Which of the following is NOT a component of Splunk's architecture?

The correct response is based on the understanding of Splunk's architecture and the specific roles of its various components. An Indexer is responsible for indexing the data, which involves processing incoming data and storing it in a way that allows for fast searching. The Search Head is the component that users interact with to perform searches and generate reports based on the indexed data. The Universal Forwarder is a lightweight agent used to collect and forward log data to the Indexer for indexing.

In contrast, a Data Lake is not a component of Splunk's architecture. While a Data Lake refers to a large storage repository that holds vast amounts of raw data in its native format until it is needed, it is more commonly associated with big data technologies and solutions outside of Splunk. Splunk is specifically designed to handle operational data and provide insights through its indexing and searching capabilities rather than functioning as a data lake. Thus, distinguishing between these components highlights the specificity of Splunk's ecosystem in managing and utilizing machine data effectively.