Install the Splunk Add-on for Kafka

1. Get the Splunk Add-on for Kafka by downloading it from http://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/2935 or browsing to it using the app browser within Splunk Web.
2. Determine where and how to install this add-on in your deployment, using the tables on this page.
3. Perform any prerequisite steps before installing, if required and specified in the tables below.
4. Complete your installation.

If you need step-by-step instructions on how to install an add-on in your specific deployment environment, see Installation walkthroughs on this page for links to installation instructions specific to a single-instance deployment, distributed deployment, Splunk Cloud, or Splunk Light.

Use the tables below to determine where and how to install this add-on in a distributed deployment of Splunk Enterprise. See the installation walkthrough section at the bottom of this page for links to installation instructions specific to a single-instance deployment, distributed deployment, Splunk Cloud, or Splunk Light.

Distributed deployments

Use the tables below to determine where and how to install this add-on in a distributed deployment of Splunk Enterprise or any deployment for which you are using forwarders to get your data in. Depending on your environment, your preferences, and the requirements of the add-on, you may need to install the add-on in multiple places.

Where to install this add-on

Unless otherwise noted, all supported add-ons can be safely installed to all tiers of a distributed Splunk platform deployment. See Where to install Splunk add-ons in Splunk Add-ons for more information.

This table provides a quick reference for installing this add-on to a distributed deployment of the Splunk platform.

Splunk platform instance type	Supported	Required	Comments
Search Heads	Yes	Yes	Install this add-on to all search heads where Kafka knowledge management is required.
Indexers	Yes	Conditional	Not required if you use heavy forwarders to monitor Kafka log files directly on Kafka machines. Required if you use universal or light forwarders for monitor inputs.
Heavy Forwarders	Yes	Yes	This add-on requires heavy forwarders to perform data collection via JMX and modular inputs.
Universal Forwarders	Yes	No	Supported for monitor inputs only. You must also install this add-on on your indexers if you use a universal forwarder rather than a heavy forwarder to monitor Kafka log files.
Light Forwarders	Yes	No	Supported for monitor inputs only. You must also install this add-on on your indexers if you use a light forwarder rather than a heavy forwarder to monitor Kafka log files.

Distributed deployment feature compatibility

This table provides a quick reference for the compatibility of this add-on with Splunk distributed deployment features.

Distributed deployment feature	Supported	Actions required
Search Head Clusters	Yes	You can install this add-on on a search head cluster for all search-time functionality, but configure inputs on forwarders to avoid duplicate data collection. Before installing this add-on to a cluster, remove the eventgen.conf files and all files in the samples folder.
Indexer Clusters	Yes	Before installing this add-on to a cluster, make the following changes to the add-on package: 1. Remove the eventgen.conf files and all files in the samples folder 2. Remove the inputs.conf file.
Deployment Server	No	Supported for deploying unconfigured add-ons only. Using a deployment server to deploy the configured add-on to multiple forwarders acting as data collectors causes duplication of data. The add-on uses the credential vault to secure your credentials, and this credential management solution is incompatible with the deployment server.

Installation walkthrough

The Splunk Add-Ons manual includes an Installing add-ons guide that helps you successfully install any Splunk-supported add-on to your Splunk platform.

For a walkthrough of the installation procedure, follow the link that matches your deployment scenario:

• Single-instance Splunk Enterprise
• Distributed Splunk Enterprise
• Splunk Cloud
• Splunk Light