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

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.

GET workflow actions are custom actions that open a URL link when you click on a field value in your search results. GET workflow actions can be configured with various options, such as label name, base URL, URI parameters, app context, etc. One of the options is to choose whether to open the URL link in the current window or in a new window. GET workflow actions do not have to be configured with POST arguments, as they use GET method to send requests to web servers. Configuration of GET workflow actions does not include choosing a sourcetype, as they do not generate any data in Splunk. Label names for GET workflow actions must include a field name surrounded by dollar signs, as this indicates the field value that will be used to replace the variable in the URL link.

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.

When using multiple expressions in a single eval command in Splunk, the delimiter used is a comma (,). This allows for the execution of multiple operations within a single eval statement, separating each operation clearly.

The search modes determine how Splunk processes your search and displays your results2. There are three search modes: Fast, Smart and Verbose2. The search mode that automatically returns all extracted fields in the fields sidebar is Verbose2. The Verbose mode shows all the fields that are extracted from your events, including default fields, indexed fields and search-time extracted fields2. The fields sidebar is a panel that shows the fields that are present in your search results2. Therefore, option C is correct, while options A and B are incorrect because they are not search modes that automatically return all extracted fields in the fields sidebar.

When performing an outer join in Splunk using the | join employeeNumber type=outer command, it combines the rows from both tables based on the employeeNumber field. An outer join returns all rows from both tables, with matching rows from both sides where available. If there is no match, the result is NULL on the side of the join where there is no match.

In the provided tables, there are five rows in the first table and three in the second. Since it’s an outer join, all rows from both tables will be returned. This means the new table will have a total of eight rows, combining the matched rows and the unmatched rows from both tables.

The eval command is used to create new fields or modify existing fields based on an expression2. The eval command can perform various actions such as calculations, conversions, string manipulations and more2. One of the actions that the eval command can perform is to create or replace an existing field with a new value based on an expression2. For example, | eval status=if(status="200","OK","ERROR") will create or replace the status field with either OK or ERROR depending on the original value of status2. Therefore, option B is correct, while options A, C and D are incorrect because they are not actions that the eval command can perform.

Data model attributes are fields that are added to a dataset from search time field extractions, calculated fields, lookups, or aliases. They can be created within the data model editor or inherited from a parent dataset. They can be edited or removed unless they are required by the data model. They can be added to any type of dataset, not just root search datasets.ReferencesSee About data models, [Define data model attributes], and [Edit data model datasets] in the Splunk Documentation.

To create a macro that accepts arguments, you must include the number of arguments in parentheses at the end of the macro name1. For example, my_macro(3) is a macro that accepts three arguments. The number of arguments in the macro name must match the number of arguments in the definition1. Therefore, option A is correct, while options B, C and D are incorrect.

The Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) is a collection of data models that apply a common structure and naming convention to data from any source. A data model is a type of knowledge object that defines the structure and relationships of fields in a dataset. A data model can have one or more datasets, which are subsets of the data model that represent different aspects of the data. For example, the Network Traffic data model has datasets such as All Traffic, DNS, HTTP, etc. The CIM contains 28 pre-configured data models that cover various domains such as authentication, network traffic, web, email, etc. The CIM is implemented as an add-on that contains the JSON files for the data models, documentation, and tools that support the consistent, normalized treatment of data for maximum efficiency at search time23

1: Splunk Core Certified Power User Track, page 10. 2: Splunk Documentation, Overview of the Splunk Common Information Model 1. 3: Splunkbase, Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) 2.

Splunk event types are based on search strings that cannot contain pipes or subsearches.

Extract: “Event type search strings must not contain a pipe (|) and cannot include transforming or filtering commands.”

Thus, only option B is a valid event type definition because it is a simple base search without pipelines or subsearches.

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.

The Field Extractor (FX) allows you to use regular expressions (regex) to extract fields from your events using a graphical interface or by manually editing the regex2. When you use the FX to perform a regex field extraction, you can use the require option to specify a string that must be present in an event for it to be included in the extraction2. This way, you can filter out events that do not contain the required string and focus on the events that are relevant for your extraction2. Therefore, option D is correct, while options A, B and C are incorrect.

The maxspan function of the transaction command allows you to set the maximum total time between the earliest and latest events returned. The maxspan function is an argument that can be used with the transaction command to specify the start and end constraints for the transactions. The maxspan function takes a time modifier as its value, such as 30s, 5m, 1h, etc. The maxspan function sets the maximum time span between the first and last events in a transaction. If the time span between the first and last events exceeds the maxspan value, the transaction will be split into multiple transactions.

