The correct answer is that the "No data received" message in the Monitoring Console indicates the indexer is not receiving any data. This happens because the Monitoring Console aggregates health metrics across your Splunk environment, and this specific alert flags a failure at the data ingestion layer—meaning forwarders are either not sending data, the indexer’s receiving port is misconfigured, or a firewall is blocking the connection. On the SPLK-1002 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between component-level alerts: a "no data received" error points to the indexer, not the search head or forwarder. A common trap is confusing this with a forwarder connectivity issue, but remember that the message originates from the indexer’s perspective. For a quick memory tip, think "Indexer Ingest": if the indexer isn't ingesting, you'll see "No data received."
SPLK-1002 Splunk Basics and Interface Navigation Practice Question
This SPLK-1002 practice question tests your understanding of splunk basics and interface navigation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
Error: No data indexed. Check your inputs configuration.
This message appears in the Monitoring Console. What does it indicate?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The indexer is not receiving any data.
The Monitoring Console message indicates that the indexer is not receiving any data. This typically means that forwarders are not sending data to the indexer, or the indexer's receiving port is not configured or is blocked. In Splunk, the Monitoring Console aggregates health metrics from indexers, search heads, and forwarders; a 'no data received' alert specifically points to a data ingestion failure at the indexer level.
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.
✗
The search head is disconnected from the indexer.
Why it's wrong here
That would show a connection error, not a data indexing error.
✓
The indexer is not receiving any data.
Why this is correct
Directly matches the error message.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The license is exhausted.
Why it's wrong here
License exhaustion shows a warning, but data indexing continues.
✗
The user does not have permission to search.
Why it's wrong here
Permission errors are different.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Splunk often tests the distinction between indexer-level data ingestion alerts and search-head connectivity or license warnings, so candidates mistakenly associate a 'no data' message with a license exhaustion or permission error instead of a pure data flow issue.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
That would show a connection error, not a data indexing error.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Monitoring Console uses the 'indexer - data ingestion' health check, which queries the indexer's internal metrics like 'indexer.avgKBps' and 'indexer.rawdata' to determine if data is being written to indexes. If no data is received for a configurable period (default 10 minutes), the console raises a 'no data received' alert. This can occur if forwarders are misconfigured (e.g., wrong outputs.conf target), network firewalls block TCP/9997, or the indexer's 'receive' setting is disabled in inputs.conf.
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-1002 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.
Splunk Basics and Interface Navigation — This question tests Splunk Basics and Interface Navigation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The indexer is not receiving any data. — The Monitoring Console message indicates that the indexer is not receiving any data. This typically means that forwarders are not sending data to the indexer, or the indexer's receiving port is not configured or is blocked. In Splunk, the Monitoring Console aggregates health metrics from indexers, search heads, and forwarders; a 'no data received' alert specifically points to a data ingestion failure at the indexer level.
What should I do if I get this SPLK-1002 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.
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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.
Question Discussion
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