Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

What action is necessary to omit files from indexing based on their timestamps?

1. Using ignoreOlderThan setting

2. Setting a maximum file size

3. Defining a custom filepath

4. Using file type restrictions

The correct answer is: Using ignoreOlderThan setting

To omit files from indexing based on their timestamps, utilizing the ignoreOlderThan setting is essential. This setting allows you to specify a timestamp threshold, beyond which files are not indexed by Splunk. By configuring this parameter, you can effectively control which data remains relevant and is indexed, focusing on the most current and pertinent information for your analysis. This option is particularly significant for environments where data age can affect relevance; for instance, you may want to exclude older log files that no longer hold value for operational monitoring or compliance purposes. By doing so, you enhance indexing efficiency and save storage resources. In contrast, the other choices do not serve the specific purpose of omitting files based on their timestamps. Setting a maximum file size pertains to limiting the size of the files being indexed, rather than filtering by age. Defining a custom filepath allows you to specify where to look for files but doesn't inherently filter them by their timestamp. Lastly, file type restrictions focus on what types of files can be indexed rather than when they were last modified or created. Thus, using the ignoreOlderThan option is the correct action for this task.