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.

The transaction command groups events that share a common value in a specified field, such as JSESSIONID, and that occur within a specified time range. The search command filters the results to show only the events that match the given value of JSESSIONID. This search groups the events by JSESSIONID and then shows only the events that have the value SD462K101C2F267 for JSESSIONID2

1: Splunk Core Certified Power User Track, page 9. 2: Splunk Documentation, transaction command.

This is because an event type is a knowledge object that assigns a user-defined name to a set of events that match a specific search criteria. For example, you can create an event type named successful_purchase for events that have sourcetype=access_combined, status=200, and action=purchase. Then, you can use eventtype=successful_purchase as a search term to find those events. You can also use event types to create alerts, reports, and dashboards. You can learn more about event types from the Splunk documentation1. The other options are incorrect because they do not describe what an event type is. A log level measurement is a field that indicates the severity of an event, such as info, warn, or error. A knowledge object that is applied before fields are extracted is a source type, which identifies the format and structure of the data. Either a log, a metric, or a trace is a type of data that Splunk can ingest and analyze, but not an event type.

The searches A and C show a valid use of a macro. A macro is a reusable piece of SPL code that can be called by using single quotes (‘’). A macro can take arguments, which are passed inside parentheses after the macro name. For example, ‘makeMyField(oldField)’ calls a macro named makeMyField with an argument oldField. The searches B and D are not valid because they use double quotes (“”) instead of single quotes (‘’).

In Splunk, when using the chart command, the useother parameter can be set to false (f) to remove the 'OTHER' category, which is a bucket that Splunk uses to aggregate low-cardinality groups into a single group to simplify visualization. Here's how the options break down:

A. | chart count over CurrentStanding by Action useother=fThis command correctly sets the useother parameter to false, which would prevent the 'OTHER' category from being displayed in the resulting visualization.

B. | chart count over CurrentStanding by Action usenull=f useother=tThis command has useother set to true (t), which means the 'OTHER' category would still be included, so this is not a correct option.

C. | chart count over CurrentStanding by Action limit=10 useother=fSimilar to option A, this command also sets useother to false, additionally imposing a limit to the top 10 results, which is a way to control the granularity of the chart but also to remove the 'OTHER' category.

D. | chart count over CurrentStanding by Action limit-10This command has a syntax error (limit-10 should be limit=10) and does not include the useother=f clause. Therefore, it would not remove the 'OTHER' category, making it incorrect.

The correct answers to rewrite the syntax to remove the 'OTHER' category are options A and C, which explicitly set useother=f.

In Splunk, a variable for a macro is defined by placing the variable name inside dollar signs, like this: $variable name$. This syntax allows the macro to dynamically replace the variable with the appropriate value when the macro is invoked within a search. Using this method ensures that the search strings can be dynamically adjusted based on the variable's value at runtime.

Search macros with arguments must include the number of arguments in parentheses.

Extract: “If your macro includes arguments, append the number of arguments to the macro name. For example, mymacro(2).”

Thus, samplemacro(2) is correct.

The correct answer is A. When a log file has values that are separated by the same character, for example, commas.

The Field Extractor (FX) is a utility in Splunk Web that allows you to create new fields from your events by using either regular expressions or delimiters. The FX provides a graphical interface that guides you through the steps of defining and testing your field extractions1.

The FX supports two field extraction methods: regular expression and delimited. The regular expression method works best with unstructured event data, such as logs or messages, that do not have a consistent format or structure. You select a sample event and highlight one or more fields to extract from that event, and the FX generates a regular expression that matches similar events in your data set and extracts the fields from them1.

The delimited method is designed for structured event data: data from files with headers, where all of the fields in the events are separated by a common delimiter, such as a comma, a tab, or a space. You select a sample event, identify the delimiter, and then rename the fields that the FX finds1.

Therefore, you would select the delimited field extraction method when you have a log file that has values that are separated by the same character, for example, commas. This method will allow you to easily extract the fields based on the delimiter without writing complex regular expressions.

The other options are not correct because they are not suitable for the delimited field extraction method. These options are:

B. When a log file contains empty lines or comments: This option does not indicate that the log file has a structured format or a common delimiter. The delimited method might not work well with this type of data, as it might miss some fields or include some unwanted values.

C. With structured files such as JSON or XML: This option does not require the delimited method, as Splunk can automatically extract fields from JSON or XML files by using indexed extractions or search-time extractions2. The delimited method might not work well with this type of data, as it might not recognize the nested structure or the special characters.

