Course Content
This 4-day (18 hour) hands-on course prepares new Splunk administrators to manage users and get data in Splunk Cloud. Topics include data inputs and forwarder configuration, data management, user accounts, and basic monitoring and problem isolation. The course provides administrators with the skills, knowledge and best practices for data management and system configuration for data collection and ingestion in a Splunk Cloud environment to maintain a productive Splunk SaaS deployment.
**Should not be taken in conjunction with the Transitioning to Splunk Cloud course.**
Please note that classes may run across four days, consisting of 4.5 hour sessions each day.
Certifications
This course is part of the following Certifications:
Prerequisites
To be successful, students should have a solid understanding of the following:
- Fundamentals 1 (Retired)
- Fundamentals 2 (Retired)
Or the following single-subject modules:
Course Objectives
- Splunk Cloud overview
- User Authentication and Authorization
- Index Management and Data Retention
- Splunk configuration files
- Cloud Ingestion – Using Splunk forwarders
- Forwarder management
- Data inputs in detail
- Cloud Ingestion – Use API, Scripted, HEC and Applications
- Event Parsing with data preview
- Manipulating raw data
- Installing and managing applications
- Problem isolation and working with Splunk Cloud support
Outline: Splunk Cloud Administration (SCA)
Topic 1 – Splunk Cloud Overview
- Describe Cloud topology
- Describe tasks managed by the Splunk cloud administrator
- List the primary differences between Splunk Cloud and Splunk Enterprise
- List differences between Self-Service Cloud and Managed Cloud
Topic 2 – Index Management
- Define a Splunk Index
- Create indexes in cloud
- Delete data from an index
- Monitor indexing activities
Topic 3 – User Authentication and Authorization
- Administer Splunk user roles
- Integrate Splunk with LDAP, Active Directory, or SAML
Topic 4 – Splunk Configuration Files
- Review Splunk configuration files and directories
- Review configuration file precedence
- Review index and search time processes
Topic 5 – Cloud Ingestion – Using Splunk Forwarders
- Review cloud ingestion strategies
- Understand the role of forwarders in GDI
- Configure forwarding to Splunk Cloud
- Monitoring forwarder connectivity
- Explore optional forwarder settings
Topic 6 – Forwarder Management
- Describe Splunk Deployment Server
- Explain the use of forwarder management
- Configure forwarders to be deployment clients
- Managing forwarders using deployment apps
Topic 7 – Monitor Inputs
- Describe the Splunk process for inputting data
- Create file and directory monitor inputs
- Use optional settings for monitor inputs
Topic 8 – Cloud Ingestion – Using API, Scripted and HEC Inputs
- Understand how data is ingested using API
- Know how to deploy scripted inputs
- Describe how to use HEC for ingestion
Topic 9 – Cloud Ingestion – Application Based Inputs
- Understand how inputs are managed using in apps or add-ons
- Describe how customers may use Splunk Stream app
- Deploy Cloud inputs for use on an IDM
Topic 10 – Fine-tuning Inputs
- Describe the default processing that occurs during the input phase
- Configure input phase options, such as source type fine-tuning and character set encoding
Topic 11 – Parsing Phase and Data Preview
- Describe the default processing that occurs during parsing
- Optimize and configure event line breaking
- Explain how timestamps and time zones are extracted or assigned to events
- Use Data Preview to validate event creation during the parsing phase
Topic 12 – Manipulating Raw Data
- Explain how data transformations are defined and invoked
- Use transformations with props.conf and transforms.conf to modify raw data
- Use SEDCMD to modify raw data
Topic 13 – Installing and Managing Apps
- Understand how apps and add-ons are vetted and installed in Cloud
- Create apps to managing and distribute configurations
Topic 14 – Splunk Cloud Support and Troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting Splunk deployments
- Collecting data and use diagnostics or monitoring to investigate
- Overview of how to collect the relevant data for support to troubleshoot
Appendix
- Explore diagnostic tools and isolation troubleshooting used to investigate and solve issues