SPLK-1002 eventstats Practice Question
A search produces a field 'count'. You need to find the event with the maximum count. Which approach is correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Splunk often tests the distinction between `eventstats` and `stats`, and the behavior of `sort` with ties. Candidates may incorrectly think only `eventstats` can find the event with the max, but `sort -count | head 1` is also acceptable for retrieving one event with the maximum count. The trick is that `head 1` limits the result to a single event, which might be acceptable depending on the requirement.
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
✓
| eventstats max(count) as maxcount | where count = maxcount
Both options A and C are valid approaches to find the event with the maximum count. Option A uses `eventstats` to compute the maximum count and adds it to each event, then filters events where the count equals the maximum. This returns all events that share the maximum count, preserving full event data. Option C sorts events in descending order by count and takes the first event with `head 1`, returning one event with the maximum count. If multiple events tie for the maximum, `head 1` returns only one, but it still correctly identifies an event with the maximum count. Option D (`stats max(count) as maxcount`) returns only the maximum value, not the event details, so it is incorrect. Option B is not a valid search command; it is a self-referential statement, and thus incorrect.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
| eventstats max(count) as maxcount | where count = maxcount
Why this is correct
Correct. This approach computes the maximum count across all events and adds it as a field to each event via `eventstats`, then filters to keep only events where the original count equals that maximum. It returns all events with the highest count, preserving full event data.
- ✗
Both B and C work.
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid search command; it is a statement. Moreover, even if interpreted as 'both A and C work,' it is not a correct approach itself.
- ✓
| sort -count | head 1
Why this is correct
Correct. This approach sorts events in descending order by count and uses `head 1` to return the first event, which will have the maximum count. It returns one event with the maximum count, which satisfies the requirement to find an event with the maximum count.
- ✗
| stats max(count) as maxcount
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. `stats max(count) as maxcount` returns only a single row with the maximum count value, not the full event data. It does not allow you to retrieve the event itself.
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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.