D. When the file has a header that might provide information about its structure or format: This option does not indicate that the file has a common delimiter between the fields. The delimited method might not work well with this type of data, as it might not be able to identify the fields based on the header information.

In Splunk, Pivot is a tool that allows you to report on a specific data set without using the Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL™)1. You can use a drag-and-drop interface to design and generate pivots that present different aspects of your data in the form of tables, charts, and other visualizations12.

One of the features of Pivot is that it allows you to save your reports1. This can be useful when you want to reuse a report or share it with others1. Therefore, it’s not true that users cannot share visualizations created with Pivot or that they must use SPL to find events in a Pivot12. It’s also not true that users cannot create visualizations with Pivot, as creating visualizations is one of the main functions of Pivot12.

Field aliases are used to normalize different field names that contain the same type of data (like IP addresses) across multiple sourcetypes or sources, making the data CIM compliant without re-extracting the fields.

The Common Information Model (CIM) add-on in Splunk applies preconfigured data models to data at search time. This means that when a search is executed, the CIM add-on uses its predefined data models to normalize and map the relevant data to a common format. This approach ensures that data is interpreted and analyzed consistently across various datasets without modifying the data at index time.

Using the export function, you can export search results as XML or JSON2. The export function allows you to save your search results in a structured format that can be used by other applications or tools2. You can use the output_mode parameter to specify whether you want to export your results as XML or JSON2. Therefore, options A and B are correct, while options C and D are incorrect because they are not formats that you can export your search results as.

Tags are a type of knowledge object that enable you to assign descriptive keywords to events. Tags can reference any of the following knowledge objects: extracted fields, field aliases, calculated fields, lookups, and event types. Tags cannot reference other tags or search macros. Tags are applied to events at search time based on the values of the fields that they reference2

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

The correct answer is A. | where 10yearAnnerversary=Renewal-MonthYear.

The where command is used to filter the search results based on an expression that evaluates to true or false. The where command can compare two fields, two values, or a field and a value. The where command can also use functions, operators, and wildcards to create complex expressions1.

The syntax for the where command is:

| where

The expression can be a comparison, a calculation, a logical operation, or a combination of these. The expression must evaluate to true or false for each event.

To compare two fields with the where command, you need to use the field names without any quotation marks. For example, if you want to find events where the values for the 10yearAnnerversary field match the values for the Renewal-MonthYear field, you can use the following syntax:

| where 10yearAnnerversary=Renewal-MonthYear

This will return only the events where the two fields have the same value.

The other options are not correct because they use quotation marks around the field names, which will cause the where command to interpret them as string values instead of field names. For example, if you use:

| where ‘10yearAnnerversary’=‘Renewal-MonthYear’

This will return no events because there are no events where the string value ‘10yearAnnerversary’ is equal to the string value ‘Renewal-MonthYear’.

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.

 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.

The stats command is used to calculate summary statistics for your search results such as count, sum, avg, min, max and more2. The stats command supports various functions that you can use to perform calculations on your fields2. However, addtotals is not a stats function but a separate command that adds a row or column with the total of the values in each group2. Therefore, option B is correct, while options A, C and D are incorrect because they are valid stats functions.

The fillnull command can be used to replace null values in specific fields. The correct equivalent expression for the given eval statement would involve using fillnull twice, once for field1 to replace null values with 0, and once for field2 to replace null values with "NO-VALUE".

The building block of a data model. Each data model is composed of one or more data model datasets. Each dataset within a data model defines a subset of the dataset represented by the data model as a whole.

Data model datasets have a hierarchical relationship with each other, meaning they have parent-child relationships. Data models can contain multiple dataset hierarchies. There are three types of dataset hierarchies: event, search, and transaction.

https://docs.splunk.com/Splexicon:Datamodeldataset

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

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

The fields sidebar is a panel that shows the fields that are present in your search results2. The fields sidebar does not show all extracted fields, which are fields that are extracted from your raw data using various methods such as regular expressions, delimiters or key-value pairs2. The fields sidebar only shows selected fields and interesting fields2. 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. Interesting fields are fields that appear in at least 20 percent of events or have high variability among values2. Therefore, option C is correct, while options A and B are incorrect because they are types of fields that the fields sidebar does show.

Auto-Extracted fields in Splunk Data Models are derived directly from the indexed data based on the existing fields within the events. These fields are identified and extracted by Splunk automatically, without the need for explicit field extractions configured by the user. Understanding the characteristics of Auto-Extracted fields is crucial for effectively managing Data Models and utilizing them in Pivot tables for analysis.

