You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
SPLUNKSplunk Enterprise Certified Architect
The Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect certification validates your ability to plan, deploy, and manage complex Splunk Enterprise environments. It covers best practices for data collection, sizing, and distributed deployment, as well as managing and troubleshooting indexer and search head clustering. This expert-level credential is for architects who design resilient, scalable Splunk deployments that deliver reliable insights.
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration90 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions648
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What SPLK-2002 proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
6domains
33objectives
201concepts
$130 USDexam fee
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect certification demonstrates your expertise in architecting and operating Splunk Enterprise at scale. It validates a thorough understanding of the Splunk Deployment Methodology and the best practices for planning, data collection, and sizing a distributed deployment. You will also prove your ability to manage and troubleshoot standard deployments with indexer and search head clustering.
This certification is designed for experienced professionals who are responsible for designing and maintaining Splunk Enterprise environments. It is a pivotal step for those pursuing a career as a Splunk consultant, as it unlocks the most comprehensive Splunk Enterprise training. Earning this credential signals that you can build resilient, high-performing Splunk deployments that turn data into actionable insights.
Who it’s for
This certification is for experienced Splunk architects and administrators who are responsible for planning, deploying, and managing complex Splunk Enterprise environments. It is also ideal for aspiring consultants who want to demonstrate expert-level knowledge of Splunk architecture and best practices. Candidates typically have hands-on experience with Splunk Enterprise administration, including managing indexers, search heads, and forwarders. They are comfortable with distributed deployment concepts and are ready to take their skills to the next level.
Recommended experience
Splunk recommends that candidates have experience with Splunk Enterprise administration and have completed the prerequisite coursework before attempting this exam. Experience managing Splunk Enterprise on a daily basis, including license management, indexers, and search heads; Understanding of Splunk deployment methodology and best practices for planning, data collection, and sizing; Hands-on experience with indexer and search head clustering; Completion of the recommended coursework: Architecting Splunk Enterprise Deployments, Troubleshooting Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Cluster Administration, and Splunk Enterprise Deployment Practical Lab
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Splunk measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Splunk exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Requirements and Infrastructure Planning
- Gather Requirements
- Plan Deployment
- Size and Estimate Storage
- Define Hardware Requirements
- Identify Apps and Security
Clustering and Deployment Architecture
- Identify non-smart store related storage and disk usage requirements
- Identify search head clustering requirements
- Identify best practices for forwarder tier design
- Understand configuration management for all Splunk components, using
- Identify Splunk server roles in clusters
- License Master configuration in a clustered environment
Indexer Clustering
- Splunk single-site indexer cluster configuration
- Splunk multisite indexer cluster overview
- Multisite indexer cluster configuration
- Cluster migration and upgrade considerations
- Indexer cluster storage utilization options
- Peer offline and decommission
- Master app bundles
- Monitoring Console for indexer cluster environment
Search Head Clustering and KV Store
- Splunk search head cluster overview
- Search head cluster configuration
- Search head cluster deployer
- Captaincy transfer
- Search head member addition and decommissioning
- KV Store collection in Splunk clusters
Performance Monitoring and Tuning
- Use limits.conf to improve performance
- Use indexes.conf to manage bucket size
- Tune props.conf
- Improve search performance
Troubleshooting
- Diagnostic Resources and Logs
- Common Issues and Troubleshooting
- Performance and Monitoring
- Forwarding and Deployment
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Splunk publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
Splunk Core Certified Power User
Exam codeSPLK-2002
CertificationSplunk Enterprise Certified Architect
Exam formatMultiple choice
Duration90 minutes
Questions85 questions
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish
Pricing$130 USD
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Splunk lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect
PrerequisiteSplunk Core Certified Power User
Credential earnedSplunk Enterprise Certified Architect Certification Renewal and maintenance
Splunk certifications must be renewed every three years. You can renew by pursuing additional certifications, completing continuing education courses, or retaking the certification exam. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Splunk maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Splunk
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, Splunk’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Splunk certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect exam relate to the Splunk Core Certified Consultant certification?
The Architect certification is a prerequisite for the Consultant certification. After earning the Architect credential, you can pursue the Consultant certification to expand your expertise in large-scale Splunk installations and multi-tier architectures.
Do I need to hold the Splunk Core Certified Power User and Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin certifications before taking this exam?
Yes, both certifications are mandatory prerequisites. You must earn them before registering for the SPLK-2002 exam.
Is there a hands-on lab component in the SPLK-2002 exam?
No, the exam consists of 85 multiple-choice questions. There is no hands-on lab section.
What is the retake policy if I fail the SPLK-2002 exam?
Splunk's retake policy requires a waiting period before you can retake the exam. Check the Splunk Certification Candidate Handbook for the specific waiting period and any applicable fees.
What job roles does the Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect certification map to?
This certification is designed for Splunk architects, senior administrators, and consultants who are responsible for designing, deploying, and managing complex Splunk Enterprise environments.
Can I recertify by passing a different Splunk exam?
Yes, you can renew your certification by earning a higher-level certification, such as the Splunk Core Certified Consultant, or by completing continuing education courses. Retaking the SPLK-2002 exam is also an option.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 648 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Splunk measures — each one written out.
6domains
33objectives
201concepts
143free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official Splunk exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Requirements and Infrastructure Planning77 questions
2Clustering and Deployment Architecture130 questions
Identify non-smart store related storage and disk usage requirements8 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Identify search head clustering requirements12 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →Identify best practices for forwarder tier design7 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Understand configuration management for all Splunk components, using7 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Identify Splunk server roles in clusters7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →License Master configuration in a clustered environment5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →
3Indexer Clustering163 questions
Splunk single-site indexer cluster configuration9 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Splunk multisite indexer cluster overview5 concepts · 2 pagesOpen →Multisite indexer cluster configuration8 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Cluster migration and upgrade considerations6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Indexer cluster storage utilization options7 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Peer offline and decommission6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Master app bundles5 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →Monitoring Console for indexer cluster environment7 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →
4Search Head Clustering and KV Store125 questions
Splunk search head cluster overview6 concepts · 6 pagesOpen →Search head cluster configuration8 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →Search head cluster deployer4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Captaincy transfer5 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →Search head member addition and decommissioning6 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →KV Store collection in Splunk clusters4 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →
5Performance Monitoring and Tuning61 questions
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
Gather Requirements5 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
24 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
648 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
648questions
143pages
33objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Requirements and Infrastructure Planning77 questions
2Clustering and Deployment Architecture130 questions
3Indexer Clustering163 questions
4Search Head Clustering and KV Store125 questions
5Performance Monitoring and Tuning61 questions
6Troubleshooting92 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
201concepts
648free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from Splunk
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
2official links
201concepts mapped
The source
Splunk’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official Splunk outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 33 objectives, 201 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Splunk changes the outline, this page changes with it.
33objectives on the outline→201concepts written→648free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.