Which component is responsible for data ingestion in Splunk?

The component responsible for data ingestion in Splunk is the Forwarder. This is because the Forwarder is designed to collect log data and forward it to the Indexer for processing. It can be deployed on various servers or endpoints where data is generated, allowing it to efficiently capture and transmit data streams to the Splunk environment.

Ingesting data is a critical step in the Splunk workflow, as it allows the system to collect and manage data from numerous sources, making it available for indexing and subsequent searching. The Forwarder supports different types of data input configurations, enabling it to handle real-time data collection as well as batch data processing.

In contrast, the other components have distinct roles in the Splunk architecture. The Search Head is responsible for executing search queries and delivering results to users, while the Indexer is involved in storing and indexing the data received from Forwarders. The Dashboard serves as a graphical interface that represents the data visually, allowing users to interact with and analyze the information retrieved through searches rather than participating in the ingestion process itself.