We dove into the fundamentals of logs as a first step toward using Splunk. Honestly, it wasn’t until I actually started using Splunk that afternoon that I realized just how crucial understanding logs really is.
There are many types of logs—security logs, system logs, audit logs, application logs, and more. Each type gives you a different window into what’s happening within a system. Before we got hands-on with Splunk, we had a quick introduction to SIEMs.
We talked about its key components: Data collection, normalization, correlation, alerting, and analysis and reporting. I learned that aggregating logs from disparate sources into a centralized repository simplifies analysis and correlation.
Then we jumped into Splunk itself.
We started by learning about Splunk’s main components:
- Forwarders (which collect data from various sources)
- Indexers (which store and index the data)
- Search Heads (where you run searches and build dashboards)
Next, we began exploring the Splunk interface – navigating through the Search & Reporting app, getting used to the search bar, and playing around with basic search commands. At first, it felt a bit overwhelming, but also exciting.
Then came our first investigation – and that’s where the real challenge kicked in.
Finding the right fields to filter and search through logs isn’t always straightforward. This is where a solid understanding of logging really pays off. You need to know how logs are structured, what fields are commonly used (like source, host, sourcetype, timestamp), and what kind of events to look for.
It’s not always easy at the beginning, but the more you explore and break things down, the more you start to see patterns and make sense of the noise. And that’s when working with logs becomes powerful – and even kind of fun.
