Splunk Core Certified User Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a sourcetype example in Splunk?

1. cisco_asa

2. ps

3. syslog

4. DateTime

The correct answer is: DateTime

In Splunk, sourcetypes are essential for defining the format of incoming data. They enable Splunk to properly parse the data for indexing and searching. The examples given as sourcetypes—cisco_asa, ps, and syslog—represent specific data formats. The cisco_asa sourcetype is commonly used for logs generated by Cisco ASA firewalls, ps refers to a process status in a Unix-like operating environment, and syslog is a standardized format for messages generated by various network devices and software applications. In contrast, DateTime does not represent a sourcetype used in Splunk. Instead, it is a general term referring to the date and time format, which may be used within other sourcetypes to interpret timestamps. Since sourcetypes are defined categories for specific data formats, DateTime does not fit into this classification, making it the option that is not a valid example of a sourcetype in Splunk.