Meet Carol Wright. She leads the Splunk Academic Alliance program at Splunk. The Splunk Academic Alliance program is shaping the next generation of cybersecurity professionals by providing students with hands-on training and industry-recognized certifications at no cost. Through a combination of Splunk product donations, eLearning resources, and real-world lab environments, universities are equipping students with in-demand skills that will prepare them for exciting IT and data careers. From foundational learning to advanced live instruction and SOC challenges, the program helps students gain the experience and expertise they need to thrive in the workforce. ___________________________________________________________ Read Carol’s full blog on Splunk Blogs to learn more ___________________________________________________________ For our Splunk community, this means that your future colleagues and employees entering the field will be well-versed in the Splunk platform and ready to take on the cybersecurity challenges of tomorrow. By offering equitable access to these resources, the Academic Alliance is not only addressing the growing need for cybersecurity professionals but also ensuring that these future hires bring a deep understanding of data analytics, security operations, and threat prevention—skills critical to the success of any modern organization. Thanks for supporting the amazing work Splunk is doing to support our learners. -Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

Welcome to another episode of "Splunk Smartness," where we explore how Splunk Education can revolutionize your approach to problem-solving and learning Splunk. I’m your host, Callie Skokos, and today we’re joined by Patrick Tatro, Security Advisor and Splunk Administrator from Wisconsin. Patrick, it’s great to have you here! Patrick Tatro: Thanks, Callie! Excited to share my experiences and hopefully inspire a few folks along the way. Callie: Patrick, I hear you have quite the interesting life outside of work, managing a forest and practicing bow hunting. Can you tell us a bit about that?   Patrick: Absolutely! I manage about 100 acres of forest here in Wisconsin, focusing on keeping the ecosystem healthy by targeting invasive species like Buckthorn. It’s challenging but rewarding, especially when I get to use the wood in my sauna. I like to compare it to coding or using Splunk; it's all about managing resources creatively and effectively. Callie: I love that comparison! Now speaking of Splunk, how did you initially get into using it? Patrick: My journey with Splunk started back in 2019 when I was supporting a customer with their vulnerability scanning architecture. I found the existing tools weren't up to the task, so I got totally immersed into learning and understanding Splunk. I started with free online training courses, attended an app developer bootcamp at .conf, and just dedicated myself to learning, much like how I learned bow hunting. I've used all of Splunk's education resources, from online training to instructor-led courses and reading books to dive deep from beginner to advanced levels. Callie: Wow, so the training helped you learn which of the Splunk products? Patrick: I use Splunk Cloud and Splunk Enterprise Security mostly. These tools allow me to manage and analyze data efficiently, which is critical in both my corporate role and my consulting work for K-12 education. Callie: It’s so great that you’ve found incredible value from Splunk. How do you incorporate Splunk into your work with schools and private companies? Patrick: In K-12, I help schools analyze their data to better assess their needs and guide them on security. For smaller companies, I offer a group membership to a private consulting group, which includes one-on-one sessions. Splunk’s APIs help automate much of the onboarding and management process, making everything more streamlined. Callie Skokos: That’s incredibly innovative. You’ve mentioned the powerful insights Splunk offers. Can you expand on that? Patrick: One of the biggest insights is confidence in data handling. With Splunk, as long as you can get the data into the system, the only limit is your creativity. For example, in cybersecurity, instead of “asking” the tool to identify problems—which often misses the root cause—Splunk allows me to integrate data from various sources into a single dashboard, providing a comprehensive view and deeper context to security events. Callie: It sounds like Splunk has really transformed how you approach security. Have you taken any more Splunk training recently? Patrick Tatro: Yes, I attended the Data Science Bootcamp at .conf24. It was a fantastic introduction to machine learning and really highlighted the opportunities for applying the technology and concepts within Splunk. I also participated in the Boss of the SOC competition and learned a lot from team collaboration there. Callie Skokos: Incredible. So, I imagine you have a few Splunk certifications? Patrick Tatro: I do—I’m certified as a Core User, Power User, Splunk Cloud Admin, Splunk ES Admin, and Cyber Defense Analyst. These certifications have been crucial in building a robust understanding of what Splunk can do. Callie Skokos: That’s great. Do you engage with other Splunk users to share best practices and get new tips and tricks? Patrick Tatro: Yes, I’m very active in the Splunk Community. I use the Slack channels and find the resource-sharing and Q&A immensely helpful. It’s a community-driven platform, and the support from other users, especially the Splunk Trust members, consistently boosts my confidence in using Splunk effectively. Callie Skokos: As you look to the future, where else do you think Splunk can take you? Patrick Tatro: I’m really interested in either becoming a full-time Splunk Consultant or an App Developer—or possibly both. The goal is to continue leveraging Splunk to create solutions that make data actionable and insightful, not just for myself but for clients across various industries. Callie Skokos: Patrick, it’s been fantastic hearing about your journey and how Splunk has played a role in it. Thanks so much for joining us today. Patrick Tatro: Thank you, Callie. I appreciate the opportunity to share my story! _______________________________________________ That's it for today's episode of "Splunk Smartness." Thank you all for tuning into "Splunk Smartness." We'll be back next time with more insights on how Splunk can enhance your tech skills and career – and help you make your organization more resilient. Until then, stay smart and keep Splunking! ... View more

Splunk Certification holders and candidates!  Please be advised of an upcoming system maintenance period for Pearson VUE, our Splunk Certification testing partner. Below are the details: Outage Window: The Pearson Vue system will be unavailable from Friday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. CDT to Sunday, October 13, at 9:00 a.m. CDT.  Impact: During this maintenance window you will be unable to create a Pearson VUE account or log into your existing account to schedule, reschedule, or cancel exam appointments.  Global Outage: Please note that this is a planned global outage, impacting all of Pearson VUE's clients worldwide. Splunk Certification Support: Due to this outage, the Splunk Certification Team will be unable to provide support until Monday, October 14 following the maintenance period. We will resume support services immediately after. Planning your certification activities around this schedule will ensure that you are minimally impacted. For any immediate concerns or questions, please contact certification@splunk.com before the maintenance begins. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this maintenance window. ... View more

C’mon over to the Splunk Training and Certification Community Site for the latest ways you can grow your minds and your careers! These are some blogs you may have missed while you were cruising the rest of the Splunk Community.    The Splunk Education Smartness Series Sometimes it’s hard to visualize how far we can take our careers – until we hear about how others have done it. So, if you’re looking for inspiration and best practices for growing your career with Splunk, check out the first three interviews of the series.  Meet Tom, Pedro, and Brandon   Tick tock! Grab a seat at the last minute When you’re done scrolling TikTok, we’d like to remind you that (tick tock) time’s a-wastin and life’s too short to procrastinate. Splunk Last Minute Learning is motivation du jour, designed so you can quickly get the technical training you might be putting off.  Check out our Last Minute Learning Opportunities   Yes, training units do expire | You’ve got a year  Whether it’s hummus, a ham sandwich, or a human, almost everything in this world has an expiration date. And, Splunk Education Training Units are no exception – always expiring one year from the date of purchase. Don’t let these slip by without using them to gain access to our valuable instructor-led training or eLearning with labs.  Get the deets on using those training units   Get ready for the new release party Just like the angsty buzz around a new Taylor Swift album, we like to think the new course releases from Splunk Education generate a similar – albeit techy – vibe. Whether you're a fan of fast-paced instructor-led sessions or prefer learning at your own, sweet pace, our new releases are sure to be top hits.  Add these new courses to your resume Don’t miss out—visit the Splunk Training and Certification Site regularly. It’s the place where we continue to share innovative ways you can expand your knowledge and advance your career with Splunk.  ... View more

