Splunk

Splunk is a software platform designed to search, monitor, and analyze machine-generated data. It ingests and indexes data from logs, metrics, events, and other machine data produced by IT infrastructure, applications, security tools, and IoT devices. Users query the data with the Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL), create dashboards, set up alerts, and generate reports to gain operational insight, security analytics, and business intelligence.

Splunk was founded in 2003 by Michael Baum, Erik Swan, and Rob Das. The name is derived from the idea of “spelunking” into data caves to explore hidden insights. The company grew through the 2000s, expanding beyond log analysis into security information and event management (SIEM) and observability. It has offered a range of products and editions, including both on-premises deployments and cloud-based services.

Architecture and products: Splunk uses forwarders to collect data, an indexing tier to store it, and a search layer to query it. It supports on-premises deployments (Splunk Enterprise) and cloud delivery (Splunk Cloud). Notable components and modules include Splunk IT Service Intelligence, Splunk Enterprise Security for security analytics, and an emphasis on observability through Splunk Observability Cloud. The platform supports a broad ecosystem of apps and add-ons.

Licensing and deployment: Pricing is typically based on daily data ingested, with various editions and cloud subscriptions. A free tier exists with limited daily indexing. Enterprise licenses scale with data volume and feature sets, and deployments can be on-premises or in the cloud.

Ownership: In 2023, Cisco Systems announced its plan to acquire Splunk for about $28 billion, and the transaction closed in 2024, bringing Splunk under Cisco’s portfolio. Splunk continues to offer its core products within Cisco’s broader networking and security strategy.