Match each Splunk index time field to its meaning.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
The hostname or IP of the data source
The file, script, or input that generated the event
The type of data, determines parsing behavior
The name of the index where the event is stored
The timestamp of the event
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
host: The name of the host from which the event originated
Index time fields are automatically added to events during indexing. The correct matches are: host (origin host), source (input file/stream), sourcetype (data type), and _time (event timestamp). Common confusions include swapping source with _time or sourcetype with host.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
host: The name of the host from which the event originated
Why this is correct
Host is automatically set to the hostname or IP of the machine that generated the event.
source: The file or input that generated the event
Why this is correct
Source indicates the origin of the data, such as a log file or network input.
sourcetype: A classification of the source, often used to parse data
Why this is correct
Sourcetype determines the default parsing behavior and is derived from the source or set manually.
_time: The timestamp of the event, in epoch time
Why this is correct
_time is set at index time from the event's timestamp and is used for time-based searches.
source: The timestamp of the event, in epoch time
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this describes _time, not source. Source is the file or input.
sourcetype: The name of the host from which the event originated
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — this describes host, not sourcetype. Sourcetype is a data classification.
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About these practice questions
One of 475 original SPLK-1002 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.