The sourcetype in Splunk defines how incoming machine data is interpreted, structured, and stored. Proper sourcetype configurations ensure accurate event parsing, indexing, and searching.

✅1. Event Breaking Rules (A)

Determines how Splunk splits raw logs into individual events.

If misconfigured, a single event may be broken into multiple fragments or multiple log lines may be combined incorrectly.

Controlled using LINE_BREAKER and BREAK_ONLY_BEFORE settings.

✅2. Timestamp Extraction (B)

Extracts and assigns timestamps to events during ingestion.

Incorrect timestamp configuration leads to misplaced events in time-based searches.

Uses TIME_PREFIX, MAX_TIMESTAMP_LOOKAHEAD, and TIME_FORMAT settings.

✅3. Line Merging Rules (D)

Controls whether multiline events should be combined into a single event.

Useful for logs like stack traces or multi-line syslog messages.

Uses SHOULD_LINEMERGE and LINE_BREAKER settings.

❌Incorrect Answer:

C. Data Retention Policies →

Affects storage and deletion, not data ingestion itself.

????Additional Resources:

Splunk Sourcetype Configuration Guide

Event Breaking and Line Merging