In indexes.conf, what does the 'maxDataSize' setting control?

The 'maxDataSize' setting in indexes.conf is crucial as it determines the limit on how much data can be stored in a single bucket within an index. Buckets are the fundamental data storage units in Splunk, categorized into different states—hot, warm, cold, and frozen. By defining the maximum data size for these buckets, this setting effectively manages storage usage and ensures that individual buckets do not exceed a expected size, which can impact performance and manageability.

When the data in a bucket reaches the specified 'maxDataSize,' Splunk will create a new bucket to continue storing incoming data. This helps maintain performance by avoiding large, unwieldy buckets that can slow down search and indexing operations.

In contrast, while the number of searchable buckets and data retention period are also important configurations in Splunk, they are governed by different settings in indexes.conf and are not directly controlled by 'maxDataSize.' The frequency of data indexing pertains to how often data is indexed, which is a separate process that does not directly relate to individual bucket size.