Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

Do indexers need licenses to determine the amount of ingested data allowed?

1. No, only forwarders need the license

2. Yes, indexers require licenses

3. No, they operate independently of licenses

4. Only the main search head requires a license

The correct answer is: Yes, indexers require licenses

Indexers in Splunk require licenses to determine the amount of ingested data allowed. Splunk's licensing model is based on the volume of data indexed within a specified period, typically a day. Each indexer must be aware of its data ingestion limits to ensure compliance with licensing agreements and to keep track of the amount of data that is being processed. Licenses are critical for managing the overall data flow and ensuring that organizations do not exceed their allocated use, which can lead to additional costs or interrupted service. The licensing mechanism also helps in optimizing the performance and resource usage of the Splunk environment. The other options suggest that only forwarders or certain other components, like the search head, could be involved in licensing, which is not the case. Both forwarders and indexers play distinct roles, but the indexers are specifically accountable for licensing related to the data they ingest. Understanding this licensing model is essential for managing a Splunk deployment effectively.