Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin Practice Test

Which license allows for authenticating users while disabling indexing?

1. Free License

2. Enterprise License

3. Forwarder License

4. Enterprise Trial License

The correct answer is: Forwarder License

The Forwarder License is specifically designed for use with data forwarding in Splunk. It allows you to send data from one Splunk instance to another without engaging in the indexing process on the source instance. This means that while the Forwarder License enables the authentication of users to perform actions within the forwarder, it does not enable indexing capabilities. Essentially, a forwarder acts as a conduit that sends log data or events to either a Splunk indexer or another appropriate destination, minus its own capability to index the data locally. This is particularly useful in environments where you want to manage data in a centralized manner while ensuring that the source machine does not retain or index the data it collects. In contrast, other licenses, such as the Free License, Enterprise License, and Enterprise Trial License, inherently involve indexing capabilities, which is their primary function within the Splunk ecosystem. Thus, the Forwarder License is uniquely suited for scenarios that require user authentication without indexing data, making it the correct choice.