September 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with this month’s edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education. We hope the updates about our courses, certification program, and self-paced training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go  Training You Gotta Take Just your style | Over 50 free eLearning courses If you’re searching for a used coffee table to refurbish, it’s possible you could find one on Facebook marketplace for free. But, if you’re searching for career-changing tech courses, you’ll definitely find more than 50 on the Splunk Education website for free. We’re here to help you learn on your own terms in your own style so you can take your career to the next level – no money required. So, start exploring some no-cost Splunk eLearning courses like Using Fields, Intro to Dashboards, Scheduling Reports and Alerts, and many more. We like to think we put the free in freestyle.  Gotta learn for free | Over 50 no-cost eLearning courses The Foundation | Fundamentals of Metrics Monitoring in Splunk Observability Cloud When the lecture hall is your office, the whiteboard is your laptop, and the professor is a Splunk training expert. That’s how we roll in Splunk Education. Our virtual instructor-led trainers teach all the concepts using lectures and scenario-based hands-on activities, which is how you will experience “Fundamentals of Metrics Monitoring in Splunk Observability Cloud.” This course serves as the foundation for all other Splunk Observability courses and is targeted to DevOps/SRE/Observability teams, Senior On-call Engineers, Onboarding and Monitoring Strategists and Developers and provides a fundamental understanding of metrics monitoring in Splunk Observability. Start here and begin your observability journey with a solid foundation.  Gotta see it to believe it | Observability makes it clear Things You Needa Know How Pedro advanced his career | SMARTNESS Series, Episode 2 Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how far we can take our careers – until we hear about how others have done it. So, if you need inspiration to help you grow your career with Splunk, maybe Episode 2 of our Splunk Education SMARTNESS series will show you what’s possible. This episode features Pedro Borges, who shares how he went from being a skeptic to a believer by learning Splunk through training, hands-on experience, and by tapping into the brilliant Splunk community. “Honestly. I’m running out of certifications to take!” See where curiosity and a growth mindset can take you. Needa be inspired | Meet Pedro Tick tock | Grab a seat at the last minute When you’re done scrolling TikTok, we’d like to remind you that (tick tock) time’s a-wastin and life’s too short to procrastinate. Splunk Last Minute Learning is motivation du jour, designed so you can quickly get the technical training you might be putting off. And, since Splunk Training Units expire one year after purchase, taking a class at the last minute may be just the ticket to ensuring those training units don’t go unused. Simply sign up using your Splunk.com account and pay with your company training units (or a credit card if training units are not part of your plan). When you need that dopamine hit, just scroll our course catalog and imagine the places you can go with Splunk. Gotta get training in | Last minute instructor-led courses Places You’ll Wanna Go Splunk Lantern | How to boost LLM observability with Splunk Raise your hand if you’ve used ChatGPT to write a carefully crafted response to a sensitive email? Well then, you’ve experienced just one type of use case for using large language models. This month, Splunk Lantern – the customer success center that provides advice from experts on key use cases and how to optimize Splunk – shares another use case. Thanks to the expertise of Derek Mitchell, Global Observability Specialist at Splunk, you can access a step-by-step guide that demonstrates how OpenTelemetry can be used to view LLM data in Splunk Observability Cloud. You need to know what questions to ask in order to find the answers you seek. Go further with Lantern | LLM data is key to o11y Back to school | STEPtember is here Changing leaves, crisp, cool days, and back to school means it’s autumn in North America! More specifically, it’s STEPtember in Splunk Education. We’re all about providing ways you can learn and excel so you can optimize Splunk for your organization, and we have a learning platform designed with you in mind. The Splunk Training & Enablement Platform (STEP) is the place to view our entire technical training catalog, enroll in courses, access in-progress eLearning, and review completed training and course completion certificates. Grab a PSL, fire up your HP, and STEP into a world of opportunities. Go to tech school | STEPtember, where school is always in session Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Chat | Join our Community User Group Slack Channel Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go Last Minute | Seats Still Available for ILT Go Deep | Register for Security and Observability Tech Talks  Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter   Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.    Answer to Index This:  F I V E Remove the 2 letters F and E from five and you have IV. ... View more

Hello and welcome to another episode of "Splunk Smartness," the interview series where we explore the power of Splunk Education in helping us optimize Splunk to create more resilient organizations. I'm your host, Callie Skokos, and today, I'm thrilled to have Brandon Sternfield, a Principal Cyber Security Architect, joining us from Northern Virginia. Brandon, welcome to the series! Brandon Sternfield: Thanks, Callie! Happy to be here and excited to chat. Callie: Brandon, before we dive into your professional life, I hear you're quite the gamer and learner. Can you share more about your hobbies? Brandon: Absolutely, Callie. I’m an avid student of just about anything, and in my downtime, I dive into the world of gaming. I lead guilds in MMOs, enjoy FPS games, and I'm really into roguelite-style games. These games not only relax me but also sharpen my strategic thinking. Callie: That sounds like a perfect blend of fun and skill-building. Now, let's talk about your journey with Splunk. How did you first get introduced to it? Brandon: My first encounter with Splunk was back in 2016 when I was a Penetration Tester for a Splunk Partner. They offered free training, which I could do on the clock, so it was a win-win. That training led me to start experimenting with Splunk, automating reports, and eventually crafting visualizations and dashboards for security campaigns. Callie: What a great way to start! What specific Splunk products do you work with most often? Brandon: I primarily work with Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Enterprise Security. I've also explored Splunk IT Service Intelligence and Splunk SOAR, and I've been brainstorming some potential applications for Splunk Edge Hub as well. Callie: How did you go about learning to use these tools effectively? Brandon: It began with the free eLearning opportunities offered by Splunk. Then, as I moved roles from working in a SOC to becoming a full Splunk Admin, I took several instructor-led classes. A significant part of my learning came from setting up Splunk at home and applying it on the job in real environments. Callie: That’s such a great way to learn and then put those skills to the test. Oh, and speaking of testing, do you hold any Splunk Certifications? Brandon: Yes, I've earned eleven certifications so far, ranging from User, Admin of the Premium Apps ITSI, ES, and SOAR, Cybersecurity Defense Analyst and I just recently earned my Consultant certification. I'm currently waiting on the results for the Cybersecurity Defense Engineer beta exam as well. Callie: That's so impressive, Brandon. Wow. You really seem super dedicated to fully optimizing Splunk in your organization. Have you ever been able to find time to attend any Splunk University bootcamps? Brandon: While I didn't attend any at .conf24, I did participate in the Architecting Deployments and Advanced Dashboarding bootcamps at .conf23. These sessions are incredibly immersive and a fantastic way to deepen your knowledge. Callie: What did you think about the community vibe when you attended Splunk University in Las Vegas?   Brandon: Oh, it was really impactful. In fact, I’ve been active in the Splunk Community for years and I was even selected to volunteer at the Splunk Community Zone at .conf24, This year, I was nominated and chosen for Splunk MVP based on my strong contributions to the Community! I look forward to maintaining my status as a Splunk MVP and hopefully working my way to Splunk Trust membership. Callie: That’s so great! It's clear that Splunk has been a significant part of your career. How has optimizing Splunk helped in your career journey and advancement? Brandon: It's been a cornerstone of my career development. I transitioned from Penetration Testing to Threat Hunting, to a Splunk Enterprise Security Admin, and now to a Splunk PS Consultant. Each step was facilitated by my deepening expertise in Splunk, showcasing a trajectory I hadn't imagined back when I started. Callie: I always love to hear how Splunk has supported careers. Looking ahead, what are your future plans with Splunk or Splunk Certification? Brandon: I'm really excited about integrating Splunk and Splunk ES into a scalable 'SOC in a box' deployment. I believe Splunk ES is top-notch, and I want to make it more accessible for our customers. Personally, I'm also planning to rebuild my home lab to integrate various data like weather info and utility bills to optimize my HVAC system—a fun project that combines my professional skills with personal interests. Callie: Super fun and a great way to deepen your knowledge of Splunk in support of sustainability. I love it. Brandon, your journey and plans with Splunk are truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us today. Brandon: Thank you, Callie. It’s been great talking with you and sharing my Splunk story! Callie: That's it for today's episode of "Splunk Smartness." We'll be back next time with more insights on how Splunk can enhance your tech skills and career – and help you make your organization more resilient. Until then, stay smart and keep Splunking! ______________________________________________ PS:  Be like Brandon and check out our latest Splunk Certification – Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer. ... View more

