How to install the Splunk Add-on for Microsoft SQL Server and configure inputs.conf in a search head cluster?

[banderson7]

So the instructions for installing this add-on include the following pertaining to installing on a search head cluster:

Search Head Clusters Yes You can install this add-on on a search head cluster for all search-time functionality.
Before installing this add-on to a cluster, make the following changes to the add-on package:
1. Remove the eventgen.conf file and all files in the Samples folder.
2. Remove the inputs.conf file.

Why would I need to remove the inputs.conf file? How would I get data from the sql server without it? Do i remove it from the deployment package, then add it to each splunk search head?

[rpille_splunk · Accepted solution]

Hi banderson7, thanks for your question. I'll add some more clarification around this in the docs. You don't need this add-on's default/inputs.conf on your search heads because:

1. For inputs that use DB Connect, you should be using the inputs.conf file in the DB Connect app context to handle your inputs. If you do this from the search heads directly, then follow the docs to copy the information you need from our default/inputs.conf file into the DB Connect inputs.conf file. If you are gathering data through DB Connect through a heavy forwarder instead of on search heads, then do all this on that heavy forwarder instead.

   1. For inputs that do not use DB Connect, you need to install a universal or light forwarder directly on your MS SQL Server instances. The monitor inputs will run there and forward data on to your indexers.

[banderson7]

Thanks much!