Splunk Core Certified User Practice Exam

The correct answer is that Splunk's configurations are contained in plain text *.conf files. These configuration files are integral to how Splunk operates, as they define its settings, data sources, indexing behaviors, and user roles, among other parameters.

Plain text *.conf files are human-readable, making them easy for administrators to edit and modify. They follow a specific syntax that Splunk interprets to apply the desired configurations. This structured format allows for simple alterations and version control, ensuring that changes can be tracked effectively.

Other file types do play important roles in various software applications, but Splunk primarily relies on these plain text files for its configuration settings. Binary files, for example, are not suited for configuration purposes as they are not human-readable and typically contain compiled data. XML configuration files and JSON formatted files are used in many contexts for data transfer or storage but are not the primary configuration method for Splunk. Splunk uses the *.conf format to manage its extensive configuration needs effectively.