Prerequisites

Before you install this version of Splunk DB Connect, your environment must meet the requirements listed in this topic.

Splunk Enterprise

• This version of Splunk DB Connect is compatible with Splunk Platform versions 6.4.0 and later.
• Splunk DB Connect is compatible with Splunk Cloud.
• Splunk DB Connect is not compatible with Splunk Light.
• Splunk DB Connect is not compatible with Splunk servers configured for FIPS compliance.

User permissions

Before using DB Connect, a logged-in user must have the ability to write to the $SPLUNK_HOME/var directory (%SPLUNK_HOME%\var on Windows hosts) and to $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/splunk_app_db_connect (%SPLUNK_HOME%\etc\apps\splunk_app_db_connect on Windows hosts) and its sub-directories. For more information, see Use access control to secure Splunk data.

Operating systems and browsers

Splunk DB Connect runs on the following operating systems. For details, see supported operating systems of Splunk Enterprise.

• Linux, kernel version 2.6 and later
• Linux, kernel version 3.x and later
• Windows Server 2008R2, 2012R2

You can use the following browsers to use Splunk DB Connect on your Splunk platform:

• Apple Safari (latest)
• Google Chrome (latest)
• Microsoft Edge (latest)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 11
• Mozilla Firefox (latest)

Java Platform, Standard Edition Development Kit (JDK)

Before deploying Splunk DB Connect, install the Java Platform, Standard Edition Development Kit (JDK) 8 from Oracle Java SE Downloads. Do not install just the Java Platform, Standard Edition Runtime Environment (JRE); it is not sufficient.

1. Download and install JDK 8 (with Update 121 or later). Only use a supported JVM in server mode, not in client mode. Splunk DB Connect only supports the Oracle JDK.
2. Once you have installed the JDK, write down the path to the JDK directory, or $JAVA_HOME. You need the filepath when you are configuring DB Connect. When DB Connect 3.0.0 prompts you to input the JRE Installation path in Configuration > Settings, be sure to input the complete JDK filepath you wrote down.

If you are unsure whether you have the correct version of Java installed, access DB Connect setup. On the first screen of the DB Connect setup or at Configuration > Settings > General you can specify the path to your JDK. If there is a problem with the Java install or the system $JAVA_HOME variable is incorrect, DB Connect displays an error message. It is important that you resolve any JDK issues before proceeding as DB Connect uses Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) to communicate with your databases.

Database and JDBC database driver

Splunk DB Connect supports connections to many databases. You must install a Java Database Connection (JDBC) driver before you can connect to databases with DB Connect.

For more information about the databases that Splunk DB Connect supports, see Supported databases.

For information about connecting to unsupported databases with Splunk DB Connect, see Other databases.

Splunk licenses and DB Connect

If you configure Splunk DB Connect to import data from a connected database into a Splunk Enterprise index, the amount of data Splunk Enterprise indexes counts towards your Splunk Enterprise license. Using the dbxquery, dbxlookup, and dbxoutput commands against a connected database in DB Connect does not count towards the license.

For more information about Splunk licenses, see How Splunk licensing works.

Splunk DB Connect Release Notes

For the latest known issues and fixed problems in Splunk DB Connect, see Release Notes.