Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect Practice Test

Setting the cluster search factor to N-1 is a strategy that optimizes disk space utilization across a cluster of indexers. The search factor dictates how many searchable copies of indexed data are retained within the cluster. By reducing the search factor to N-1, you limit the number of duplicate data sets stored in the cluster, which directly decreases the total amount of disk space required.

In a scenario where each indexer holds multiple copies of data, having a lower search factor means fewer redundancies. This can significantly reduce the overall storage footprint while still allowing for effective search capabilities, as there remains at least one instance of data available for search purposes.

In contrast, increasing the number of buckets per index can complicate management and might not directly translate to space savings, while decreasing the data model acceleration range may not significantly impact disk usage, as it pertains more to query performance than actual data storage. Setting the cluster replication factor to N-1 would also reduce redundancy, but the search factor is more critical in determining how many copies need to be stored and is usually prioritized for disk optimization. Hence, adjusting the search factor to N-1 is the most effective option for reducing disk size requirements.