Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect Practice Test

In a Splunk environment, what does a "heavy forwarder" refer to?

1. A forwarder that forwards logs with no modifications

2. A forwarder that can parse and index data

3. A forwarder dedicated to only real-time data

4. A forwarder that compresses data before forwarding

The correct answer is: A forwarder that can parse and index data

A heavy forwarder in a Splunk environment refers specifically to a forwarder that is capable of both parsing and indexing data before it forwards that data to another Splunk instance. This means that the heavy forwarder can interpret and process incoming data, apply transformations, and apply configurations, such as field extractions or data filtering, which enhances the information that is sent downstream. The ability of a heavy forwarder to index data means it can handle activities that typically involve preparing the data for searching and reporting, which differentiates it from other types of forwarders like a universal forwarder that simply forwards data without any modifications. This makes heavy forwarders particularly useful in scenarios where data needs to be processed extensively before being sent to another Splunk environment for further analysis.