Splunk Core User Practice Exam
Which statement is true about the top command? a. It returns the count and percent columns per column b. It displays the output in table format c. It returns the top 10 results d. It returns the count and percent columns per row
a. It returns the count and percent columns per column
When placed early in a search, which command is most effective at reducing search execution time? a. Rename b. Dedup c. Sort - d. Fields +
b. Dedup
Which of the following statements about case sensitivity is true? a. Field values ARE case sensitive; field names ARE NOT. b. Field names ARE case sensitive; field values are NOT. c. Both field names and field values ARE case sensitive. d. Both field names and field values ARE NOT case sensitive.
b. Field names ARE case sensitive; field values are NOT.
What can be included in the All Fields option in the sidebar? a. Field descriptions b. Non-interesting fields c. Metadata only d. Dashboards
b. Non-interesting fields
How do you add or remove fields from search results? a. Use field +to add and field -to remove. b. Use table +to add and table -to remove. c. Use fields +to add and fields -to remove. d. Use fields Plus to add and fields Minus to remove.
c. Use fields +to add and fields -to remove.
What is the main requirement for creating visualizations using the Splunk UI? a. Your search must transform event data into Excel file format first. b. Your search must transform event data into JSON formatted data first. c. Your search must transform event data into XML formatted data first. d. Your search must transform event data into statistical data tables first.
c. Your search must transform event data into XML formatted data first.
Which of the following searches will return results where fail, 400 and error exist in every event? a. error AND (fail AND 400) b. error OR (fail and 400) c. error AND (fail OR 400) d. error OR fail OR 400
c. error AND (fail OR 400)
Which command is used to validate a lookup file? a. | lookup products.csv b. inputlookup products.csv c. | inputlookup products.csv d. | lookup_definition products.csv
c. | inputlookup products.csv
Which of the following searches would return events with failure in index netfw or warn or critical in index netops? a. (index=netfw failure) AND (index=netops (warn OR critical)) b. (index=netfw failure) OR index=netops OR (warn OR critical) c. (index=netfw failure) AND index=netops warn OR critical d. (index=netfw failure) OR (index=netops (warn OR critical))
d. (index=netfw failure) OR (index=netops (warn OR critical))
By default, how long does Splunk retain a search job? a. 15 minutes b. 1 day c. 7 days d. 10 minutes
d. 10 minutes
Which of the following is an option after clicking an item in search results? a. Saving the search to a JSON file. b. Saving the item to a report c. Adding the item to a dashboard d. Adding the item to the search.
d. Adding the item to the search.
Which statement is true about Splunk alerts? a. Alerts are based on searches and when triggered will only send an email notification. b. Alerts are based on searches and require cron to run on scheduled interval. c. Alerts are based on searches that are run exclusively as real-time. d. Alerts are based on searches that are either run on a scheduled interval or in real-time.
d. Alerts are based on searches that are either run on a scheduled interval or in real-time.
What is the correct syntax to count the number of events containing a vendor_action field? a. Stats vendor_action (count) b. Count stats vendor_action c. Count stats (vendor_action) d. Stats count (vendor_action)
d. Stats count (vendor_action)
(T/F) It is not possible for a single instance of Splunk to manage the input, parsing and indexing of machine data.
True
Which events will be returned by the following search string? host=www3 status=503 a. All events with a host of www3 that also have a status of 503 b. We need more information: we cannot tell without knowing the time range c. We need more information a search cannot be run without specifying an index d. All events that either have a host of www3 or a status of 503.
a. All events with a host of www3 that also have a status of 503
When running searches command modifiers in the search string are displayed in what color? a. Orange b. Red c. Highlighted d. Blue
a. Orange
Which search string only returns events from hostWWW3? a. host=* b. host=WWW3 c. host=WWW* d. Host=WWW3
B. host=WWW3
In the fields sidebar, which character denotes alphanumeric field values? a. A b. % c. # d. A#
b. %
At index time, in which field does Splunk store the timestamp value? a. Time b. _time c. Timestamp d. EventTime
b. _time
Which of the following is a Splunk search best practice? a. Filter as early as possible. b. Include as few search terms as possible. c. Never specify more than one index. d. Use wildcards to return more search results.
a. Filter as early as possible.
