- A
index=web sourcetype=access | eval good_latency=if(status=200, latency, null) | stats avg(good_latency) by server
Why wrong: This includes all events but sets null for non-200; stats skips null but still counts all events, which is not the same as filtering.
- B
index=web sourcetype=access | eventstats avg(latency) by server | where status=200
Why wrong: eventstats adds average to each event, then filters, but returns individual events, not a summary.
- C
index=web sourcetype=access | stats avg(latency) by server | where status=200
Why wrong: The where clause is applied after stats, but stats removed the status field unless included in the by clause.
- D
index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | stats avg(latency) by server
Correctly filters only status=200 events before statistical aggregation.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is the search that filters with status=200 before the stats command. This is because the Splunk search pipeline processes commands left to right, so placing the filter before stats ensures that only successful requests with a status code of 200 are passed into the aggregation, giving you the average latency per server for successful requests without any contamination from other status codes. On the SPLK-1003 exam, this tests your understanding of search-time filtering versus post-filtering, a common trap where candidates mistakenly use eval or where clauses after stats, which would require recalculating averages. The key concept is that stats operates only on the events it receives, so filtering early is both efficient and accurate. Remember the memory tip: "Filter first, stats later—keep your averages clean and your data true."
SPLK-1003 Advanced Searching and Statistics Practice Question
This SPLK-1003 practice question tests your understanding of advanced searching and statistics. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A security analyst wants to calculate the average latency for each web server over the past hour, but only for requests where the status code is 200. The search result includes fields: server, latency, status. Which search correctly accomplishes this?
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
index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | stats avg(latency) by server
Option D is correct because it filters events to only those with status=200 before the stats command, ensuring the average latency is calculated exclusively over successful requests. The stats command then computes the average latency grouped by server, which directly answers the requirement without needing conditional logic or post-filtering.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
index=web sourcetype=access | eval good_latency=if(status=200, latency, null) | stats avg(good_latency) by server
Why it's wrong here
This includes all events but sets null for non-200; stats skips null but still counts all events, which is not the same as filtering.
- ✗
index=web sourcetype=access | eventstats avg(latency) by server | where status=200
Why it's wrong here
eventstats adds average to each event, then filters, but returns individual events, not a summary.
- ✗
index=web sourcetype=access | stats avg(latency) by server | where status=200
Why it's wrong here
The where clause is applied after stats, but stats removed the status field unless included in the by clause.
- ✓
index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | stats avg(latency) by server
Why this is correct
Correctly filters only status=200 events before statistical aggregation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think they can filter after stats using where, but stats collapses events into summary statistics, so a subsequent where cannot filter the original events used in the aggregation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Splunk, filtering early with search-time field extraction (e.g., status=200) reduces the dataset before aggregation, improving performance and accuracy. The stats command operates on the events that pass the search pipeline, so any filtering must occur before stats to affect the aggregation. This is a fundamental principle of search-time operations: commands execute in order, and stats consumes all events it receives.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the SPLK-1003 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Advanced Searching and Statistics — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SPLK-1003 question test?
Advanced Searching and Statistics — This question tests Advanced Searching and Statistics — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | stats avg(latency) by server — Option D is correct because it filters events to only those with status=200 before the stats command, ensuring the average latency is calculated exclusively over successful requests. The stats command then computes the average latency grouped by server, which directly answers the requirement without needing conditional logic or post-filtering.
What should I do if I get this SPLK-1003 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on SPLK-1003
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. An analyst needs to calculate the average response time for each web server, but only for requests that returned status code 200. The field 'response_time' is numeric. Which search correctly achieves this?
medium- A.index=web | transaction server maxspan=1m | stats avg(response_time) by server
- B.index=web status=200 | eventstats avg(response_time) as avg_time by server
- C.index=web | eval avg_time = avg(response_time) by server | search status=200
- ✓ D.index=web status=200 | stats avg(response_time) by server
Why D: Option D is correct because it first filters the data to only include events with status=200 using a search-time field filter, then uses the `stats` command with `avg(response_time) by server` to compute the average response time per server. This ensures that only successful requests are included in the aggregation, and the `by server` clause correctly groups the results by each web server.
Variation 2. An analyst wants to calculate the average response time for each web server, but only for requests that returned status code 200. Which search accomplishes this?
easy- A.index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | sort host | stats avg(response_time)
- B.index=web sourcetype=access | eval avg_time=avg(response_time) by host | where status=200
- ✓ C.index=web sourcetype=access status=200 | stats avg(response_time) by host
- D.index=web sourcetype=access | stats avg(response_time) by host | search status=200
Why C: Option C is correct because it first filters events with `status=200` (only successful requests), then uses `stats avg(response_time) by host` to compute the average response time per web server. This ensures the aggregation is performed only on the relevant subset of data, matching the requirement precisely.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This SPLK-1003 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-1003 exam.
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