SPLK-2002 Exam Questions & Answers

The splunk add cluster-master command is used to configure the same search head to join another indexer cluster. A search head can search multiple indexer clusters by adding multiple cluster-master entries in its server.conf file. The splunk add cluster-master command can be used to add a new cluster-master entry to the server.conf file, by specifying the host name and port number of the master node of the other indexer cluster. The splunk add cluster-config command is used to configure the search head to join the first indexer cluster, not the second one. The splunk edit cluster-config command is used to edit the existing cluster configuration of the search head, not to add a new one. The splunk edit cluster-master command does not exist, and it is not a valid command.

The best practice for ingesting syslog data from network devices on port 514 into Splunk is to configure syslog to write logs and use a Splunk forwarder to collect the logs. This practice will ensure that the data is reliably collected and forwarded to Splunk, without losing any data or overloading the Splunk indexer. Configuring syslog to send the data to multiple Splunk indexers will not guarantee data reliability, as syslog is a UDP protocol that does not provide acknowledgment or delivery confirmation. Using a Splunk indexer to collect a network input on port 514 directly will not provide data reliability or load balancing, as the indexer may not be able to handle the incoming data volume or distribute it to other indexers. Using a Splunk forwarder to collect the input on port 514 and forward the data will not provide data reliability, as the forwarder may not be able to receive the data from syslog or buffer it in case of network issues. For more information, see [Get data from TCP and UDP ports] and [Best practices for syslog data] in the Splunk documentation.

The following statements are true about Splunk indexer clustering:

All peer nodes must run exactly the same Splunk version. This is a requirement for indexer clustering, as different Splunk versions may have different data formats or features that are incompatible with each other. All peer nodes must run the same Splunk version as the master node and the search heads that connect to the cluster.

The search head must run the same or a later Splunk version than the peer nodes. This is a recommendation for indexer clustering, as a newer Splunk version may have new features or bug fixes that improve the search functionality or performance. The search head should not run an older Splunk version than the peer nodes, as this may cause search errors or failures. The following statements are false about Splunk indexer clustering:

The master node must run the same or a later Splunk version than the search heads. This is not a requirement or a recommendation for indexer clustering, as the master node does not participate in the search process. The master node should run the same Splunk version as the peer nodes, as this ensures the cluster compatibility and functionality.

The peer nodes must run the same or a later Splunk version than the master node. This is not a requirement or a recommendation for indexer clustering, as the peer nodes do not coordinate the cluster activities. The peer nodes should run the same Splunk version as the master node, as this ensures the cluster compatibility and functionality. For more information, see [About indexer clusters and index replication] and [Upgrade an indexer cluster] in the Splunk documentation.

According to the Splunk Enterprise Search Head Clustering (SHC) Deployer documentation, the ''local_only'' push mode is the correct option when deploying built-in apps. This mode ensures that the deployer only pushes configurations from the local directory of built-in Splunk apps (such as search, learned, or launcher) without overwriting or merging their default app configurations.

In an SHC environment, the deployer is responsible for distributing configuration bundles to all search head members. Each push can be executed in different modes depending on how the admin wants to handle the app directories:

full: Overwrites both default and local folders of all apps in the bundle.

merge_to_default: Merges configurations into the default folder (used primarily for custom apps).

local_only: Pushes only local configurations, preserving default settings of built-in apps (the safest method for core Splunk apps).

default only: Pushes only default folder configurations (rarely used and not ideal for built-in app updates).

Using the ''local_only'' mode ensures that default Splunk system apps are not modified, preventing corruption or overwriting of base configurations that are critical for Splunk operation. It is explicitly recommended for pushing Splunk-provided (built-in) apps like search, launcher, and user-prefs from the deployer to all SHC members.

Reference (Splunk Enterprise Documentation):

* Managing Configuration Bundles with the Deployer (Search Head Clustering)

* Deployer Push Modes and Their Use Cases

* Splunk Enterprise Admin Manual -- SHC Deployment Management

* Best Practices for Maintaining Built-in Splunk Apps in SHC Environments

According to Splunk Enterprise Distributed Clustering documentation, when you add a search head to an indexer cluster, you must configure it to communicate with the Cluster Manager (previously known as Master Node). The proper way to initialize this connection is by editing the cluster configuration using the splunk edit cluster-config command.

The correct syntax for a search head is:

splunk edit cluster-config -mode searchhead -manager_uri https://<manager_host>:8089 -secret <shared_secret>

Here:

-mode searchhead specifies that this node will function as a search head that participates in distributed search across the indexer cluster.

-manager_uri provides the management URI of the cluster manager.

-secret defines the shared secret key used for secure communication between the manager and cluster members.

Once this configuration is applied, the search head must be restarted for the changes to take effect.

Using -mode peer (Option B) is for indexers joining the cluster, not search heads. The add cluster-manager command (Options C and D) is not a valid Splunk command.

Reference (Splunk Enterprise Documentation):

* Configure the Search Head for an Indexer Cluster

* Indexer Clustering: Configure the Cluster Manager, Peer, and Search Head Nodes

* Splunk Enterprise Admin Manual: splunk edit cluster-config Command Reference