Which of the following is the most efficient filter for running searches in Splunk? a. Time b. Sourcetype c. Selected fields d. Fast mode
a. Time
What does the following specified time range do? earliest=-72h@h latest=@d a. Look back 72 hours up to one day ago b. Look back 3 days ago and prior c. Look back from 3 days ago up to the beginning of today d. Look back 72 hours, up to the end of today
c. Look back from 3 days ago up to the beginning of today
What is the primary function of the timeline located under the search bar? a. To differentiate between structured and unstructured events in the data. b. To sort the events returned by the search command in chronological order. c. To zoom in and zoom out, although this does not change the scale of the chart. d. To show peak and/or valleys in the timeline, which can indicate spikes in activity or downtime.
d. To show peak and/or valleys in the timeline, which can indicate spikes in activity or downtime.
What of the following are functions of the stats command? a. count, sum, add b. count, sum, less c. sum, avg, values d. sum, values, table
d. sum, values, table
Which of the following index searches would provide the most efficient search performance? a. (index=web OR index=sales) b. *index=sales AND index=web* c. Index=* d. Index=web OR index=s*
a. (index=web OR index=sales)
When sorting on multiple fields with the sort command, what delimiter can be used between the field names in the search? a. , b. | c. $ d. !
a. ,
What type of search can be saved as a report? a. Any search can be saved as a report b. Only searches containing a transforming command c. Only searches that generate statistics or visualizations d. Only searches that generate visualizations
a. Any search can be saved as a report
How can search results be kept longer than 7 days? a. By scheduling a report. b. By creating a link to the job. c. All of these d. By changing the job settings.
a. By scheduling a report.
Which stats command function provides a count of how many unique values exist for a given field in the result set? a. Dc(field) b. Distinct-count(field) c. Count(field) d. Count-by(field)
a. Dc(field)
Which search string returns a filed containing the number of matching events and names that field Event Count? a. Index=security failure | stats sum as "Event Count" b. Index=security failure | stats dc(count) as "Event Count" c. Index=security failure | stats count by "Event Count" d. Index=security failure | stats count as "Event Count"
a. Index=security failure | stats sum as "Event Count"
Which of the following are common constraints of the top command? a. Limit, count b. Showperc, countfield c. Limit, showpercent d. Limits, countfield
a. Limit, count
Which of the following describes lookup files? a. Lookups pull data at index time and add them to search results b. Lookups contain static data available in the index c. Lookups add more fields to results returned by a search d. Lookup fields cannot be used in searches
a. Lookups pull data at index time and add them to search results
When a Splunk search generates calculated data that appears in the Statistics tab. in what formats can the results be exported? a. Raw Events, CSV, XML, JSON b. Raw Events, XML, JSON c. CSV, JSON, PDF d. CSV, XML JSON
a. Raw Events, CSV, XML, JSON
Which time range picker configuration would return real-time events for the past 30 seconds? a. Real-time - Earliest: 30-seconds ago, Latest: Now b. Preset - Relative: 30-seconds ago c. Advanced - Earliest: 30-seconds ago, Latest: Now d. Relative - Earliest: 30-seconds ago, Latest: Now
a. Real-time - Earliest: 30-seconds ago, Latest: Now
What syntax is used to link key/value pairs in search strings? a. Relational operators such as =, <, or > b. Parentheses c. Quotation marks d. @ or # symbols
a. Relational operators such as =, <, or >
Which of the following in a recommended way to create multiple dashboards displaying the data from the same search? a. Save the search as a report and use it in multiple dashboards as needed b. Save the search as a dashboard panel for each dashboard that needs the data c. Save the search as a scheduled alert and use it in multiple dashboards as needed d. Export the results of the search to an XML file and use the file as the basis of the dashboard.
a. Save the search as a report and use it in multiple dashboards as needed
What must be done before an automatic lookup can be created? (select all that apply) a. The lookup file must be uploaded to Splunk. b. The lookup definition must be created. c. The lookup command must be used. d. The lookup file must be verified using the inputlookup command.
a. The lookup file must be uploaded to splunk b. The lookup definition must be created.
