Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

What should never be modified in the Splunk configuration system?

1. The files in the default directory

2. The files in the .local directory

3. Files in the indexer directory

4. Any files ending in .conf

The correct answer is: The files in the default directory

The correct response highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of the configuration files located in the default directory of Splunk. These files are part of the original Splunk installation and contain the default settings and configurations that Splunk uses to manage its operations effectively. Modifying files in the default directory can lead to system instability or unpredictable behavior because these configuration files are overwritten during upgrades or installations, which could revert any changes you made. Therefore, it's best practice to leave these files unchanged. Instead, custom configurations should be applied in the appropriate .local directory, which allows for user-specific settings to override the defaults without altering the original files. By using the .local directory for customization, users ensure that their configurations will persist even after updates or changes to the default files, providing a safe and effective way to tailor Splunk's behavior to their needs.