Splunk Exam SPLK-5002 Topic 3 Question 7 Discussion

The sourcetype in Splunk defines how incoming machine data is interpreted, structured, and stored. Proper sourcetype configurations ensure accurate event parsing, indexing, and searching.

1. Event Breaking Rules (A)

Determines how Splunk splits raw logs into individual events.

If misconfigured, a single event may be broken into multiple fragments or multiple log lines may be combined incorrectly.

Controlled using LINE_BREAKER and BREAK_ONLY_BEFORE settings.

2. Timestamp Extraction (B)

Extracts and assigns timestamps to events during ingestion.

Incorrect timestamp configuration leads to misplaced events in time-based searches.

Uses TIME_PREFIX, MAX_TIMESTAMP_LOOKAHEAD, and TIME_FORMAT settings.

3. Line Merging Rules (D)

Controls whether multiline events should be combined into a single event.

Useful for logs like stack traces or multi-line syslog messages.

Uses SHOULD_LINEMERGE and LINE_BREAKER settings.

Incorrect Answer:

C . Data Retention Policies

Affects storage and deletion, not data ingestion itself.

Additional Resources:

Splunk Sourcetype Configuration Guide

Event Breaking and Line Merging