SPLK-1002 Advanced Searching and Statistics Practice Question
Exhibit
index=security sourcetype=firewall | eval src_ip=if(isnull(src_ip), nat_ip, src_ip) | transaction src_ip, dest_port maxspan=5m maxpause=1m | search eventcount>10 | table src_ip, dest_port, duration, eventcount
Refer to the exhibit. The search is taking very long and returning few results. Which change would most improve performance?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates focus on tuning the transaction parameters (maxpause) or replacing the command, rather than recognizing that the fundamental performance bottleneck is the absence of a time range filter in the base search.
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
✓
Add a time range to the main search.
The exhibit shows a transaction command that groups events by a session field, but without a time range, the search must scan all indexed data, which is extremely slow. Adding a time range (e.g., earliest=-1h) limits the data scanned, drastically improving performance while still allowing the transaction to complete within the default maxpause of 5s.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Change maxpause to 30s.
Why it's wrong here
Shortening maxpause may reduce the number of transactions, potentially missing valid groups.
- ✗
Remove the eval command.
Why it's wrong here
The eval may be necessary for handling null src_ip; removing it could affect results.
- ✗
Replace transaction with stats and use values() for fields.
Why it's wrong here
This would change the grouping logic and may not preserve transaction semantics.
- ✓
Add a time range to the main search.
Why this is correct
Limiting the time range reduces the amount of data processed, improving performance.
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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.