August 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with this month’s edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education. We hope the updates about our courses, certification program, and self-paced training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go  Training You Gotta Take Last Minute Learning  | Grab a seat at the eleventh hour Are you a serial procrastinator or obsessed with maximizing every opportunity? No matter your mindset, Splunk Last Minute Learning is designed just for you. It allows you to rapidly get more technical training under your belt or catch up on those classes you might have put off. And, since Splunk Training Units expire one year after purchase, taking a class at the last minute may be just what you need to ensure those training units don’t go unused. Simply sign up using your Splunk.com account and pay with your company training units or a credit card. We see you – and we like the way you think. Gotta get training in | Last minute instructor-led courses The Latest | Exploring and Analyzing Data with Splunk  If you’re a fan of Andrew Huberman and his four-hour podcasts about things like optimizing your sleep, then you probably have no problem with your attention span or your thirst for knowledge. If that’s the case, this new 9-hour course should probably be next up on your playlist. Exploring and Analyzing Data with Splunk is for users who want to attain operational intelligence level 4, (business insights) and covers exploratory data analysis by using statistical tools and custom visualizations. This course provides the opportunity to dip your feet into the deep (and complex) pool of data science before heading off to our more advanced Splunk for Analytics and Data Science course. And, hat tip to Andrew, you’ll probably even sleep better knowing it creates the foundation for what’s next in data science.  Gotta learn something new | Enroll today Things You Needa Know There’s a new certification in town | Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer  When you hear the words, SOC and SOAR and security, do you visualize some kind of superhero swooping in to save the day? Well, we do – and it’s everyday people like you that we see. So, take our latest certification exam to validate your skills as a SOC Engineer using Splunk Enterprise Security and Splunk SOAR and earn your Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer certification. This exam establishes an intermediate-level standard for users of Splunk Enterprise, Enterprise Security, and Splunk SOAR who wish to be certified as cybersecurity professionals. We don’t hand out capes after you pass, but we do give you a badge.  Needa show your stuff | Certifications are validation Splunk Community Slack FTW | Become a valued member today It’s like hanging at the community pool, but with more like-minded tech folks – and no swimsuit required. The Splunk Community is your free way to learn, stay up to date, connect, share ideas, and find success. Here you’ll find a collection of resources where you can ask questions, get answers, connect with other Splunk enthusiasts – via Splunk Answers, User Groups, and Slack. If you're not already a member of the Splunk Community Slack, we’d love to welcome you aboard. By joining and inviting others to sign up, you not only become part of a great group, but you have a chance to win a $50 Splunk Store gift card! Unlike the community pool, which traditionally closes by September 1, this offer runs through September 20. Hurry, it’s a real win-win.  Needa know more about using Splunk | Join Slack Places You’ll Wanna Go SMARTNESS Series | Meet Tom Sometimes it’s hard to visualize how far we can take our careers – until we hear about how others have done it. So, if you’re looking for inspiration and best practices for growing your career with Splunk, maybe Episode 1 of our new Splunk Education SMARTNESS series featuring Tom Kopchak will help you imagine the possibilities. Say hi to Tom and let us know what you think about the interview. And, while you’re at it, get to know Splunk Education and Splunk Certification – a few of the avenues Tom believes impacted his career trajectory.  Wanna be inspired | This interview series is the place The Splunk Community | SplunkTrust fezzes in collab with Lantern  The SplunkTrust is a group of highly skilled and knowledgeable Splunk users who are trusted advisors to Splunk. These widely-recognizable fez wearers are selected based on their exceptional technical skills and suggestions, which are often used to influence future Splunk features and applications. Today, these fine friends are also collaborating with Lantern, the Splunk customer success center that provides expert advice and tips for managing Splunk more efficiently. Have you ever been tempted to use Splunk to uncover some really outlandish insights? Well, so have we! With Lantern, you can learn about some unusual ways these incredible minds are using Splunk.  Wanna go to the horse stable | One Trust member Splunks his hobby Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go Last Minute | Seats Still Available for ILT Go Deep | Register for Security and Observability Tech Talks  Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter   Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.    Answer to Index This:  888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1000 ... View more

Hello and welcome back to "Splunk Smartness," where we explore how Splunk Education can turbocharge your career and your technical skills. I'm your host, Callie Skokos, and today we're chatting with Pedro Borges, a Senior Security Engineer at Siemens, based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. Pedro, great to have you on the series!   Pedro Borges: Thanks, Callie. I’m really glad to be here! Callie Skokos: Pedro, you seem to balance a busy life with some fun activities. What do you like to do in your spare time? Pedro: Well, spending time with my family is my top priority. When I find some extra time, I enjoy playing video games and noodling around on my bass guitar. It's a great way to unwind. Callie: Sounds like a perfect way to recharge. Now, diving into your professional journey, how did you start using Splunk? Pedro: My Splunk journey kicked off around Splunk .conf18. I was working at Concur as a Security Engineer, mainly focused on vulnerability management. I was a bit skeptical about how Splunk could fit into that, but attending the conference with my manager/mentor opened my eyes to its capabilities. By the next year, I was deep into learning how to support our Splunk deployment. Callie: What an introduction! What Splunk products are you currently using? Pedro: Right now, we’re using Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Enterprise Security. They're integral tools for our security architecture. Callie: With these powerful tools at your disposal, how did you go about learning to use them effectively? Pedro: My management invested in Splunk instructor-led training and eLearning with labs, plus Splunk Certifications. So, I attended this type of training, but the best learning experience, really, has been on-the-job—really getting hands-on with the platform. I was also fortunate to have a great mentor and learn from others who've been working with Splunk. Plus, using Splunk exam prep for Splunk Certification is another great motivator to learn and dig deeper into what the products can do. Callie: Oh, so you have Splunk Certifications? Can you tell us about the ones you’ve achieved? Pedro: Absolutely! I have quite a few certifications under my belt: Splunk Enterprise Certified Architect, Splunk Enterprise Security Certified Admin, Splunk Cloud Certified Admin, and Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst. Honestly, I’m running out of certifications to take! Getting Splunk certified and becoming really proficient in using Splunk has been one of the best career moves I've made.   Callie: That's really impressive, Pedro. Shows such a growth mindset! Along with the traditional Splunk training, have you participated in any Splunk University bootcamps? Pedro: Yes, I’ve taken part in bootcamps, especially to ramp up on SOAR. The in-person experience is invaluable because you can interact directly with instructors and ask questions on the spot. It’s usually a long, intensive week in Las Vegas, but it’s worth it. It’s tough to match that level of engagement when you’re learning virtually. Callie: It sounds like those experiences have been integral to your learning. Pedro, what are the most valuable insights you've gained from using Splunk in your role? Pedro: My role leans heavily towards the architectural and administrative side of things, managing three Splunk environments end-to-end. It’s not just about sifting through data; it’s about managing updates, developing dashboards, and optimizing our processes. Splunk helps us keep our security posture proactive rather than reactive. Callie: And how has becoming proficient with Splunk impacted your career? Pedro: It’s been a game-changer. In a previous role, I was promoted to SIEM design manager, overseeing close to 20 Splunk deployments, which led to my current role at Siemens. Getting certified in Splunk was definitely one of the best career decisions I've made. Callie: That’s so amazing to hear. What future plans do you have regarding Splunk or further certifications? Pedro: I’m looking forward to tackling more complex challenges—integrating intricate data sources, managing complex deployments. It’s about continuous growth and pushing the boundaries of what I can do with Splunk to support my organization. I’m also very active in the Splunk Community and hope to share my expertise and experience with those who are early career learners like I once was when I started. Callie: I love hearing this because we LOVE our Splunk Community, too. I hear you’re a Splunk Community MVP, which is a way for Splunk to recognize and celebrate our star contributors. What’s that been like? Pedro: It’s been super validating. I’m on my way toward becoming a SplunkTrust member, and it feels great to give back to the community that has helped me so much. From sharing tips on the community channels to participating in presentations at .conf, it’s been a rewarding experience. Callie: I’m excited about what’s ahead for you, Pedro. Thank you so much for sharing your Splunk journey with us today. Pedro: Thank you, Callie. It was a pleasure to be here and share my story! ___________________________________________________ And thank you all for tuning into "Splunk Smartness." We'll be back next time with more insights on how Splunk can enhance your tech skills and career – and help you make your organization more resilient. Until then, stay smart and keep Splunking! PS:  Be like Pedro and check out our latest Splunk Certification – Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer. ... View more

Whether it’s hummus, a ham sandwich, or a human, almost everything in this world has an expiration date. And, Splunk Education Training Units are no exception – always expiring one year from the date of purchase. Don’t let these slip by without using them to gain access to our valuable instructor-led training or eLearning with labs.  Training units are the currency of career advancement Insights from our latest Splunk Career Impact Survey proves that taking Splunk Education training is paying off. According to the survey results, very proficient practitioners of Splunk are 2.7 times more likely to get promoted, and those with Splunk certifications plus higher levels of Splunk proficiency reported earning approximately 131% more than their less-proficient peers. With more Splunk skills, you're on the way to future-proofing your career! Work with your org manager to use those training units If you’re a Splunk user for one of our customers, make sure you connect with the person in your company who manages the Splunk training units. Let them know that you would love to take some of those already paid-for training units off their hands so they don’t expire before they get used. Oh, but if you’re just a curious learner itching to get more Splunk courses under your belt and don’t officially use Splunk at your org, you can purchase training and register for class using a credit card. No problem!    Enroll in some classes today – Here’s what’s popular Here are just a few of the more popular Instructor-led Splunk Education courses to choose from: Intro to Splunk Using Fields Visualizations Working with Time Statistical Processing Comparing Values Result Modification And, remember that training units can also be used for eLearning with labs if you prefer more self-paced learning.  See you in class – even at the last minute In the next two weeks, there are still seats available via our Last Minute Learning program. You can quickly get into some popular virtual instructor-led training courses that have low enrollment – available for purchase via training units or credit card. This is a great opportunity to take those training units that might be expiring soon! If your company has purchased a contract of TUs, please consult with your Org Manager to enroll in these paid classes.    At Splunk Education, we get excited about helping our learners excel. So, go get those training units and we’ll see you in class!  -Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education team ___________________________________ Some fine print Training units expire at 12:01 AM Eastern Time on the expiration date. Registrations paid by training units must be placed before 12:01 AM Eastern Time. All instructor-led classes and dedicated classes paid by training units must start the day before the training units expire. Get all the details here.  ... View more

