What does "tailing" mean in the context of a Splunk forwarder?

In the context of a Splunk forwarder, "tailing" specifically refers to the process of continuously monitoring log files for any new data that is appended. When a log file is being tailed, the forwarder reads the end of the file in real-time and automatically sends any additional entries to the Splunk indexer as they are written. This is particularly useful for scenarios like application logs, system logs, or any other type of log file that is actively being updated.

This functionality enables Splunk to capture data in near real-time, ensuring that the information is available for analysis and reporting without manual intervention. This real-time data streaming is crucial for monitoring live systems and responding to events or issues as they occur.

Other options describe different processes that do not align with the definition of "tailing." Archiving old log data implies a historical and static approach, stopping data collection halts the flow of information entirely, and deleting obsolete logs is a maintenance task—none of these actions reflect the real-time, dynamic nature of tailing in Splunk forwarders.