How can others can access to a saved report? a. The owner of the report can edit permissions from the Edit dropdown b. Only users with Admin or Power User role can access other users' reports c. Anyone can access any reports marked as public within a shared Splunk Deployment d. The owner of the report must clone the original report and save it to their account.
a. The owner of the report can edit permissions from the Edit dropdown
When writing searches in Splunk, which of the following is true about Booleans? a. They must be uppercase. b. They must be in quotations. c. They must be in parentheses. d. They must be lowercase.
a. They must be uppercase
What is the purpose of using a by clause with the stats command? a. To group the results by one or more fields. b. To specify how the values in a list are delimited. c. To partition the input data based on the split-by fields. d. To compute numerical statistics on each field.
a. To group the results by one or more fields.
Which command automatically returns percent and count columns when executing searches? a. top b. stats c. table d. percent
a. top
When an alert action is configured to run a script, Splunk must be able to locate the script. Which is one of the directories Splunk will look in to find the script? a. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/scripts b. $SPLUNK_HOME/bin/scripts c. $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/scripts/bin d. $SPLUNK_HOME/bin/etc/scripts
b. $SPLUNK_HOME/bin/scripts
When viewing the results of a search, what is an Interesting Field? a. A field that appears in every event b. A field that appears in at least 20% of the events c. A field that appears in any event d. A field that appears in the top 10 events
b. A field that appears in at least 20% of the events
What syntax is used to link key/value pairs in search strings? a. Action | purchase b. Action=purchase c. Action+purchase d. Action equal purchase
b. Action=purchase
What does the stats command do? a. Automatically correlates related fields b. Calculates statistics on data that matches the search criteria c. Analyzes numerical fields for their ability to predict another discrete field d. Converts field values into numerical values
b. Calculates statistics on data that matches the search criteria
When looking at a statistics table, what is one way to drill down to see the underlying events? a. Viewing your report in a dashboard. b. Clicking on the visualizations tab. c. Clicking on any field value in the table. d. Creating a pivot table.
b. Clicking on the visualizations tab.
How are events displayed after a search is executed? a. In chronological order. b. In reverse chronological order. c. Alphabetically according to field name. d. Randomly by default.
b. In reverse chronological order.
Select the answer that displays the accurate placing of the pipe in the following search string: index=security sourcetype=access_* status=200 stats count by price. a. Index=security sourcetype=access_* | status=200 | stats count by price b. Index=security sourcetype=access_* status=200 | stats count by price c. Index=security sourcetype=access_* status=200 | stats count | by price d. Index=security sourcetype=access_* status=200 stats | count by price
b. Index=security sourcetype=access_* status=200 | stats count by price
When editing a dashboard, which of the following are possible options? (select all that apply) a. Drag a dashboard panel to a different location on the dashboard. b. Modify the chart type displayed in a dashboard panel. c. Export a dashboard panel. d. Add an output.
b. Modify the chart type displayed in a dashboard panel. a. Drag a dashboard panel to a different location on the dashboard. d. Add an output
Which of the following file types is an option for exporting Splunk search results? a. Xls b. Pdf c. Rtf d. Json
b. Pdf
What does the rare command do? a. Returns the top 10 field values of a given field in the results. b. Returns the least common field values of a given field in the results. c. Returns the lowest 10 field values of a given field in the results. d. Returns the most common field values of a given field in the results.
b. Returns the least common field values of a given field in the results.
How does Splunk determine which fields to extract from data? a. Splunk only extracts fields users have manually specified in their data; b. Splunk automatically discovers many fields based on sourcetype and key/value pairs found in the data. c. Splunk automatically extracts any fields that generate interesting visualizations. d. Splunk only extracts the most interesting data from the last 24 hours.
b. Splunk automatically discovers many fields based on sourcetype and key/value pairs found in the data.
