based on common concepts or themes. Tags can be created by using various methods, such as search commands, configuration files, user interfaces, etc. Some of the characteristics of tags are:

• Tags are based on field/value pairs: This means that tags are associated with a specific field name and a specific field value. For example, you can create a tag called “alert” for the field name “status” and the field value “critical”. This means that only events that have status=critical will have the “alert” tag applied to them.
• Tags categorize events based on a search: This means that tags are defined by a search string that matches the events that you want to tag. For example, you can create a tag called “web” for the search string sourcetype=access_combined. This means that only events that match the search string sourcetype=access_combined will have the “web” tag applied to them.

The following statements about tags are false: tags are case-insensitive and tags are designed to make data more understandable. Tags are case-sensitive and tags are designed to make data more searchable. Tags are case-sensitive: This means that tags must match the exact case of the field name and field value that they are associated with. For example, if you create a tag called “alert” for the field name “status” and the field value “critical”, it will not apply to events that have status=CRITICAL or Status=critical. Tags are designed to make data more searchable: This means that tags can help you find relevant events or patterns in your data by using common concepts or themes. For example, if you create a tag called “web” for the search string sourcetype=access_combined, you can use tag=web to find all events related to web activity.

The correct answer is B. Event category tags. This is because the CIM add-on contains a collection of preconfigured data models that you can apply to your data at search time. Each data model in the CIM consists of a set of field names and tags that define the least common denominator of a domain of interest. Event category tags are used to classify events into high-level categories, such as authentication, network traffic, or web activity. You can use these tags to filter and analyze events based on their category. You can learn more about event category tags from the Splunk documentation12. The other options are incorrect because they are not included with the CIM add-on. Search macros are reusable pieces of search syntax that you can invoke from other searches. They are not specific to the CIM add-on, although some Splunk apps may provide their own search macros. Workflow actions are custom links or scripts that you can run on specific fields or events. They are also not specific to the CIM add-on, although some Splunk apps may provide their own workflow actions. tsidx files are index files that store the terms and pointers to the raw data in Splunk buckets. They are part of the Splunk indexing process and have nothing to do with the CIM add-on.

The correct answer is B. The value for the productName field because it appears first.

The coalesce function is an eval function that takes an arbitrary number of arguments and returns the first value that is not null. A null value means that the field has no value at all, while an empty value means that the field has a value, but it is “” or zero-length1.

The coalesce function can be used to combine fields that have different names but represent the same data, such as IP address or user name. The coalesce function can also be used to rename fields for clarity or convenience2.

The syntax for the coalesce function is:

coalesce(,,…)

The coalesce function will return the value of the first field that is not null in the argument list. If all fields are null, the coalesce function will return null.

For example, if you have a set of events where the IP address is extracted to either clientip or ipaddress, you can use the coalesce function to define a new field called ip, that takes the value of either clientip or ipaddress, depending on which is not null:

| eval ip=coalesce(clientip,ipaddress)

In your example, you have a set of events where the product name is extracted to either productName or productid, and you use the coalesce function to define a new field called productINFO, that takes the value of either productName or productid, depending on which is not null:

| eval productINFO=coalesce(productName,productid)

If both productName and productid fields have values for a given event, the coalesce function will return the value of the productName field because it appears first in the argument list. The productid field will be ignored by the coalesce function.

Therefore, the value for the productName field will be used to populate the productINFO field if both fields have values for a given event.

References:

• Search Command> Coalesce
• USAGE OF SPLUNK EVAL FUNCTION : COALESCE

The correct answer is C. Product, count: addtocart, count: remove, count: purchase, sum: addtocart, sum: remove, sum: purchase1.

In Splunk, the chart command is used to create a table or a chart visualization from your data2. The chart command takes at least one function and one field, and optionally another field to group by2.

In the given search, the chart command is used with two functions (count and sum), two fields (domain and price), and two fields to group by (product and action). The usenull=f and useother=f options are used to exclude null values and other values from the chart2.