Calling all cybersecurity professionals! The latest addition to the Splunk certification family is here, and it’s designed to validate your skills as a SOC Engineer. The Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer certification focuses on using Splunk Enterprise Security and Splunk SOAR to optimize workflows, craft and tune effective detections, and build automations following industry best practices. Ready to take your career to the next level? Read on to find out how! Level Up to a Defense Engineering Career Path Are you ready to move into cybersecurity defense engineering for security operations centers (SOC)? This exciting career path involves analyzing security vulnerabilities and threats to create and tune detections, incorporating risk, developing and following security processes and programs, and efficiently automating standard operating procedures. By becoming a Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer, you’ll be equipped to handle these critical tasks and more. Who Should Pursue This Certification? Cybersecurity Professionals Take your SOC analyst career further and level up as a Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer. This certification is perfect for those who want to demonstrate their expertise in optimizing detection and automation in a SOC environment. Career Builders Looking to advance your career? Earning this certification will help you climb the ranks as a Splunk-certified professional, opening up new opportunities for growth and advancement in the cybersecurity field. SOC Detection Engineers Solidify your position as a cybersecurity detection engineer and enhance your efficiency with Splunk Enterprise Security and Splunk SOAR. This certification will validate your skills and knowledge, ensuring you’re at the top of your game.   Exam Details including Prerequisite  Level: Professional Prerequisites: Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Length: 120 minutes Format: 100 multiple choice questions Pricing: $0 USD *while in beta Delivery: Exam is given by our testing partner, Pearson VUE   Get Prepared for the Exam Ready to take the plunge? Here are some resources to help you get started: Review exam requirements and recommendations on the Splunk Cybersecurity Defense Engineer track flowchart. Discover what to expect on the exam via the test blueprint. Get step-by-step registration assistance with the Exam Registration Tutorial.   Don’t miss out on this opportunity to validate your skills and advance your career. Get prepped to take the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer exam today and take the first step towards becoming a leader in cybersecurity defense engineering! Happy learning!  – Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Certification crew ... View more

July 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with this month’s edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education. We hope the updates about our courses, certification program, and self-paced training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go Training You Gotta Take Creating Maps 9.2 | Getting you where you want to go Are you Team Google Maps or Team Apple Maps? Or, neither because they aren’t up-to-date enough to get you to the campground near the hidden waterfall? Don’t lose faith because we’re here to announce big updates to our instructor-led course entitled Creating Maps 9.2. This 4.5 hour course is designed for Splunk power users who want to create maps on dashboards – with training focused on the data and components required to create cluster maps, choropleth maps, and choropleth SVGs. Plus, you learn how to format, customize, and make maps interactive. Gotta take the latest version | Creating Maps 9.2 Targeted learning paths | The smartest way to Splunk Certification It’s not like that time in college when you took only anatomy and biology courses and then decided to apply for law school. With Splunk Education, we can help you prepare to take Splunk Certification exams – designed to verify your proficiency in specific technical skills. So, in addition to putting your real-world experience and foundational knowledge to the test, we provide supplemental learning paths to help you get ready for your exams. The courses included in a certification-specific learning path provide the foundation you need to practice the right material and prepare for each exam. Test-taking anxiety, be gone! Gotta get prepped | Learning paths to certification Things You Needa Know Yes, training units do expire | You’ve got a year  Whether it’s hummus, a ham sandwich, or a human, almost everything in this world has an expiration date. And, Splunk Education Training Units are no exception – always expiring one year from the date of purchase. Don’t let these slip by without using them to gain access to our valuable instructor-led training or eLearning with labs. If you’re a Splunk user, make sure you connect with the person in your company who manages the Splunk training units. Let them know that you would love to take some of those already paid-for training units off their hands so they don’t expire before they get used.  Needa use ‘em or lose ‘em | Training units have a shelf life Splunk Education is streaming | Find us on the Global Broadcast  We see Haya, and Alex, and Michael, and Lauri. These folks are like Splunk celebrities around here, with all their knowledge and welcoming personalities both on and off-screen. If you haven’t had the pleasure to meet them in one of our many Splunk eLearning or ILT classes, then the Splunk Global Broadcast is your chance! The Splunk Global Broadcast – which was streamed during .conf24 – featured dozens of learning sessions including three that were dedicated to Splunk Education and how our training can support your career. The sessions are now all available on demand.    Needa know more about Splunk Education | Stream the sessions Places You’ll Wanna Go To the Splunk Community | Relive the experience It’s that feeling when the party’s over but you just can’t seem to let the celebration fade. That’s how we feel when Splunk University and our annual user conference ends. So, we like to relive the events anytime we can – starting with the Splunk Community. From Splunk University, to Hands on Labs, to the Splunk Certification pop-up testing center, to the Education Station on the show floor, we were excited to deliver something for everyone. Share the vibes with us and get excited about what’s ahead. Wanna go share the excitement | Read about the experience – there’s pictures  Camping with a lantern | Edge Processor made easier Summer in North America is often synonymous with camping and one of the core pieces of equipment needed is a lantern to light the way. This was the inspiration for our Splunk customer success center – we call Lantern – that provides advice from Splunk experts on valuable data insights, key use cases, and tips on managing Splunk more efficiently. This month, the Lantern team is lighting the way with a series of Edge Processor guides designed to help you quickly grow your Edge Processor footprint. Oh. and speaking of footprints and camping, keep an eye out for the elusive sasquatch?  Wanna scale Edge Processor | Splunk Lantern makes it clear  Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go Last Minute | Seats Still Available for ILT Go Deep | Register for Security and Observability Tech Talks  Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter   Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.    Answer to Index This: a coin   ... View more

Welcome to "Splunk Smartness," the interview series where we delve into how Splunk Education can help you excel in tech and beyond. I'm your host, Callie Skokos, and today we're chatting with Tom Kopchak, Director of Technical Operations at Hurricane Labs. Tom, welcome to the series!   Tom Kopchak: Thanks for having me, Callie. Excited to speak with you! Callie: It was so nice meeting you in person at .conf24 – which is our annual Splunk user conference. You’re such a long-time member of the Splunk Community, it felt like I already knew you when you stopped by our booth.  Tom: It was fun. I’ve been a user and an advocate of Splunk for almost ten years and I not only appreciate the technology, but I also appreciate the community of users – so I participate wherever and whenever I can.  Callie: I’m sure that’s why you seemed so familiar to me at the conference. You shared with me that in addition to being a Splunk fan and expert, you're also a musician. Can you tell us more about this and how it fits into your highly technical world? Tom: Absolutely! Music, especially playing the piano and organ, gives me a nice break from the tech world. It’s a different kind of creative process that helps me reset and think differently when I get back to solving data and security problems. Callie: And music is just one of your many interests, I’ve learned. So, let’s dive into your Splunk journey. About ten years ago, you had a chance to learn Splunk at work. Can you share more about that?  Tom: Sure. It was kind of serendipitous. We needed someone to deploy Splunk for a customer, and when the person originally tasked with it left unexpectedly, my boss asked me to fill in and take on the job. At the time, Splunk was not my area of expertise. I was a network support engineer.  It was definitely learning on the fly, but it led me down this path where now I help manage Splunk deployments and train others. Callie: That’s pretty amazing –  and brave – I might add. Speaking of training, what’s your approach at Hurricane Labs for getting your team up to speed with Splunk? Tom: We purchase Training Units from Splunk and plan our training quarters in advance. With over 50 people in need of training each quarter, we focus on roles they’ll support and put them on a Certification Track. Splunk Education gets them started, and then we tailor their learning with our own practical experiences and labs. Callie: It sounds like you have a well thought out process. So, how do you personally use your Splunk expertise to assist customers and others at Hurricane Labs? Tom: My role involves a lot of ad hoc support. Whether it's helping a customer through a cloud migration or resolving technical queries, I’m often coordinating with our security teams on the fly, usually through platforms like Slack or email. Callie: When we met, you were wearing a Splunk Fez. Can you share with us what that represents? Tom: Sure, it signifies that I am a member of the Splunk Trust. I earned my Splunk Trust membership based on my knowledge shared with and contributions made to the Splunk community. Being part of the Splunk Trust is incredibly valuable. It connects me with a really supportive community and gives me access to the Splunk roadmap, which helps not just in planning but also in contributing to the community through tutorials and how-tos. Callie: Well, huge congratulations on this honor. But that’s not all, is it? In addition to being a musician, a director of operations, an education manager, and a Splunk Trust member, you are also an adjunct professor in computer science. How does this all translate into your teaching role at the university level? Tom: Although I teach cybersecurity at Baldwin Wallace University, I don’t teach Splunk directly. It becomes part of the coursework because I believe it’s a critical tool in the field. It’s a real-world application that supports what my students learn about in their Pen Testing and Cybersecurity tracks.  Callie: You’re a teacher at the university level, and it appears that you’re also a life-long learner.  Can you share with us how many Splunk Certification badges you’ve received? Tom: I do hold quite a few. And, I work for them because they are true validation that I’m highly qualified to support my customers with their Splunk deployments and optimization. I have gone through the learning paths and passed the exams for Core Consultant, SOAR, CDA, Sales Engineer, Enterprise Security, and others. Callie: Do you have any advice for others in the field who want to continue growing their careers and staying ahead of evolving and devastating online threats?  Tom: Yes, learn Splunk – there’s free eLearning and affordable instructor-led training, plus hands on labs and you can download Splunk for free. If you already know how to use Splunk, engage with the community and take advantage of the resources like .conf sessions, Splunk docs, and open Slack channels. Splunk is dynamic, so staying connected is key to keeping up-to-date. Callie: Great advice, Tom. This has been really fun. Thanks for sharing your insights and experiences with us today. Tom: Thanks for having me, Callie. It was a pleasure! ___________________________________________________ Callie: That wraps up this episode of Splunk Smartness. Join us for our next interview to learn how Splunk Education has led to some amazing career-impacting, and dare we say, life-changing experience. Until then, get smart!  PS: You can learn more about Tom and get some great Splunk tutorials right here! Happy Splunking!  ... View more

