How to monitor last modified date on a checkin file without importing the file contents into Splunk?

[duffeysplunk]

We have a file being generated by a vendor that they write data to on a regular basis. I do not need to import the data in the file directly into splunk, but need to monitor the timestamp of the last modified date (Windows system). Based on the documentation they provided me, this file serves also as a checkin file and if the file is not being updated within a certain amount of time it means a critical component is down. What ways can you monitor this last modified date in Splunk? As stated my preference is not have to import the file contents.

Splunk 6.2.3

[bmacias84]

This can be accomplish through Windows file or directory audit. Once enabled event for change, delete, open, etc will start appearing in the windows security event log. This is control on a file or directory basis. Here is a Splunk blog article on this.

http://blogs.splunk.com/2013/07/08/audit-file-access-and-change-in-windows/

[woodcock · Accepted solution]

I believe @LukeMurphy wrote an app for this kind of thing; see the whole discussion here (with other options/answers that should also work for you):

http://answers.splunk.com/answers/248308/how-can-i-monitor-a-directory-for-existence-of-a-f-1.html#c...