A. Auto-Extracted fields can be hidden in Pivot. This is true. When building a Data Model, you have the option to hide certain fields from appearing in Pivot, making the Pivot table cleaner and more focused on the fields that are most relevant for analysis. This helps in reducing clutter and focusing on the data that matters most to the users.

B. Auto-Extracted fields can have their data type changed. This statement is not typically accurate for Auto-Extracted fields. The data type of an Auto-Extracted field is determined by Splunk based on the field's content in the indexed data. While you can assign a type to a field when you manually create a field in a data model, the inherent data type of Auto-Extracted fields is not something that is changed within the Data Model itself.

C. Auto-Extracted fields can be given a friendly name for use in Pivot. This is correct. Within Data Models, you can assign a more user-friendly, descriptive name to an Auto-Extracted field. This feature is particularly useful in making Data Models more intuitive and easier to use for those who may not be familiar with the original field names or when the original field names are not descriptive or user-friendly.

D. Auto-Extracted fields can be added if they already exist in the dataset with constraints. This is true. Auto-Extracted fields are based on fields that already exist in the data. When you define a dataset within a Data Model, you can apply constraints to narrow down the events that the dataset includes. The Auto-Extracted fields are then identified from this constrained dataset. This means that the fields must already be present in the data that meets the dataset's constraints to be available for auto-extraction.

In summary, Auto-Extracted fields in Splunk Data Models offer a flexible and efficient way to utilize existing data fields within Pivot tables, with options to rename them for clarity and hide unnecessary fields to streamline data analysis.

The correct answer is D. Search.

A workflow action is a knowledge object that enables a variety of interactions between fields in events and other web resources. Workflow actions can create HTML links, generate HTTP POST requests, or launch secondary searches based on field values1.

There are three types of workflow actions that can be set up using Splunk Web: GET, POST, and Search2.

GET workflow actions create typical HTML links to do things like perform Google searches on specific values or run domain name queries against external WHOIS databases2.

POST workflow actions generate an HTTP POST request to a specified URI. This action type enables you to do things like creating entries in external issue management systems using a set of relevant field values2.

Search workflow actions launch secondary searches that use specific field values from an event, such as a search that looks for the occurrence of specific combinations of ipaddress and http_status field values in your index over a specific time range2.

Therefore, the workflow action type that performs a secondary search is Search.

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.

The correct answer is C. Creates reports without using SPL. This is because the Pivot tool is a feature of Splunk that allows you to report on a specific data set without using the Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL). You can use a drag-and-drop interface to design and generate pivots that present different aspects of your data in the form of tables, charts, and other visualizations. You can learn more about the Pivot tool from the Splunk documentation1 or watch a video tutorial2. The other options are incorrect because they do not describe the features of the Pivot tool. The Pivot tool requires data models and datasets to define the data that you want to work with. Data models and datasets are designed by the knowledge managers in your organization. You can learn more about data models and datasets from the Splunk documentation3. The Pivot tool does not create lookups, which are tables that match field values to other field values. You can create lookups using SPL or the Lookup Editor. You can learn more about lookups from the Splunk documentation.

The descriptions of the data models that come with the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) Add-on are documented in the CIM Add-on manual (Option B). This manual provides detailed information about the data models, including their structure, the types of data they are designed to normalize, and how they can be used to facilitate cross-sourcing reporting and analysis.

The correct answer is D. eval.

A calculated field is a field that is added to events at search time by using an eval expression. A calculated field can use the values of two or more fields that are already present in the events to perform calculations. A calculated field 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.

A calculated field is a shortcut for performing repetitive, long, or complex transformations using the eval command. The eval command is used to create or modify fields by using expressions. The eval command can perform mathematical, string, date and time, comparison, logical, and other operations on fields or values2.

For example, if you want to create a new field named total that is the sum of two fields named price and tax, you can use the eval command as follows:

| eval total=price+tax

However, if you want to use this new field in multiple searches, reports, or dashboards, you can create a calculated field instead of writing the eval command every time. To create a calculated field with Splunk Web, you need to go to Settings > Fields > Calculated Fields and enter the name of the new field (total), the name of the sourcetype (sales), and the eval expression (price+tax). This will create a calculated field named total that will be added to all events with the sourcetype sales at search time. You can then use the total field like any other extracted field without writing the eval expression1.

