What type of data does INDEXED_EXTRACTIONS refer to in Splunk?

INDEXED_EXTRACTIONS in Splunk specifically refers to the extraction of key-value pairs directly from the raw data at index time, allowing Splunk to recognize and structure the incoming data into usable fields. This feature is critical for the effective indexing of data that has specific formats, such as CSV or JSON. By automatically extracting fields based on the specified data format, it enhances searchability and usability right from the start.

The concept of indexed extractions is closely aligned with predefined or standardized data formats rather than raw data formats, which are unstructured and merely represent streams of bytes without inherent structure. Pretrained formats leverage the defined schema for consistent data handling and optimization within Splunk, ensuring that users can query the data efficiently.

In contrast, data visualization formats, while important for presenting data, pertain more to how data is displayed rather than how it is extracted or indexed. Output data formats are relevant once data is processed and being prepared for reporting or exporting, but they do not directly relate to the intrinsic nature of how data is indexed. Therefore, the association of INDEXED_EXTRACTIONS with standardized or pretrained formats is essential for understanding its functionality in optimizing data processing within Splunk.