Getting Data In

Why is Splunk showing wrong hostname?

sarashafek
Explorer

Hi,

I have a zscaler NSS connected to splunk. I've been running some tests to see how splunk reacts to change in DNS entries. 
It seems that the hostname isnt changed in splunk. Can anyone help me on this?DNS splunk 1.PNGDNS splunk 2.PNG

nssem1.clab.group is the old name.

Thanks! 

Labels (2)
Tags (1)
0 Karma

woodcock
Esteemed Legend

Your best bet is to use the IP and then do DNS lookup at search time with:
... | lookup dnslookup clientip AS host ...

richgalloway
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

Splunk doesn't necessarily get its hostname from DNS.  It can be hardcoded in inputs.conf (host=foo) or server.conf (serverName=foo).    There's also the hostnameOption in server.conf which determines if DNS is consulted, but only applies on Windows.

---
If this reply helps you, Karma would be appreciated.
0 Karma

isoutamo
SplunkTrust
SplunkTrust

It could also define so that when UF process start, it determine what is hostname at this time. Then it could be almost anything from localhost to fqdn. Actually splunk knowns hosts by GUID not by hostname.

0 Karma
Get Updates on the Splunk Community!

Application management with Targeted Application Install for Victoria Experience

  Experience a new era of flexibility in managing your Splunk Cloud Platform apps! With Targeted Application ...

Index This | What goes up and never comes down?

January 2026 Edition  Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!   We’re back with this ...

Splunkers, Pack Your Bags: Why Cisco Live EMEA is Your Next Big Destination

The Power of Two: Splunk + Cisco at "Ludicrous Scale"   You know Splunk. You know Cisco. But have you seen ...