Which search matches the events containing the terms "error" and "fail"?

The correct answer is A. index=security Error Fail. Option A is correct because Splunk's default Boolean operator between terms is AND - when you list multiple keywords with only a space between them, Splunk requires all of them to be present in the event. Splunk is also case-insensitive by default, so Error matches error and…

Question

Options

Aindex=security Error Fail
Bindex=security error OR fail
Cindex=security "error failure"
Dindex=security NOT error NOT fail

How the community answered

(53 responses)

A
74% (39)
B
15% (8)
C
4% (2)
D
8% (4)

Explanation

Option A is correct because Splunk's default Boolean operator between terms is AND - when you list multiple keywords with only a space between them, Splunk requires all of them to be present in the event. Splunk is also case-insensitive by default, so Error matches error and Fail matches fail.

Why the distractors fail:

B uses the explicit OR operator, which returns events containing either term - too broad, and doesn't enforce both being present.
C wraps the terms in quotes, making it a phrase search for the exact string "error failure" - not only does this require the words to be adjacent, but "failure" is not the same token as "fail."
D uses NOT error NOT fail, which returns events that contain neither term - the exact opposite of what's needed.

Memory tip: Think of Splunk's space as a silent "AND." term1 term2 = term1 AND term2. Only when you see OR explicitly does the behavior change to either-or.

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