Splunk Fundamentals 1 Practice Exam

What is the purpose of the *OUTPUTNEW* command in Splunk?

1. To create a new lookup table.

2. To overwrite existing fields with new values.

3. To prevent overwriting existing fields.

4. To transform the output format of data.

The correct answer is: To prevent overwriting existing fields.

The *OUTPUTNEW* command in Splunk serves the specific purpose of preventing the overwriting of existing fields with new values. When using *OUTPUTNEW*, if a field already exists in the event being processed, it will not be updated with the new value being specified. Instead, the command will only create new fields or update those fields that do not already exist. This is particularly useful when you want to enrich your data without losing any prior values in existing fields. Understanding the function of *OUTPUTNEW* highlights its utility in managing data augmentation and preserving original field values across Splunk searches and data transformations. This command is especially valuable in scenarios where it’s crucial to maintain both historical and newly introduced information in your data schema.