The other options are not correct because they are not related to calculated fields. These options are:

A. transaction: This command is used to group events that share some common values into a single record, called a transaction. A transaction can span multiple events and multiple sources, and can be useful for correlating events that are related but not contiguous3.

B. lookup: This command is used to enrich events with additional fields from an external source, such as a CSV file or a database. A lookup can add fields to events based on the values of existing fields, such as host, source, sourcetype, or any other extracted field.

C. stats: This command is used to calculate 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 fields.

A workflow action is a link that appears when you click an event field value in your search results1. A workflow action can open a web page or run another search based on the field value1. There are two types of workflow actions: GET and POST1. A GET workflow action appends the field value to the end of a URI and opens it in a web browser1. A POST workflow action sends the field value as part of an HTTP request to a web server1. You can configure a workflow action to open a web page in either the same window or a new window1. Therefore, option D is correct, while options A, B and C are incorrect.

To search for a tag on a specific field, Splunk requires the syntax tag::=.

Extract: “To search for a tag associated with a field, use tag::=.”

Thus, tag::host=prod is correct.

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.

By default, acceleration is determined automatically based on the data source in the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) add-on. The Splunk CIM Add-on is an app that provides common data models for various domains, such as network traffic, web activity, authentication, etc. The CIM Add-on allows you to normalize and enrich your data using predefined fields and tags. The CIM Add-on also allows you to accelerate your data models for faster searches and reports. Acceleration is a feature that pre-computes summary data for your data models and stores them in tsidx files. Acceleration can improve the performance and efficiency of your searches and reports that use data models.

By default, acceleration is determined automatically based on the data source in the CIM Add-on. This means that Splunk will decide whether to enable or disable acceleration for each data model based on some factors, such as data volume, data type, data model complexity, etc. However, you can also manually enable or disable acceleration for each data model by using the Settings menu or by editing the datamodels.conf file.

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/8.0.2/SearchReference/Eval

The eval command calculates an expression and puts the resulting value into a search results field.

If the field name that you specify does not match a field in the output, a new field is added to the search results.

If the field name that you specify matches a field name that already exists in the search results, the results of the eval expression overwrite the values in that field.

The correct answer is D. field2 values are replaced with the value of the field1.

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 convenience1.

When you create a field alias in Splunk Web, you can select the Overwrite Field Values option to change the behavior of the field alias. This option affects how the Splunk software handles situations where the original field has no value or does not exist, as well as situations where the alias field already exists as a field in your events, alongside the original field2.

If you select the Overwrite Field Values option, the following rules apply:

If the original field does not exist or has no value in an event, the alias field is removed from that event.

If the original field and the alias field both exist in an event, the value of the alias field is replaced with the value of the original field.

If you do not select the Overwrite Field Values option, the following rules apply:

If the original field does not exist or has no value in an event, the alias field is unchanged in that event.

If the original field and the alias field both exist in an event, both fields are retained with their respective values.

Therefore, if you create a field alias where field1—field2 and select the Overwrite Field Values option, and an event only contains values for field1, then the value of field2 will be replaced with the value of field1.

Arguments are defined within the macro search string by using dollar signs on either side of the argument name, such as arg1 or fragment.

References

Search macro examples

Define search macros in Settings

Use search macros in searches

When creating an event type in Splunk, subsearches are allowed in the search string. Subsearches enable users to perform a secondary search whose results are used as input for the main search. This functionality is useful for more complex event type definitions that require additional filtering or criteria based on another search.

The Splunk Common Information Model (CIM) Add-on is a foundational component for many Splunk apps, providing a common framework for data normalization and field extraction. This add-on includes a set of pre-configured data models that are essential for consistent reporting, searching, and correlation across various types of data. These data models help standardize field names and event structures, ensuring that data from disparate sources can be queried in a uniform way. While the CIM Add-on facilitates the use of standardized sourcetypes and supports data validation, the primary feature it offers is the set of pre-configured data models which are crucial for maintaining consistency across different datasets.

The rex command allows you to extract fields from events using regular expressions. You can use the rex command to specify a named group that matches the port number in the event. For example:

rex "\+\+\+\+port (?\d+)"

This will create a field called port with the value 54 for the event.

The delimiter method is not suitable for this event because there is no consistent delimiter between the fields. The regular expression method is not a valid option for the Field Extractor tool. The Field Extractor tool can extract regular expressions, but it is not a method by itself.

https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/latest/SearchReference/CommonEvalFunctions

The eval command function tostring() is valid. The tostring() function converts a numeric value to a string value. For example, tostring(3.14) returns “3.14”. The other functions are not valid eval command functions.

