What are the main components of the Splunk architecture?

The main components of the Splunk architecture are the Forwarder, Indexer, and Search Head.

The Forwarder is responsible for collecting and forwarding data to the Indexer. There are two types of Forwarders: Universal Forwarders, which are lightweight and suited for data collection, and Heavy Forwarders, which can parse and index data before sending it to the Indexer.

The Indexer is where data is stored, indexed, and made searchable. It processes the data received from Forwarders, creating indexes that allow for efficient search and retrieval of information.

The Search Head is the component that users interact with to perform searches on the indexed data. It provides the interface for running searches, creating reports, and managing dashboards.

This architecture allows Splunk to scale effectively and manage large volumes of data, ensuring that data ingestion, processing, and retrieval are handled efficiently while providing powerful search capabilities. Understanding these components is essential for anyone working with Splunk, as it provides insight into how data flows and is managed within the platform.