When indexer acknowledgment is enabled, by what factor does Splunk increase the forwarder wait queue?

When indexer acknowledgment is enabled in Splunk, it significantly changes the way data is handled between the forwarder and the indexer. Specifically, the forwarder wait queue is increased by a factor of 3.

The rationale behind this increase is related to the acknowledgment process itself. With indexer acknowledgment, the forwarder not only sends data to the indexer but also awaits a confirmation that the data has been successfully indexed. This added step requires the forwarder to manage more data packets waiting for acknowledgment, effectively increasing the capacity of the wait queue by three times to accommodate this additional workflow.

This mechanism helps ensure data integrity and reliability, as it creates a buffer that allows for better management of data flow and acknowledgment checks. This is particularly important in a production setting where maintaining the accuracy and completeness of the indexed data is crucial.

In contrast, other factors like 1.5x, 2x, or 4x do not align with the standardized behavior as defined by Splunk documentation regarding how acknowledgment impacts data queuing, making the factor of 3 the most relevant and accurate answer.