The chart command creates a table with headers that match the order of the fields and functions in the command1. The headers for the count function are prefixed with count:, and the headers for the sum function are prefixed with sum:1. The values of the product and action fields are used as the suffixes for the headers1.

Therefore, the table headers created by this command are Product, count: addtocart, count: remove, count: purchase, sum: addtocart, sum: remove, and sum: purchase1.

A macro is a way to save a segment of a search string as a variable and reuse it in other searches2. A macro can be followed by a pipe, which is a symbol that separates commands in a search pipeline2. A pipe may always follow a macro, regardless of who owns the macro, where the macro is defined or how the macro is shared2. For example, if you have a macro called us_sales that returns events from the US region, you can use it in a search like this: us_sales | stats sum(price) by product2. This search will use the macro to filter the events and then calculate the total price for each product2. Therefore, option A is correct, while options B, C and D are incorrect because they are not conditions that affect whether a pipe can follow a macro.

The correct answer is B. Transforming.

The explanation is as follows:

• The timechart command is a Splunk command that creates a time series chart with corresponding table of statistics12.
• A timechart is a statistical aggregation applied to a field to produce a chart, with time used as the X-axis1. You can specify a split-by field, where each distinct value of the split-by field becomes a series in the chart1.
• Transforming commands are commands that change the format of the search results into a data structure that can be easily visualized3. Transforming commands often use stats functions to aggregate and summarize data3.
• Therefore, the timechart command is an example of a transforming command, as it transforms the search results into a chart and a table using stats functions123.

A space is an implied AND in a search string, which means that it acts as a logical operator that returns events that match both terms on either side of the space2. For example, status=200 method=GET will return events that have both status=200 and method=GET2. Therefore, option B is correct, while options A, C and D are incorrect because they are not implied by a space in a search string.

The eval command is used to create new fields or modify existing fields based on an expression2. The sort command is used to sort the results by one or more fields in ascending or descending order2. If you want to convert numeric field values to strings and also sort on those values, you should use the sort command first, then use the eval command to convert the values to strings2. This way, the sort command will use the original numeric values for sorting, rather than the converted string values which may not sort correctly. Therefore, option C is correct, while options A, B and D are incorrect.

After manually editing a regular expression (regex) that was created using the Field Extractor (FX) UI, it is no longer possible to edit the field extraction in the FX UI. The FX UI is a tool that helps you extract fields from your data using delimiters or regular expressions. The FX UI can generate a regex for you based on your selection of sample values or you can enter your own regex in the FX UI. However, if you edit the regex manually in the props.conf file, the FX UI will not be able to recognize the changes and will not let you edit the field extraction in the FX UI anymore. You will have to use the props.conf file to make any further changes to the field extraction. Changes made manually cannot be reverted in the FX UI, as the FX UI does not keep track of the changes made in the props.conf file. It is possible to manually edit a regex that was created using the FX UI, as long as you do it in the props.conf file.

Therefore, only statement B is true about manually editing a regex.

The transaction command is used to group events into transactions based on some common characteristics, such as fields, time, or both. The transaction command can also specify start and end constraints for the transactions, such as a field value that indicates the beginning or the end of a transaction. The stats command is used to calculate summary statistics on the events, such as count, sum, average, etc. The stats command cannot group events based on start and end constraints, but only on fields or time buckets. Therefore, the transaction command should be used instead of the stats command when you need to group events based on start and end constraints.

The search below groups events by two or more fields (clientip and host), creates transactions with start and end constraints (maxspan=30s and maxpause=5s), and calculates the duration of each transaction.

index=main | transaction clientip host maxspan=30s maxpause=5s

The search does the following:

• It filters the events by the index main, which is a default index in Splunk that contains all data that is not sent to other indexes.
• It uses the transaction command to group events into transactions based on two fields: clientip and host. The transaction command creates new events from groups of events that share the same clientip and host values.
• It specifies the start and end constraints for the transactions using the maxspan and maxpause arguments. The maxspan argument sets the maximum time span between the first and last events in a transaction. The maxpause argument sets the maximum time span between any two consecutive events in a transaction. In this case, the maxspan is 30 seconds and the maxpause is 5 seconds, meaning that any transaction that has a longer time span or pause will be split into multiple transactions.
• It creates some additional fields for each transaction, such as duration, eventcount, startime, etc. The duration field shows the time span between the first and last events in a transaction.

