SPLK-1002 Transactions and Event Correlation Practice Question
A company has events from multiple data sources that share a common 'request_id'. They want to correlate events from different sources (e.g., web, app, database) into a single transaction per request. However, the timestamps across sources are not synchronized, causing some events to appear out of order. Which approach is best to ensure correct grouping?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use `sort _time | transaction request_id maxspan=10m`
Setting a larger maxspan and using `sort _time` before transaction can help reorder events, but the most reliable method is to use `transaction request_id` with a generous maxspan and, if needed, use `sort 0 _time` before transaction to ensure time order.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use `eventstats count by request_id` to correlate counts
Why it's wrong here
eventstats does not group events into a single transaction.
- ✓
Use `sort _time | transaction request_id maxspan=10m`
Why this is correct
Sorting by time ensures events are processed in chronological order, and a 10-minute maxspan accommodates timestamp skew.
- ✗
Use `transaction request_id` and rely on Splunk to automatically reorder
Why it's wrong here
Transaction does not automatically reorder events; it processes in index order.
- ✗
Use `transaction request_id maxspan=1m` and ignore out-of-order events
Why it's wrong here
A 1-minute maxspan may be too short if timestamps are off by more.
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About these practice questions
This SPLK-1002 question is part of Courseiva's 475-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SPLK-1002
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A team wants to correlate events from different sourcetypes (web, db) on a common `sessionid`. They use `transaction sessionid` across both sourcetypes. The results show that some transactions are missing events. What is the most likely cause?
hard- A.The search is running at 'info' level instead of 'verbose'
- ✓ B.Timestamps from different sourcetypes are misaligned
- C.maxevents is set too low
- D.sessionid field has different names in each sourcetype
Why B: Sourcetypes may have different timestamp formats or time zones, causing events to be incorrectly sorted out of the transaction window. Option C (maxevents) would truncate but not miss events. Option D (field name) is unlikely. Option A (search time level) is not relevant.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SPLK-1002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Splunk certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SPLK-1002 exam.