What is the purpose of reports in Splunk?

The purpose of reports in Splunk is centered around analyzing and visualizing data over time. Reports enable users to run saved searches that can present data in a meaningful way, be it through tables, charts, or graphs. This functionality allows users to derive insights from the data by identifying trends, patterns, and anomalies over specified time periods.

Reports can be scheduled to run at certain intervals, which enhances their utility for ongoing monitoring and analysis, providing valuable information that can inform decision-making processes. By aggregating and presenting data visually, reports play a crucial role in transforming raw data into actionable intelligence, aiding users in understanding the behavior of systems and applications over time.

Other options, such as storing unprocessed log data or creating alerts for every event, focus on different functionalities within Splunk that do not specifically align with the intended purpose of reports. Likewise, starting a new search session is more about initiating a query rather than leveraging the analytical features that reports provide.