Windows Server 2012 vs Windows 7?

[maverick]

What are the advantages of running splunk on Server 2012 versus Windows 7?

[madrone]

If you are just testing Splunk - either OS will be fine, just use what's convenient.

For production use - I'd go with Server 2012. Here's why:

• Server 2012 typically requires fewer reboots
• Server 2012 can be locked down more tightly. (As BHeffernan writes, there are more headaches there, but good security often means a little more work.)
  
• If you're planning to use NFS at some point - that's another factor in favor of Server 2012. One can tie Splunk to AD authentication from any Splunk-supported platform. Authentication is done via LDAP, there are no OS-level dependencies around this.

Note that the “AD app” has been replaced by the new Windows Infrastructure App. (See: https://apps.splunk.com/app/1680/) The new app combines elements of the older Windows app and the older AD app; it supports Server 2003 through Server 2012, as well as Windows 7 and 8, Vista and XP.

And keep in mind: the search head itself can be any Splunk-supported OS, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Solaris, etc.

[Heff · Accepted solution]

1- From this site:

If you are not or do not plan on using the more advanced features of Windows Server like Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, etc. on a regular basis (not just playing around to learn) then using Windows Server as your base OS is overkill and probably creating more headaches than necessary.

2- You will not be able to use the Splunk AD App.
3- You wont be able to do AD authentication from the Windows 7 indexer.
4- It would have to be Windows7-64 bit not regular Windows 7.

Otherwise, if you have a small installation not needing any of those items then you could use Windows 7.