Splunk Education is dedicated to empowering users with comprehensive learning paths that meet a variety of needs and learning styles. With an array of educational offerings, Splunk ensures that learners can access the right resources at their convenience.  Our portfolio Our training portfolio includes Free eLearning for those starting their journey, eLearning with Labs for hands-on practice, Instructor-led classes for personalized instruction, and Splunk Certification to validate expertise. Additionally, we provide a wealth of knowledge through Splunk YouTube How-Tos and Splunk Lantern, both updated regularly to reflect the latest functionalities and best practices in using our platform. Monthly course releases Every month, Splunk Education is excited to announce the rollout of new courses designed to equip users with the latest insights and tools necessary for mastering Splunk. Our offerings cater to various learning preferences, whether you prefer the dynamic environment of instructor-led sessions or the self-paced flexibility of eLearning. This consistent update not only helps learners stay current with the evolving tech landscape but also ensures they are well-versed in using Splunk to its full potential. Our updates extend beyond new courses; we also focus on enhancing existing content, sunsetting older materials, and introducing other significant educational developments. You can access the new courses directly here or via the banner on our Splunk Course Catalog page.  Non-English captioning A key aspect of our educational enhancements includes making learning accessible globally through the translation of our eLearning courses into multiple languages. By adding non-English captions, we extend our reach, allowing non-English speaking users to gain valuable skills in their native language. This initiative supports Splunk’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity in education. Each month brings new opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career with Splunk.    Stay updated with our latest offerings and continue to expand your Splunk expertise – proven to create career opportunities and support enterprise resilience. ... View more

June 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with this month’s edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education. We hope the updates about our courses, certification program, and self-paced training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go Training You Gotta Take Deep dives | Instructor-led classes with labs Remember that time you clicked on the article about bottlenose dolphins and ended up on a travel site about the Maldives? We all do it. We deep dive because we’re curious! That’s why Splunk Education offers deep dive training classes led by seasoned instructors from Splunk Platform, to Security, to Observability. Now, there’s no need to click and click to get to the training you need to get the promotion you want that pays for the ticket to the Maldives you imagined. Splunk and our Authorized Learning Partners have the training options to fit your realities.  Gotta get that promotion | Take a deep dive into Splunk Last Minute Learning  | Grab a seat at the eleventh hour “It’s so hard to plan ahead,” or “I need more training now!” No matter your archetype, we’re here for you. Splunk’s Last Minute Learning provides opportunities to quickly add more courses or catch up on those you've postponed. Every week, we list upcoming instructor-led sessions with open seats. Simply sign up using your Splunk.com account and pay with your company training units or a credit card. It’s time management for every personality.  Gotta get training in | Last minute instructor-led courses Things You Needa Know Splunk Careers Report | Proof that Splunk proficiency will pay off If you missed it, insights from our latest Splunk Career Impact Survey proves that your hard work becoming proficient using Splunk is paying off. According to the survey results, very proficient practitioners of Splunk are 2.7 times more likely to get promoted, and those with Splunk certifications plus higher levels of Splunk proficiency reported earning approximately 131% more than their less-proficient peers. With your Splunk skills, you're on the way to future-proofing your career!  Needa be resilient | Learning Splunk is the way Your feedback is gold | Sign up for the Splunk User Research Program If you’re reading this newsletter, you’re likely pretty familiar with some of our Splunk products and solutions. And, if you’re a Splunk product user, you likely have some opinions. Well, we’d like to hear about them. So, register for upcoming Splunk User Research (SPLUXR) studies to share your experience and ensure Splunk products remain intuitive, accessible, and easy to use. While you’re in class, feel free to jot down your observations and thoughts and share those with us too. Needa be an influencer | Sign up for user research studies Places You’ll Wanna Go Back to university  | Splunk Academic Alliance program supports the next generation Frequenting the university library, dining hall, and rec center may be a distant memory for you, but it might not be for your early career colleagues or employees. That’s why you should get to know the Splunk Academic Alliance program. Offered by Splunk Education, we provide product donations and workforce development so academic institutions have equitable access to our software platform. The program includes a license for Splunk software and access to eLearning and more for qualifying not-for-profit universities – at no cost. Be part of closing the skills gap by sharing the value of Splunk Academic Alliance. Wanna go to university | Share the value and help support the next generation  Splunk Lantern Customer Success Center | Lighting the way If you know you know. Splunk is committed to all-things-education by providing free, self-paced online courses on cybersecurity, which can be structured by learning path to support varying levels of expertise and interest. Also free and always available is the Splunk Lantern Customer Success Center. Lantern is designed to “light your way” so you can take your knowledge to the next level with expertly-written documentation designed to guide your optimal usage of Splunk. Needa light the way | Splunk Lantern makes it clear Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go Deep | Register for Security and Observability Tech Talks  Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter   Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.    Answer to Index This: A hole ... View more

Thank you to everyone in the Splunk Community who joined us for .conf24 – starting with Splunk University and ending with a remarkable Search Party. It was your engagement, excitement, and growth mindset that made this year’s annual user conference so rewarding and memorable. Kicking things off with Splunk University Brought to you by Splunk Education, Splunk University has become the precursor to .conf24 and a way to get attendees wondering just what’s possible with Splunk. This year, we offered 17 Splunk University 1-, 2-, and 3-day bootcamps designed to train students to be more proficient using Splunk. We are happy to report that almost 1,200 students walked away with more skills and hands-on experience – not to mention a limited-edition long-sleeve Splunk University t-shirt! Consider attending next year to round out your Splunk skills and experience or to get a taste of what Splunk Education offers all year round.  Splunk Certification pop-up testing center Did you know that Splunk users who are Splunk Certified are 2.3 times more likely to be promoted than their non-certified peers? It’s true, which is why each year we offer an on-site exam center with discounts on all of our Splunk Certifications. This year, the center was buzzing with activity as curious learners asked questions, got registered on the spot, and passed their exams. The results were impressive with the team administering almost 900 exams. Then, we celebrated everyone’s hard work with the “Bragging Rights Spotlight” networking event to show our appreciation, generate more curiosity throughout the conference, and foster more community collaboration. Find out more about getting Splunk Certified today! Getting to know the community in the Source=*Pavilion We were thrilled to meet almost 700 of our community members at The Education Station in the Source=*Pavilion where we shared information about Learning Paths, Splunk Certification, Splunk Academic Alliance, our Authorized Learning Partner program, and Cisco Learning and Certification. We hope you had a chance to stop by, leave us a wish on our Knowledge Tree, grab a few sustainable giveaways, and have your picture taken in our Splunk Education Show Photo Cube. It was such a blast! Learn more about everything that Splunk Education has to offer.  Hands on learning with Hands on Labs Even if you weren’t able to attend one of our bootcamps, we brought Splunk University into the .conf24 experience with 14 unique Hands on Lab sessions, allowing participants to dive deeper into Splunk capabilities. These labs were supported by experienced Splunk Education instructors and proctors who set up a use case and guided learners through the best approach to using Splunk to solve them. If you missed this opportunity, check out our self-paced eLearning with labs – accessible anytime, anywhere.  Stream it to believe it If you were heads down at work and could not join us onsite at .conf24, there are still opportunities to capture the vibe! The Splunk Global Broadcast featured dozens of learning sessions including three that were dedicated to Splunk Education and how it can support your career – through skills advancement or by helping you ensure that Splunk is optimized for your enterprise. You can watch the Global Broadcast here.    As we reflect on these moments, we want to express our deepest appreciation to all members of the Splunk Community. Your active participation and eagerness to learn and connect make Splunk events a success. We look forward to continuing this journey with you and seeing you at future events – or just here on the Community site!   Stay Splunky and keep exploring the limitless possibilities of Splunk!    – Callie Skokos on Behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