What is a suggested Splunk best practice for naming reports? a. Name reports as uniquely as possible with no overlap to differentiate them from one another. b. Use a consistent naming convention so they are easily separated by characteristics such as group and object. c. Reports are best named using many numbers so they can be more easily sorted. d. Any naming convention is fine as long as you keep an external spreadsheet to keep track.
b. Use a consistent naming convention so they are easily separated by characteristics such as group and object.
When looking at a dashboard panel that is based on a report, which of the following is true? a. You cannot modify the search string in the panel, and you cannot change and configure the visualization. b. You cannot modify the search string in the panel, but you can change and configure the visualization. c. You can modify the search string in the panel, but you cannot change and configure the visualization. d. You can modify the search string in the panel, and you can change and configure the visualization.
b. You cannot modify the search string in the panel, but you can change and configure the visualization.
Which of the following Splunk components typically resides on the machines where data originates? a. Search head b. Forwarder c. Indexer d. Deployment server
b. forwarder
Which search matches the events containing the terms "error" and "fail"? a. index=security Error Fail b. index=security error or fail c. index=security "error fail" d. index = security NOT error NOT fail
b. index=security error or fail
In the fields sidebar, what indicates that a field is numeric? a. A number to the right of the field name. b. A lowercase n to the right of the field name. c. A # symbol to the left of the field name. d. A lowercase n to the left of the field name.
c. A # symbol to the left of the field name.
What are the steps to schedule a report? a. After saving the report, click Scheduling. b. After saving the report, click Event Type. c. After saving the report, click Schedule. d. After saving the report, click Dashboard Panel.
c. After saving the report, click Schedule.
A collection of items containing things such as data inputs, UI elements, and knowledge objects is known as what? a. A role b. JSON c. An app d. An enhanced solution
c. An app
In the Splunk interface, the list of alerts can be filtered based on which characteristics? a. App, Owner, Priority, and Status b. App, Owner, Severity, and Type c. App, Time Window, Type, and Severity d. App, Dashboard, Severity, and Type
c. App, Time Window, Type, and Severity
A field exists in search results, but isn't being displayed in the fields sidebar. How can it be added to the fields sidebar? a. Click Selected Fields and select the field to add it to Interesting Fields.This scenario isn't possible because all fields returned from a search always appear in the fieldssidebar. b. Click Interesting Fields and select the field to add it to Selected Fields. c. Click All Fields and select the field to add it to Selected Fields. d. This scenario isn't possible because all fields returned from a search always appear in the fieldssidebar.
c. Click All Fields and select the field to add it to Selected Fields.
By default, which of the following fields would be listed in the fields sidebar under interesting Fields? a. Index b. Source c. Host d. Sourcetype
c. Host
Which of the following is a best practice when writing a search string? a. Include at least one function as this is a search requirement b. Include the search terms at the beginning of the search string c. Include all formatting commands before any search terms d. Avoid using formatting clauses as they add too much overhead
c. Include all formatting commands before any search terms
What is one benefit of creating dashboard panels from reports? a. Any change to the underlying report will affect every dashboard that utilizes that report. b. There are no benefits to creating dashboard panels from reports. c. It makes the dashboard more efficient because it only has to run one search string. d. Any newly created dashboard will include that report.
c. It makes the dashboard more efficient because it only has to run one search string.
Which of the following constraints can be used with the top command? a. Addtotals b. Useperc c. Limit d. Fieldcount
c. Limit
Which of the following fields is stored with the events in the index? a. User b. Location c. Source d. SourceIp
c. Source
By default, which of the following is a Selected Field? a. Clientip b. CategoryId c. Sourcetype d. Action
c. Sourcetype
Which search would return events from the access_combined sourcetype? a. SOURCETYPE=access_combined b. Sourcetype=Access_Combined c. Sourcetype=access_combined d. Sourcetype=Access_Combined
c. Sourcetype=access_combined
In a deployment with multiple indexes, what will happen when a search is run and an index is not specified in the search string? a. Events from every index searched by default to which the user has access will be returned. b. All non-indexed events to which the user has access will be returned. c. Splunk will prompt you to specify an index. d. No events will be returned.
c. Splunk will prompt you to specify an index.
