Splunk Core Certified User Practice Exam

What is the primary file type used to define lookup tables in Splunk?

1. CSV files

2. JSON files

3. XML files

4. TXT files

The correct answer is: CSV files

In Splunk, the primary file type used to define lookup tables is CSV files. CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files are favored for their simplicity and ease of use, allowing for straightforward tabular data representation. When data is stored in a CSV format, each line represents a record, and each field within that record is separated by a comma, making it easy to parse and read for both humans and machines. Using CSV files for lookups also provides a flexible way to map fields from incoming events to external datasets. This enables users to enrich their search results with additional context from the lookup tables. The ability to easily edit CSV files in common spreadsheet programs further enhances their usability within Splunk. Other formats, such as JSON and XML, can be used in Splunk, but they are not the primary choice for lookups. JSON is more suited for structured data often used in data interchange, while XML is typically used for more complex data structures rather than simple tabular lookups. TXT files, while they can hold raw text data, do not provide the structured format needed for lookups. Thus, CSV files are specifically designed and widely adopted for this purpose in Splunk.