The transaction command is a search command that creates a single event from a group of events that share some common characteristics. The transaction command can group events based on fields, time, or both. The transaction command can also create some additional fields for each transaction, such as duration, eventcount, startime, etc. The transaction command does not group a set of transactions based on time, but rather groups a set of events into a transaction based on time. The transaction command does not separate two events based on one or more values, but rather joins multiple events based on one or more values. The transaction command does not return the number of credit card transactions found in the event logs, but rather creates transactions from the events that match the search criteria.

This search uses the transaction command to group events that share a common value for JSESSIONID into transactions1. The transaction command assigns a duration field to each transaction, which is the difference between the latest and earliest timestamps of the events in the transaction1. The search then uses the timechart command to create a time-series chart of the average duration of each transaction1. Therefore, option A is correct because it describes the search accurately. Option B is incorrect because the search does not use the stats command or the pause field. Option C is incorrect because the transaction command does not require the startswith and endswith options, although they can be used to specify how to identify the beginning and end of a transaction1. Option D is incorrect because the transaction command does not have to be the last command in the search pipeline, although it is often used near the end of a search1.

Tags are aliases or alternative names for field values in Splunk. They can make your data more understandable by using common or descriptive terms instead of cryptic or technical terms. For example, you can tag a field value such as “200” with “OK” or “success” to indicate that it is a HTTP status code for a successful request. Tags are case sensitive, meaning that “OK” and “ok” are different tags. Tags are created at search time, meaning that they are applied when you run a search on your data. Tags are searched by using the syntax tag::, where  is the name of the tag you want to search for.

The eval command supports a number of functions that you can use in your expressions to perform calculations, conversions, string manipulations and more2. One of the eval command functions is tostring(), which converts a numeric value to a string value2. Therefore, option D is correct, while options A, B and C are incorrect because they are not valid eval command functions.

The Field Extractor (FX) is a tool that helps you extract fields from your events using a graphical interface2. You can create a report using a custom field extracted by the FX and share it with other users in your organization2. However, if another user runs the shared report and no results are returned, there could be two possible reasons. One reason is that the extraction is private, which means that only you can see and use the extracted field2. To make the extraction available to other users, you need to make it global or app-level2. Therefore, option C is correct. Another reason is that the other user does not have access to the index where the events are stored2. To fix this issue, you need to grant the appropriate permissions to the other user for the index2. Therefore, option D is correct. Options A and B are incorrect because they are not related to the field extraction or the report.

Field aliases are alternative names for fields in Splunk. Field aliases can be used to normalize data across different sources and sourcetypes that have different field names for the same concept. For example, you can create a field alias for src_ip that maps to clientip, source_address, or any other field name that represents the source IP address in different sourcetypes. Field aliases can also be used in lookup file definitions to map fields in your data to fields in the lookup file. For example, you can use a field alias for src_ip to map it to ip_address in a lookup file that contains geolocation information for IP addresses. Field alias names do not replace the original field name, but rather create a copy of the field with a different name. Field alias names are case sensitive when used as part of a search, meaning that src_ip and SRC_IP are different fields.

Event types are custom categories of events that are based on search criteria. Event types can be used to label events with meaningful names, such as error, success, login, logout, etc. Event types can also be used to create transactions, alerts, reports, dashboards, etc. Event types can be created in two ways:

• By going to the Settings menu and clicking Event Types > New. This will open a form where you can enter the name, description, search string, app context, and tags for the event type.
• By selecting an event in search results and clicking Event Actions > Build Event Type. This will open a dialog box where you can enter the name and description for the event type. The search string will be automatically populated based on the selected event.

