When defining a monitored source in inputs.conf, which type of path is used?

When defining a monitored source in inputs.conf within Splunk, an absolute path is required for referencing the data source. This is essential because an absolute path provides the complete, unambiguous location of the directory or file in the file system, ensuring that Splunk can correctly locate and index the specified data without any uncertainty. For example, an absolute path may look like /var/log/syslog or C:\Program Files\Splunk\var\log\splunk.

Using an absolute path guarantees that there are no discrepancies based on the current working directory of the Splunk process, making it a reliable method for specifying data inputs. Meanwhile, relative paths could lead to reliability issues, as they depend on the context in which the Splunk instance is running, paving the way for potential misconfigurations and data access problems. Other terms like concurrent and dynamic do not apply to the context of specifying paths in inputs.conf, as they refer to different functionalities related to data handling and processing within Splunk.