May 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with a Special Edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education – this month with a focus on all-things .conf24. We hope the updates about our courses, certification program, and self-paced training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go  Training You Gotta Take All the bootcamps | If you know, you know Longer days, warmer temps, and dining alfresco. Add Splunk University to the mix and it’ll be your summer to remember. Splunk University offers you an in-person opportunity to enhance your Splunk skills through 3-, 2-, and 1-day bootcamps, hands-on activities, and networking opportunities. So, register today for bootcamps galore between June 9-11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Gotta get summer vibes | Register for Splunk University bootcamps Last Minute Learning  | Grab a seat at the eleventh hour Whether you’re a procrastinator or on that Sigma grindset, we’ve got you covered. Last Minute Learning from Splunk offers you the option to get more learning courses under your belt faster, or make up for the courses you’ve been putting off. Each week, we share a list of the upcoming instructor-led classes that still have seats available. Just register with your Splunk.com account and use your company training units or a credit card to purchase.  Gotta get training in | Last minute instructor-led courses Things You Needa Know New badge | “I survived summer in Vegas”  Just kidding. The badge isn’t called “I survived summer in Vegas.” It’s called the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer (CDE) and it’s awarded for passing the new certification exam only available onsite at .conf24 in Las Vegas between June 11-14, 2024. This is a beta exam, so registration is free. But, there’s a catch (errr, a prerequisite): You gotta have the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (CDA) certification – read more below. How good will it feel to head home with a new hoodie, loads of swag, and a new certification?  Needa new certification | Get your CDE at .conf24  Bring your prerequisite | Necessary for earning that coveted certification  Hey, look up! Did you catch the article about the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer (CDE) certification? It’s an awesome opportunity for you to add a new certification to your resume for free in Las Vegas at .conf24.  But, to sit for this exam, you’ll need to take the prerequisite – the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (CDA) exam before you go. Even though it’s Vegas, we don’t recommend gambling on this. Get prepped for the test.  Needa know about the prereq | Take the CDA exam before Vegas Places You’ll Wanna Go The Spotlight Theater  | Certification bragging encouraged  Now that you know all about the Spunk Certification options available onsite at .conf24, consider celebrating with us. This year at .conf24, we will be celebrating the hard work and dedication of everyone who has earned a Splunk Certification during our “Bragging Rights Spotlight” celebration and networking event – Wednesday, June 12 from 5-6 p.m. at the Spotlight Theater in the source=*pavilion. Enjoy appetizers and beverages, music, photo ops, and more.    Wanna go celebrate | Brag about your certifications  Education Station | Visit us on the show floor at .conf24 The show floor at .conf24 is called the source=*pavilion and it’s the place to learn about Splunk, grab some fun swag, and make some new friends. Visit us at the Education Station where you can get rooted in education. Explore your Splunk learning options in a relaxed and engaging environment, then capture the experience with a fun photo. Before you go, visit our Knowledge Tree, “leave” us a wish, then take a gift.  Wanna go to the show | Education Station makes it fun   Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go Deep Dive | Register for Security and Observability Tech Talks  Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter   Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.  Answer to Index This: .conf – also known as the annual Splunk user conference   ... View more

Dive into the deep end of data by earning a Splunk Certification at .conf24. We're enticing you again this year with an onsite testing center and budget-friendly exam prices. Elevate your Splunk savvy and turbocharge your salary with a Splunk industry-recognized certification — from platform to security and observability. Massive Markdown on Exam Fees Exams onsite at .conf24 are just $25 USD – a nice cool 80% off the usual rate. But, you've gotta be at .conf24 in Vegas to grab this hot deal. Exclusive Onsite Beta Exam Excitement If you haven’t already heard, we’re dropping a brand-new FREE Beta Splunk certification exam at .conf24. Jetting to Vegas for Splunk .conf24 or Splunk University? This is your golden ticket to be among the first to earn the fresh Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer (CDE) exam. If you're wavering on whether to register, perhaps snagging this elite cert will be the nudge you need. Beta Certification Deets and Prerequisite The CDE will allow you to show off your prowess in wielding security tools via Splunk Enterprise and Enterprise Security. But, just a heads up: you must have the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (CDA) cert in order to sit for the CDE exam. CDA Prerequisite is now on the House  We’re so pumped about the new CDE Certification that we’re giving the CDA Certification – your gateway to CDE – for FREE, but only onsite at .conf24. Don't let a little prerequisite hassle keep you from our latest and greatest Splunk Certification.    Certification Testing Center Timetable  Toscana 3608 -- The Venetian - Tuesday: Noon to 5:00 PM - Wednesday: 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM - Thursday: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM - Friday: 8:00 AM to Noon   Already on the .conf24 list? Lock in your exam slot ASAP to snag the time that suits you best! Your .conf24 discount will kick in at checkout. First-time Splunk cert challenger? Get started by creating your Splunk.com account. Then link up your accounts using this registration form (needs a splunk.com login via STEP). ... View more