Event types cannot be created by using the searchtypes command in the search bar, as this command does not exist in Splunk. Event types can also be created by editing the event_type stanza in the transforms.conf file, not the props.conf file.

A chart is a graphical representation of your search results that shows the relationship between two or more fields2. You can display a chart in stack mode by changing the Stack Mode option in the Format menu2. Stack mode allows you to stack multiple series on top of each other in a chart to show the cumulative values of each series2. Therefore, option C is correct, while options A, B and D are incorrect because they are not ways to display a chart in stack mode.

POST workflow actions are custom actions that send a POST request to a web server when you click on a field value in your search results. POST workflow actions can be configured with various options, such as label name, base URL, URI parameters, post arguments, app context, etc. One of the options that are required to create a POST workflow action is post arguments. Post arguments are key-value pairs that are sent in the body of the POST request to provide additional information to the web server. Post arguments can include field values from your data by using dollar signs around the field names.

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/8.1.0/SearchReference/ConversionFunctions#tostring.28X.2CY.29

The tostring function in the eval command converts a numeric value to a string value. It can take an optional second argument that specifies the format of the string value. Some of the possible formats are:

• hex: converts the numeric value to a hexadecimal string.
• commas: adds commas to separate thousands in the numeric value.
• duration: converts the numeric value to a human-readable duration string, such as “2h 3m 4s”.

Therefore, the formats A, B, and D can be used with the tostring function.

Data models and pivot are both knowledge objects in Splunk that allow you to analyze and visualize your data in different ways. Data models are collections of datasets that represent your data in a structured and hierarchical way. Data models define how your data is organized into objects and fields. Pivot is a user interface that allows you to create data visualizations that present different aspects of a data model. Pivot does not require users to input SPL searches on data models, but rather lets them select options from menus and forms. Data models are not created out of datasets called pivots, but rather pivots are created from datasets in data models.

A field alias is a way to assign an alternative name to an existing field without changing the original field name or value2. You can use field aliases to make your field names more consistent or descriptive across different sources or sourcetypes2. When you run a search without any transforming commands in Smart Mode, Splunk automatically identifies and displays interesting fields in your results2. Interesting fields are fields that appear in at least 20 percent of events or have high variability among values2. If you have created a field alias based on an original field, both the original field name and the alias name will appear in the Interesting Fields list if they meet these criteria2. However, only one of them will appear in each event depending on which one you have specified in your search string2. Therefore, option B is correct, while options A, C and D are incorrect.

The Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) add-on is a collection of pre-built data models and knowledge objects that help you normalize your data from different sources and make it easier to analyze and report on it3. The CIM add-on includes pre-configured data models that cover various domains such as Alerts, Email, Database, Network Traffic, Web and more3. Therefore, option B is correct. The CIM add-on also includes fields and event category tags that define the common attributes and labels for the data models3. Therefore, option C is correct. The CIM add-on does not include custom visualizations or automatic data model acceleration. Therefore, options A and D are incorrect.

Selected fields are fields that you choose to display in your search results by clicking on them in the Fields sidebar or by using the fields command2. Selected fields are displayed below each event in the search results, along with their values2. Therefore, option A is correct, while options B, C and D are incorrect because they are not places where selected fields are displayed.

As mentioned before, a calculated field is a field that you create based on the value of another field or fields2. A calculated field can be based on extracted fields, which are fields that are extracted from your raw data using various methods such as regular expressions, delimiters or key-value pairs2. Therefore, option B is correct, while options A, C and D are incorrect because they are not types of fields that a calculated field can be based on.

The Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) add-on is a Splunk app that contains data models to help you normalize data from different sources and formats. The CIM add-on defines a common and consistent way of naming and categorizing fields and events in Splunk. This makes it easier to correlate and analyze data across different domains, such as network, security, web, etc. The CIM add-on does not use machine learning to normalize data, but rather relies on predefined field names and values. The CIM add-on does not contain dashboards that show how to map data, but rather provides documentation and examples on how to use the data models. The CIM add-on is not automatically installed in a Splunk environment, but rather needs to be downloaded and installed from Splunkbase.