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.

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The correct answer is D. Event types do not include a time range.

The explanation is as follows:

Event types are a categorization system that help you make sense of your data by matching events with the same search string1. Event types are applied to events at search time and can be used as search terms or filters12.

Saved reports are results saved from a search action that can show statistics and visualizations of events3. Saved reports can be run anytime, and they fetch fresh results each time they are run34. Saved reports can be shared with other users and added to dashboards4.

The main difference between event types and saved reports is that event types do not include a time range, while saved reports do14. This means that event types can match events from any time period, while saved reports are limited by the time range specified when they are created or run14.

The correct answer is A. Field alias123.

In Splunk, a field alias is a knowledge object that you can use to assign an alternate name to a field3. This can be particularly useful when you want to normalize your data to comply with the Splunk Common Information Model (CIM)12.

The CIM provides a methodology for normalizing values to a common field name1. It acts as a search-time schema to define relationships in the event data while leaving the raw machine data intact2. By using field aliases, you can map vendor fields to common fields that are the same for each data source in a given domain4. This allows you to correlate events from different source types by normalizing these different occurrences to a common structure and naming convention1.

In Splunk, the transaction command is used to group events that share common characteristics into a single transaction1. By default, the transaction command groups all matching events into a single transaction1.

However, you can use the maxspan option to limit the time span of the transactions1. If the time span between the first and last event in a transaction exceeds the maxspan value, the transaction command will start a new transaction1.

Therefore, if the maxspan option is not included in the search, the transaction command might produce multiple transactions instead of one if the time span between the first and last event in a transaction exceeds the default maxspan value1.

Here is an example of how you can use the maxspan option in a search:

index=main sourcetype=access_combined | transaction someuniqefield maxspan=1h

In this search, the transaction command groups events that share the same someuniqefield value into a single transaction, but only if the time span between the first and last event in the transaction does not exceed 1 hour1. If the time span exceeds 1 hour, the transaction command will start a new transaction1.

The span option is used to specify the time span for the timechart command. The span value can be a number followed by a time unit, such as h for hour, d for day, w for week, etc. The span value determines how the data is grouped into time buckets. For example, span=12h means that the data is grouped into 12-hour intervals. The timespan option is not a valid option for the timechart command2

1: Splunk Core Certified Power User Track, page 9. 2: Splunk Documentation, timechart command.

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.

A delimiter field extraction is a method of extracting fields from data that uses a character or a string to separate fields in each event. A delimiter field extraction can be performed by using the Field Extractor (FX) tool or by editing the props.conf file. A delimiter field extraction can be applied to any file format that uses a delimiter to separate fields, such as CSV, TSV, PSV, etc. A CSV file is a comma-separated values file that uses commas as delimiters. Therefore, a CSV file can be extracted using a delimiter field extraction.

To use a search macro in a search string, you need to place a back tick character (`) before and after the macro name1. You also need to use the same number of arguments as defined in the macro2. The macro weekly sales (2) has two arguments: Price and AmountSold. Therefore, you need to provide two values for these arguments when you call the macro.

The option A is incorrect because it uses parentheses instead of back ticks around the macro name. The option B is incorrect because it uses underscores instead of spaces in the macro name. The option D is incorrect because it uses spaces instead of commas to separate the argument values.

The correct answer is D. An argument can be passed to the inner macro by nesting parentheses.

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

To pass an argument to the inner macro, you need to use parentheses to enclose the argument value and separate it from the outer macro argument. For example, if you have a search macro named outer_macro (1) that contains another search macro named inner_macro (2), and both macros take one argument each, you can pass an argument to the inner macro by using the following syntax:

outer_macro (argument1, inner_macro (argument2))

This will replace the argument1 and argument2 with the values you provide in the search string. For example, if you want to pass “foo” as the argument1 and “bar” as the argument2, you can write:

outer_macro ("foo", inner_macro ("bar"))

This will expand the macros with the corresponding arguments and run the SPL code contained in them.

The delimiter method in the Field Extractor should be used when fields in events are separated consistently by a specific character (such as a comma, tab, or pipe). This method simplifies extraction without requiring complex regular expressions.

The appendcols command in Splunk is used to connect an additional table of data directly to the right side of the existing table. It appends the results of a subsearch as new fields to the current results, effectively adding columns to the existing table.

To retrieve data from an external resource based on a field like Zip_Code, a GET workflow action is appropriate. GET requests retrieve information by passing the Zip_Code as a parameter to an external URL, commonly used in weather APIs.