What must be done in order to use a lookup table in Splunk? a. The contents of the lookup file must be copied and pasted into the search bar. b. The lookup file must be uploaded to the etc/apps/lookups folder for automatic ingestion. c. The lookup file must be uploaded to Splunk and a lookup definition must be created. d. The lookup must be configured to run automatically.
c. The lookup file must be uploaded to Splunk and a lookup definition must be created.
What user interface component allows for time selection? a. Search time picker b. Time summary c. Time range picker d. Data source time statistics
c. Time range picker
what is the primary use of the rare command? a. To sort field values in descending order b. To return only fields containing five of fewer values c. To find the least common values of a field in a dataset d. To find the fields with the fewest number of values across a dataset.
c. To find the least common values of a field in a dataset
What is a primary function of a scheduled report? a. Regularly scheduled archiving to keep disk space use low b. Auto-detect changes in performance c. Triggering an alert in your Splunk instance when certain conditions are met d. Auto-generated PDF reports of overall data trends
c. Triggering an alert in your Splunk instance when certain conditions are met
Which Boolean operator is always implied between two search terms, unless otherwise specified? a. Not b. xor c. Or d. And
d. And
What can be configured using the Edit Job Settings menu? a. Export the results to CSV format b. Add the Job results to a dashboard c. Schedule the Job to re-run in 10 minutes d. Change Job Lifetime from 10 minutes to 7 days.
d. Change Job Lifetime from 10 minutes to 7 days.
After running a search, what effect does clicking and dragging across the timeline have? a. Executes a new search. b. Expands the time range of the search. c. Moves to past or future events. d. Filters current search results.
d. Filters current search results.
Which of the following is true about user account settings and preferences? a Full name, time zone, and default app can be defined by clicking the login name in the Splunk bar. b. Search & Reporting is the only app that can be set as the default application. c. Time zones are automatically updated based on the setting of the computer accessing Splunk. d. Full names can only be changed by accounts with a Power User or Admin role.
d. Full names can only be changed by accounts with a Power User or Admin role.
Which of the following represents the Splunk recommended naming convention for dashboards? a. Object_Group_Description b. Group_Description_Object c. Description_Group_Object d. Group_Object_Description
d. Group_Object_Description
Which command is used to review the contents of a specified static lookup file? a. Csvlookup b. Lookup c. Outputlookup d. Inputlookup
d. Inputlookup
When displaying results of a search, which of the following is true about line charts? a. Line charts are optimal for multiple series with 3 or more columns. b. Line charts are optimal for multiseries searches with at least 2 or more columns. c. Line charts are optimal for single series when using Fast mode. d. Line charts are optimal for single and multiple series.
d. Line charts are optimal for single and multiple series.
What does the values function of the stats command do? a. Lists unique values of a given field. b. Returns the number of events that match the search. c. Lists all values of a given field. d. Returns a count of unique values for a given field.
d. Returns a count of unique values for a given field.
What determines the scope of data that appears in a scheduled report? a. All data accessible to all users will appear in the report until the next time the report is run. b. All data accessible to the User role will appear in the report. c. All data accessible to the owner of the report will appear in the report. d. The owner of the report can configure permissions so that the report uses either the User role or the owner's profile at run time.
d. The owner of the report can configure permissions so that the report uses either the User role or the owner's profile at run time.
What happens when a field is added to the Selected Fields list in the fields sidebar? a. Splunk will re-run the search job in Verbose Mode to prioritize the new Selected Field b. Splunk will highlight related fields as a suggestion to add them to the Selected Fields list. c. Custom selections will replace the Interesting Fields that Splunk populated into the list at search time d. The selected field and its corresponding values will appear underneath the events in the search results
d. The selected field and its corresponding values will appear underneath the events in the search results
