Splunk likes to call itself "the Google of IT." Its product crawls network in search of log data -- stuff typically ignored until something goes wrong -- indexes it, and presents it in a graphical BI (business intelligence) format that IT decision makers can use to optimize performance, availability, and security.
In keeping with its trend of releasing free software versions, Splunk has just made a free version of its Splunk 4 search application available for download. Splunk 4 searches 10 times as fast and indexes twice as fast as the company's previous offering, and it allows users to search, visualize and report on practically any machine-generated data.
[ Splunk is one of several companies seeking to make use of IT's so-called dark matter, log files that are generated by servers, routers, switches, and other devices. ]
The free version of Splunk 4 also includes a two-month trial version of the enterprise-level version with the option to upgrade during or after the trial period. Splunk 4 Enterprise adds enterprise dashboards, monitoring and alerting, distributed deployments, enterprise support, the ability to work with premium apps, and a greater per-day indexing limit (Splunk4 Free caps indexing at 500MB per day; the enterprise limits vary based on which license is purchased).
Splunk calls its offering an "IT utility knife" due to its wide-ranging usefulness across IT tasks and jobs. System admins, for example, can use Splunk to troubleshoot all infrastructure levels, from servers to apps to networks, while security officers can use it to sniff out and investigate attacks. Even developers can utilize it to analyze application logs.
Pricing for Splunk 4 Enterprise starts at $5,000. Splunk 4 Free can be downloaded at Splunk's Web site.
Get the independent advice and expertise you need to support a virtual workforce.
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Read this 2 page white paper now to learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now »
Ensuring acceptable application delivery will become even more difficult over the next few years. As a result, IT organizations need to ensure that the approach that they take to resolving the current application delivery challenges can scale to support the emerging challenges. This handbook elaborates on the key tasks associated with planning, optimization, management and control and provides decision criteria to help IT organizations choose appropriate solutions.
Download now »
A common misconception is that mid-range storage requirements are dramatically different than that of a larger enterprise. Mid-range storage users may require less capacity, but they have similar functionality and management requirements. This ESG paper examines mid-range storage needs and reviews a new solution that adjusts size while retaining value, performance and functionality.
Download now »
Sign up to receive InfoWorld Resource Alerts
Like any valuable resource, IT is a terrible thing to waste. But by applying the same lean techniques that have been used to streamline manufacturing processes, IT departments can reduce costs, improve performance and better manage resources.
Download now! »
Stephen Elliot, vice president of strategy for CA's Infrastructure Management and Data Center Automation business unit, explains why difficult economic times drive the need for simplified management capabilities and advanced automation tools.
Listen now! »
According to a recent study CA conducted with 300 CIOs and top IT executives, 64 percent of respondents say they've already invested in virtualization, and the other 36 percent reported that they plan to invest in virtualization.
Download now! »
In this video learn about process automation in a virtualized world. How CA and VMware are enabling enterprise datacenter automation.
View now! »
55 Recommendations
