• Read This First
  • System requirements
    • Host operating system
    • Client operating system / browser (for access to Splunk Web)
    • Hardware capacity requirements
    • Supported server hardware architectures
    • Supported file systems
    • Storage and performance notes
• Step by Step Installation
  • Step 1: Unpack the software
    • Tarball
    • RPM
    • deb
    • FreeBSD
    • Mac OS
    • Solaris
  • Step 2: Start Splunk
  • Step 3: Install or update your license
    • Via Splunk Web
    • Via the command line
  • Windows installation
    • Get started with the Splunk Windows port
• Install Splunk Toolbar
  • Install Splunk toolbar for Firefox
    • Install from download page
    • Install from Splunk server
    • Uninstall Splunk Toolbar
  • Install Splunk toolbar for Internet Explorer (beta)
    • Install from download page
    • Install from Internet Explorer
    • Uninstall Internet Explorer toolbar
• Advanced Installation Topics
  • Configure Splunk before startup
    • To start at boot time
    • To bind to an IP
  • Run Splunk as non-root user
    • Instructions
    • Solaris 10 privileges
  • Configure SELinux
  • License management
    • Access your license
    • Install via Splunk Web
    • Install via CLI
    • First login after applying new trial/Enterprise license
    • License violations
  • Uninstall Splunk manually
• Upgrade Instructions
  • Upgrade and migrate to 3.2
  • Upgrade Splunk on Windows
    • Start Splunk
  • Migration considerations
    • Scripts in /splunk/bin are not saved
    • Saved searches
    • Changes to indexes.conf
    • Must upgrade all instances of Splunk in a distributed environment
    • Instances of Splunk deployment server must match clients
• Help
  • Getting Help
    • Accessing help in Splunk Web
    • Accessing help in the command line (CLI)
    • How can I learn more about Splunk's advanced features?
    • I lost my Splunk.com password. What do I do?
    • How do I report problems?
    • How can I make suggestions?
    • I have some questions that aren't answered here. Where can I get help?
• Reference
  • File Manifest
  • PGP Public Key
    • Installing the key

Step 3: Install or update your license

If you are performing a new installation of Splunk or switching from one license type to another (for example from Free to Enterprise), you must update your license. You can update your license using the CLI or Splunk Web.

• If you are installing a new Splunk enterprise license for the first time, you will need to log in with the default administrator account: username admin and password changeme.
• Your license is in the email that you received from splunk.com after you signed up for a free trial or purchased Enterprise Splunk.
• You must have a separate license for every instance of Enterprise Splunk that you deploy.

Note: These instructions are for Splunk 3.0 and later, for earlier versions, see 2.2.3 instructions.

Via Splunk Web

1. Open the email Splunk sent you containing your license.

2. Select the license text with your mouse and copy it.

3. Start Splunk.

4. Launch a supported browser and go to the URL Splunk displayed in a text file when you started it.
The URL looks like http://<//servername//>:8000. Use the server name and port you specified (port 8000 is the default value).

5. In Splunk Web, click the Admin link in the upper right hand corner.

6. Click Admin -> License & Usage and then click Change license.

7. Paste your new license into the text box and click Save.

8. From the Admin -> Server -> Control tab, restart the Splunk Server.

Via the command line

1. Navigate to the splunk.license file, located in the ./etc/ directory of the Splunk home directory (referred to as $SPLUNK_HOME in this documentation).

2. Copy your new or previous license key file into ./etc/splunk.license beneath your Splunk home directory.

cp -p splunk.license $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/

3. When you've copied the license file, start or restart the Splunk Server.

/$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk restart