As if Splunk University, in Las Vegas, in-person, with three days of bootcamps and labs weren’t enough, now you can head to class in style with a new, exclusive Splunk University long-sleeve tee. Just register for Splunk University and .conf24 and collect your free gift onsite at .conf24.   Dive into the extraordinary world of Splunk University! Far from your everyday educational event, we bring our vibrant community of customer-users together for an fun-filled journey of career growth and skills-building. Choose from 1-, 2-, or 3-day bootcamps packed with hands-on activities and unbeatable networking opportunities. Come to enhance your Splunk skills, leave feeling empowered and inspired.    Pro Tip: We've got several open seats for our popular Transitioning to Cloud Bootcamp, ITSI Administrator Bootcamp, Architect Bootcamp, andObservability Bootcamps -- see details below!   Bootcamp Deep Dive – In Your New Splunk Tee Prepare to embark on a journey filled with learning opportunities tailored to all skill levels. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced user, we've got you covered with a diverse range of sessions designed to meet your needs. Here's a glimpse of what awaits you: Three-day Bootcamps (Sunday through Tuesday) | 240 Training Units Name Description Power User Bootcamp This three-day Bootcamp takes you from A-Z for a Splunk Power User, including topics on how to search, manipulate, correlate, and model data. It combines content from the following courses: Working with Time, Statistical Processing, Comparing Values, Result Modification, Creating Knowledge Objects, Creating Field Extractions, Correlation Analysis, and Data Models. Enterprise Administrator Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares administrators to install, configure, and deploy on-prem Splunk environments. It combines content from Splunk Enterprise System Administration and Splunk Enterprise Data Administration. Advanced Enterprise Administrator Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares administrators to install, configure, and troubleshoot standalone and clustered Splunk deployments. It combines content from Troubleshooting Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cluster Administration. App Developer Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares developers to visualize, integrate, and package data in Splunk. It combines content from Advanced Dashboards and Visualizations, Building Splunk Apps and Developing with Splunk’s REST API. Observability Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares DevOps and SRE teams to use Splunk Observability Cloud to monitor and troubleshoot their microservice and monolithic application environments. It combines content from: Introduction to Splunk Observability Cloud, Fundamentals of Metrics Monitoring, Using Splunk APM, Configuring Tracing and Profiling, Using Splunk RUM, and Using Splunk Synthetic Monitoring. Analytics and Data Science Bootcamp This two-day Bootcamp prepares users to perform more scientific analysis on their data with the Machine Learning Toolkit. It includes content from Splunk for Analytics & Data Science.     Two-day Bootcamps (Monday through Tuesday) | 180 Training Units Name Description ITSI Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares IT practitioners to install, design, implement, monitor and maintain mission-critical services in IT Service Intelligence. It includes new content and content from Using ITSI and Implementing ITSI. Enterprise Security Analyst Bootcamp This two-day Bootcamp prepares security practitioners to identify and track security incidents in Splunk Enterprise Security. It includes content from Using Splunk Enterprise Security. Enterprise Security Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares architects and systems administrators to install, configure and manage Splunk Enterprise Security. It includes content from Administering Splunk Enterprise Security. Cloud Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares new administrators to manage users and get data in Splunk Cloud. It includes content from Splunk Cloud Administration. NOTE: This bootcamp is for Splunk Cloud Administrators who are new to Splunk. If you have experience as a Splunk Administrator on-premise, or have taken the Splunk System and / or Data Administration courses, the Transition to Cloud Bootcamp (1-day) is designed for you. SOAR Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares security practitioners to configure, manage, and use SOAR to investigate, analyze, and automate response to security incidents. It combines content from Investigating Incidents, Administering SOAR, and Developing SOAR Playbooks.     One-day Bootcamps (repeats each day; Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday) | 100 Training Units Name Description Dashboard Studio Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp is designed for power users who want to learn best practices for building dashboards and forms in Dashboard Studio. It combines content from Introduction to Dashboards and Dynamic Dashboards. Transition to Cloud Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp highlights key differences between Splunk Enterprise deployed on-premises and Splunk Enterprise Cloud to allow Splunk Administrators to transition to Splunk Cloud. It includes content from Transitioning to Cloud. NOTE: This bootcamp is designed for experienced Splunk Administrators who have worked with Splunk Enterprise on-premise and are newly responsible for Splunk Cloud Administration. If you are new to Splunk, the Cloud Administrator Bootcamp (2-day) is designed for you. Architect Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp prepares Splunk architects to design, plan, and implement a Splunk deployment. It includes content from Architecting Splunk Enterprise Deployments. ITSI Analysts Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp prepares IT practitioners to monitor and visualize services, investigate issues and integrate dashboards. This course contains content from Using ITSI and additional new content. Blue Team Academy: Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Essentials This one-day bootcamp combines Splunk knowledge with security best practices to bring new analysts up to speed fast. Get hands-on practice working events and hunting for threats using Splunk Core and Enterprise Security. Blue Team Academy: Cybersecurity Defense Engineer In this one-day bootcamp you will learn to optimize SOC workflows using Splunk Enterprise Security and Splunk SOAR. We will explore the art and realities of crafting correlation and risk rules, as well as the basics of automating with SOAR playbooks.   Test Your New Knowledge Take your bootcamp game to the next level with on-site Splunk Certification. At .conf24, you'll have the opportunity to take any Splunk certification exam with PearsonVUE in Las Vegas for only $25 — a steal considering the usual $130 value. Don't miss this chance to showcase your expertise and stand out in the crowd – with a new badge and a new Splunk University long-sleeve t-shirt!   Then, celebrate with us at the “Bragging Rights Spotlight Event” on June 12 in the source=*Pavilion on the Spotlight Stage. RSVP here.   Don’t miss out on Splunk University! Invest in your professional development and take your Splunk expertise to new heights in Las Vegas, June 9-11 and then stay for the fun and excitement of .conf24. Learn more about the full Splunk University and conf24 experience here.  Happy Learning!   – Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

We’re excited to announce a new Splunk certification exam being released at .conf24! If you’re headed to Vegas for Splunk .conf24 or Splunk University, this is your exclusive opportunity to be one of the first to take the new Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer (CDE) exam. And, if you’re still on the fence about registering this year, then maybe earning this coveted certification is just the incentive you need to make your final decision. Beta Certification Details and Prerequisite The Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer is an advanced certification that demonstrates an individual’s skills in using security defense tools with Splunk Enterprise and Enterprise Security. You can find out more about the learning track here. Please also note that you must hold the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (CDA) certification in order to take the CDE exam.  Register Today for the Beta Exam Validate your security defense skills and become a Splunk Certified CDE. This is a beta exam, so it’s FREE to register and only available at .conf24 in Las Vegas from June 11 through June 14, 2024. Seating is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Secure your spot today here.  Take Other Discounted Certification Exams in Vegas Oh, and while you’re with us in Vegas, you can also take any Splunk certification exam with Pearson VUE on-site at .conf24 for only $25 (a $130 value). Can’t wait to see you there!  Get More Information About Splunk Certification If you’re still learning about Splunk Education and the certification exams Splunk offers, we’ve got you covered: Find out more about Splunk Certification Share the value of Splunk Certification with your boss or organization Convince your boss to send you to Splunk University and .conf24  Hope to see you in Las Vegas with a new CDE certification under your belt! (If you can’t get to Vegas, watch for your future opportunity to take the CDA beta certification exam through PearsonVue.)   Oh, and please join us for the "Bragging Rights Spotlight" celebration and networking event while you're with us at .conf24.    Happy Learning!   Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

April 2024 Edition Hayyy Splunk Education Enthusiasts and the Eternally Curious!  We’re back with another edition of indexEducation, the newsletter that takes an untraditional twist on what’s new with Splunk Education. We hope the updates about our courses, certification, and technical training will feed your obsession to learn, grow, and advance your careers. Let’s get started with an index for maximum performance readability: Training You Gotta Take | Things You Needa Know | Places You’ll Wanna Go  Training You Gotta Take It’s a Prerequisite | Critical to Getting that FREE Cert in Vegas!  You know that feeling when you finish the last episode of House of the Dragon and have to wait two years for the next season? Well, we don’t do that to you at Splunk! We’re already back with another free certification at .conf24 in Vegas this summer – the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer (CDE). But, to sit for this exam at .conf24, you’ll need to take the prerequisite – the Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst (CDA) before you go! Think of it as the prequel in the next episode of your career. Gotta Get ‘Pre-Qualified’ | Take the CDA Exam Before Vegas  Last Minute Learning  | Find Out What’s Coming Soon Whether you’re a procrastinator or on that Sigma grindset, we’ve got you covered. Last Minute Learning from Splunk offers you the option to get more learning courses under your belt faster, or make up for the courses you’ve been putting off. Each week, we share a list of the upcoming instructor-led classes that still have seats available. Just register with your Splunk.com account and use your company training units or a credit card to purchase.  Gotta Get it In | Last Minute Instructor-led Courses Things You Needa Know 5 Ways to Learn | Infographic Lays it Out You may be an old fan of the Jackson Five, or maybe you’re into the more modern Ben Folds Five, or perhaps you air guitar to Five for Fighting. But, have you tuned into the Five Ways to Learn Splunk and Supercharge Your Career Growth Infographic? Whether you're a seasoned pro or just dipping your toes into the data-driven universe, there's something for everyone with Splunk Education. Our latest infographic tells the story in five harmonious steps. Happy humming – and enjoy the earworm while you’re at it.  Needa Know the Five Ways | Tune into the Infographic Certification Pays | Roll the Video  Got a minute? Watch and learn why your Splunk Certifications are paying off. According to a recent survey of Splunk users from our community, those who had earned Splunk Certification earned 31% more than their uncertified peers. And, if you’re a business leader who is invested in the success of your organization, you are likely among the 86% who feel they’re in a stronger competitive position because of their teams’ Splunk-certified skills. Get the 60-second, fast-paced pitch about the way Splunk Certifications are impacting careers. Needa Know Why Certification Pays | Watch the Video Places You’ll Wanna Go Summer School | Join Us for Splunk University in Las Vegas  We can probably all remember back to the days when the thought of having to take summer school classes would be just the motivation needed to get heads-down on that last school paper or study longer for the final exam. Back then, going to summer school was not cool. But, now there’s Splunk University happening this summer in Las Vegas between June 9-11, 2024. You’ll never be too cool for school with our bootcamps and labs sure to take your career to new heights.  Wanna Go to Summer School | Find Out About the Vibe YouTube | For the Shorts Bermuda, cargo, daisy-dukes, and Changing the UI theme. What’s the connection? These are all types of shorts. Our Splunk How-To YouTube channel now offers videos like “Changing the Ui theme” in YouTube Shorts – the short-form section on YouTube that allows creators to upload 60-second videos on targeted topics. So now when you’re looking for a quick answer to a Splunk feature or process, search for the short, watch the tip, and get back to Splunking in no time. Wanna Go To YouTube | Try on Our Shorts Find Your Way | Learning Bits and Breadcrumbs Go Stream It  | The Latest Course Releases (Some with Non-English Captions!) Go to STEP | Get Upskilled Go Discuss Stuff | Join the Community Go Social | LinkedIn for News Go Index It | Subscribe to our Newsletter Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us – whether you’re looking to grow your mind, career, or spirit, you can bet your sweet SaaS, we got you. If you think of anything else we may have missed, please reach out to us at indexEducation@splunk.com.  Answer to Index This: A ton ... View more

