What is the recommended method of using the Windows App with a custom index (not "main"). Is it preferable to modify access controls to make the custom index a default index, or is it preferable to modify the Windows app configuration files so that the event types and dashboard searches reference my custom index? What are all the files that would need to be changed in the case I should change the Windows apps files?
I believe the Windows app and Tech Addon only use sourcetypes by default and do not specify an index. Personally, I wish it did specify an index of windows or such. I usually put a global stanza in the inputs.conf file in the [default] stanza for the TA app something like the following. This would default to putting all events in an index named windows. You shouldn't need to update the Windows App on the search head unless you want to try and tune the searches to use an index. I believe they just search by sourcetype by default.
#inputs.conf under Splunk_TA_windows\local
[default]
index=windows
inputs.conf > index=MyAwazomeWinIndex (forwarders) - Splunk_Ta_windows
eventtypes.conf > possible need / should add "search = index=MyAwazomeWinIndex" . Indexer(windows-app / SPLunk_TA_windows)
macro.conf > possible need to / should add the definition = index=MyAwazomeWinIndex" . Indexer (windows-app)