If Splunk cannot determine the timestamp on structured data, what should you do?

When Splunk is unable to automatically determine the timestamp on structured data, indicating the timestamp field is the most effective approach. This ensures that Splunk can accurately parse and index the data with the correct temporal context, which is crucial for effective searching and analysis.

By explicitly specifying the timestamp field, you provide Splunk with the necessary information to handle the data accurately. This is especially important for structured data, where the format can be more rigid and predictable compared to unstructured data. Properly identifying the timestamp can help in establishing the event timeline, improving search performance, and ensuring accurate reporting.

Although other options might seem viable, they do not effectively address the issue of timestamp recognition. Leaving the timestamp blank would create ambiguity about when the events occurred, potentially leading to misinterpretations in searches and visualizations. Setting a default timestamp could lead to inaccuracies if the default does not reflect the actual event times. Using a scripted input, while useful in certain scenarios, may complicate the ingestion process and might not directly resolve the issue of timestamp recognition without additional scripting logic. Therefore, indicating the timestamp field is the most straightforward and reliable solution in this context.