log and sourcetype reporting in splunk

Hi FeG,

If you want to report on logs ingested with Cribl while keeping those logs stored on the Cribl side and not forwarding them to Splunk, you will have to explore a couple of methods that allow you to pull data from Cribl in a way that Splunk can report on it, without bringing the logs into Splunk itself. Here are some potential options:

1. REST API Integration

Cribl offers REST APIs for interacting with data. You can build a framework to query and report on the logs directly from Splunk using these APIs.

• Steps to Implement:
  1. Identify Cribl API Endpoints: Determine the endpoints that allow you to search or retrieve logs. Consult the Cribl documentation to find the appropriate API methods.
  2. Build a Custom Splunk App or Script: Create a custom Splunk search command or a Splunk app that uses the Cribl API to pull logs into Splunk dynamically when needed.
     • You will need to use Python or a similar scripting language, leveraging the Splunk SDK to authenticate, query, and retrieve the logs from Cribl.
  3. Schedule Queries: Depending on your reporting needs, you could automate these queries to run on a schedule, or trigger them manually via the Splunk interface.

2. Use of a Middleware Layer

Implement a middleware solution that can collect logs periodically from Cribl and facilitate access to them in Splunk.

• Building a Middleware Application:
  • Create a simple application or script that:
    1. Uses Cribl's API to fetch logs locally.
    2. Writes those logs to a file or keeps them in memory.
    3. Serves as a data source for your Splunk queries.
  • For Splunk, you could use a REST API input to query data from this middleware, allowing you to run reports on the logs without storing them in Splunk.

3. Scheduled Reports or Batch Jobs

If Cribl can export logs or provide an output to a file format (like CSV or JSON), you could set up a scheduled process that:

• Export Logs from Cribl: Periodically export the logs from Cribl manually or use automation to trigger this.
• Ingest Results in Splunk: Use a standalone script to run on a schedule that imports exported log files into Splunk.

4. Data Virtualization

Some organizations leverage data virtualization strategies where they keep logs in the original ingestion platform and provide a virtualized view to Splunk.

• Create Views or Queries: If your organization has a data virtualization layer in place, configure it to provide views of the logs stored in Cribl, which Splunk can query. This often involves creating a database or using an existing data warehouse solution.

Conclusion

To achieve reporting on logs ingested with Cribl without forwarding any data to Splunk, you can leverage Cribl's REST APIs, build a middleware solution, or schedule batch jobs that allow you to export and pull log data into Splunk when needed. The method you choose will ultimately depend on factors such as your technical comfort level, desired frequency of reporting, and infrastructure in your organization.

Make sure to also consider the performance implications of how often you pull data from Cribl, especially if it hosts a large volume of logs, to avoid overloading your Splunk instance or the Cribl setup.

Let me know if any above worked for You.

All best,

RO