In a deployment with multiple indexes, what will happen when a search is run and an index is not specified in the search string?

Question

Options

• ANo events will be returned.
• BSplunk will prompt you to specify an index.
• CAll non-indexed events to which the user has access will be returned.
• DEvents from every index searched by default to which the user has access will be returned.

• A
  5% (1)
• B
  14% (3)
• C
  5% (1)
• D
  76% (16)

Explanation

When no index is specified in a Splunk search, the search runs against all indexes that are configured as searchable by default (defaultDatabase / isDefaultIndex = true) and to which the user has access permissions - making D correct.

Why the distractors fail:

• A is wrong because events are returned - just from default indexes, not zero results.
• B is wrong because Splunk does not prompt or halt; it silently falls back to default indexes.
• C is wrong because it confuses "non-indexed" (e.g., summary or real-time data) with the actual behavior - Splunk searches indexed data, specifically the default ones.

Memory tip: Think of default indexes like a browser's default search engine - if you don't specify where to look, the system uses its pre-configured defaults. The key phrase to remember is "default indexes + user access": both conditions must be true for an index to be included.

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