If you know, you know! Splunk University is the vibe this summer so register today for bootcamps galore between June 9-11, 2024 in Las Vegas.    Splunk University sets itself apart from traditional educational events. It offers our community of customer-users an opportunity to enhance their Splunk skills through 3-, 2-, and 1-day bootcamps, hands-on activities, and networking opportunities, leaving them feeling empowered and inspired. What to Expect Prepare to embark on a journey filled with learning opportunities tailored to all skill levels. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced user, we've got you covered with a diverse range of sessions designed to meet your needs. Here's a glimpse of what awaits you: Bootcamp Deep Dive Three-day Bootcamps (Sunday through Tuesday) | 240 Training Units (using training units) Name Description Power User Bootcamp This three-day Bootcamp takes you from A-Z for a Splunk Power User, including topics on how to search, manipulate, correlate, and model data. It combines content from the following courses: Working with Time, Statistical Processing, Comparing Values, Result Modification, Creating Knowledge Objects, Creating Field Extractions, Correlation Analysis, and Data Models. Enterprise Administrator Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares administrators to install, configure, and deploy on-prem Splunk environments. It combines content from Splunk Enterprise System Administration and Splunk Enterprise Data Administration. Advanced Enterprise Administrator Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares administrators to install, configure, and troubleshoot standalone and clustered Splunk deployments. It combines content from Troubleshooting Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cluster Administration. App Developer Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares developers to visualize, integrate, and package data in Splunk. It combines content from Advanced Dashboards and Visualizations, Building Splunk Apps and Developing with Splunk’s REST API. Observability Bootcamp This three-day bootcamp prepares DevOps and SRE teams to use Splunk Observability Cloud to monitor and troubleshoot their microservice and monolithic application environments. It combines content from: Introduction to Splunk Observability Cloud, Fundamentals of Metrics Monitoring, Using Splunk APM, Configuring Tracing and Profiling, Using Splunk RUM, and Using Splunk Synthetic Monitoring. Analytics and Data Science Bootcamp This two-day Bootcamp prepares users to perform more scientific analysis on their data with the Machine Learning Toolkit. It includes content from Splunk for Analytics & Data Science.     Two-day Bootcamps (Monday through Tuesday) | 180 Training Units (using training units) Name Description ITSI Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares IT practitioners to install, design, implement, monitor and maintain mission-critical services in IT Service Intelligence. It includes new content and content from Using ITSI and Implementing ITSI. Enterprise Security Analyst Bootcamp This two-day Bootcamp prepares security practitioners to identify and track security incidents in Splunk Enterprise Security. It includes content from Using Splunk Enterprise Security. Enterprise Security Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares architects and systems administrators to install, configure and manage Splunk Enterprise Security. It includes content from Administering Splunk Enterprise Security. Cloud Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares new administrators to manage users and get data in Splunk Cloud. It includes content from Splunk Cloud Administration. NOTE: This bootcamp is for Splunk Cloud Administrators who are new to Splunk. If you have experience as a Splunk Administrator on-premise, or have taken the Splunk System and / or Data Administration courses, the Transition to Cloud Bootcamp (1-day) is designed for you. SOAR Administrator Bootcamp This two-day bootcamp prepares security practitioners to configure, manage, and use SOAR to investigate, analyze, and automate response to security incidents. It combines content from Investigating Incidents, Administering SOAR, and Developing SOAR Playbooks.     One-day Bootcamps (repeats each day; Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday) | 100 Training Units  (using training units) Name Description Dashboard Studio Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp is designed for power users who want to learn best practices for building dashboards and forms in Dashboard Studio. It combines content from Introduction to Dashboards and Dynamic Dashboards. Transition to Cloud Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp highlights key differences between Splunk Enterprise deployed on-premises and Splunk Enterprise Cloud to allow Splunk Administrators to transition to Splunk Cloud. It includes content from Transitioning to Cloud. NOTE: This bootcamp is designed for experienced Splunk Administrators who have worked with Splunk Enterprise on-premise and are newly responsible for Splunk Cloud Administration. If you are new to Splunk, the Cloud Administrator Bootcamp (2-day) is designed for you. Architect Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp prepares Splunk architects to design, plan, and implement a Splunk deployment. It includes content from Architecting Splunk Enterprise Deployments. ITSI Analysts Bootcamp This one-day bootcamp prepares IT practitioners to monitor and visualize services, investigate issues and integrate dashboards. This course contains content from Using ITSI and additional new content. Blue Team Academy: Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Essentials This one-day bootcamp combines Splunk knowledge with security best practices to bring new analysts up to speed fast. Get hands-on practice working events and hunting for threats using Splunk Core and Enterprise Security. Blue Team Academy: Cybersecurity Defense Engineer In this one-day bootcamp you will learn to optimize SOC workflows using Splunk Enterprise Security and Splunk SOAR. We will explore the art and realities of crafting correlation and risk rules, as well as the basics of automating with SOAR playbooks.   Get Splunk Certified On-Site Too! Elevate your bootcamp game by validating your skills with on-site Splunk Certification. At .conf24, you'll have the opportunity to take any Splunk certification exam with PearsonVUE in Las Vegas for only $25 — a steal considering the usual $130 value. Don't miss this chance to showcase your expertise and stand out in the crowd!    🏆 Then, celebrate with us at the “Bragging Rights Spotlight Event” on June 12 in the source=*Pavilion on the Spotlight Stage. 🏆   Don’t miss out on Splunk University! Invest in your professional development and take your Splunk expertise to new heights in Las Vegas, June 9-11 and then stay for the fun and excitement of .conf24. Learn more about the full Splunk University and conf24 experience here.    Happy Learning!   – Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

If you’re a Spiunk Certified practitioner, then you will be excited by this validation –  all that hard work is paying off. According to a recent survey of Splunk users from our community, those who had earned Splunk Certification earned 31% more than their uncertified peers.  And, if you’re a business leader who is invested in the success of your organization, you are likely among the 86% who feel they’re in a stronger competitive position because of their teams’ Splunk-certified skills.  Let’s Roll the Video  These are just a few of the powerful metrics that point to the career-impacting value of getting Splunk Certified. If you want the 60-second, fast-paced pitch about the way Splunk Certifications are impacting careers, check out our latest video.  And, There’s More… You can also learn more about how proficiency in Splunk supports resilience, career growth, and gaining a competitive edge by checking out the 2023 Splunk Career Impact Report.    And, Don’t Forget about Vegas Register today to schedule and take any exam onsite at .conf24 in Las Vegas. The Splunk Certification testing center will be up and running from Tuesday, June 11 to Friday, June 14, 2024. Get all the details here!    Happy Learning!   - Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew ... View more

Are you working out a Splunk use case and need some guidance? Or maybe you’re getting prepped for a new Splunk Certification? Either way, we have opportunities to help you reach those goals through our instructor-led, virtual training courses.  While our training is highly in-demand and seats are limited, there are weeks where we have a few seats available and would love you to join us!  In the next two weeks, there are still seats available for the following virtual training courses – available for purchase via training units or credit card. This is also a great opportunity to take those training units that might be expiring soon! October 14, 2024 Investigating Incidents with Splunk SOAR (9:00 a.m. EDT AMER Time) Using Splunk Application Performance Monitoring (9:00 a.m. SGT APAC Singapore Time) Splunk Cluster Administration (9:00 a.m. EDT AMER Time) Introduction to Dashboards (9:00 a.m. BST EMEA UK Time) Using Splunk Application Performance Monitoring (9:00 a.m. BST EMEA UK Time) Splunk Search Expert Fast Start (9:00 a.m.  EDT AMER Time) October 16, 2024 Using Splunk Enterprise Security (9:00 a.m.  PDT AMER Time) Manual Instrumentation with Splunk APM (9:00 a.m. SGT APAC Singapore Time) Advanced SOAR Implementation (9:00 a.m. SGT APAC Singapore Time) October 17, 2024 Architecting Splunk Enterprise Deployments (9:00 a.m. BST EMEA UK Time)   Space is limited, so hurry! Select the class that interests you and get enrolled today!  Watch for weekly opportunities to get those classes under your belt -- at the last minute!  Happy Learning!    – Callie Skokos on behalf of the Splunk Education Crew Subscribe today!   ... View more