# Splunk Itsi Setup

> Use when the outcome is ITSI product/package installation, upgrade, license readiness, restart, core-app health, or installation validation; route post-install entities, services, KPIs, dependencies, Event Analytics configuration, and content-pack import to splunk-itsi-config. Install and validate Splunk IT Service Intelligence (ITSI) on Splunk Cloud or Splunk Enterprise.

- Skill: `chambear2809/splunk-itsi-setup` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add chambear2809/splunk-itsi-setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/chambear2809/splunk-itsi-setup/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: chambear2809 (https://skillmd.com/u/chambear2809)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/chambear2809/splunk-itsi-setup

---


# Splunk ITSI Setup Automation

## Prerequisites

| Tool or access | Purpose | Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Bash and Python 3 | Run bundled setup and validation helpers | `bash --version && python3 --version` |
| Required product/platform access | Inspect or configure the selected target | Complete the documented preflight |
| Credential files for live modes | Keep secrets out of chat | Verify paths only |

## Workflow Overview

```text
┌───────────┐   ┌───────────────┐   ┌───────────────┐   ┌─────────────────┐
│ Preflight │ → │ Render/review │ → │ Apply/handoff │ → │ Validate evidence │
└───────────┘   └───────────────┘   └───────────────┘   └─────────────────┘
```

## When to Activate

- The outcome is ITSI product/package installation, upgrade, license readiness, restart, core-app health, or
  installation validation; route post-install entities, services, KPIs, dependencies, Event Analytics configuration,
  and content-pack.
- Preview and review the splunk itsi setup workflow before any live apply phase.
- Diagnose failed prerequisites, generated assets, configuration, or validation evidence.

## Scope

Follow the documented read-only or render-first path whenever it is available.
This skill does not imply permission to mutate live systems. Require explicit
apply flags, protected credentials, and operator review for state changes.

## Examples

Inspect the supported setup modes before selecting one:

```bash
bash skills/splunk-itsi-setup/scripts/setup.sh --help
```

Expected output: usage, supported modes, and required arguments are displayed
without changing the target environment.

Inspect validation modes before running completion checks:

```bash
bash skills/splunk-itsi-setup/scripts/validate.sh --help
```

Expected output: offline, live, and completion options are displayed when the
skill supports them; help exits without mutation.

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Preflight fails | A required tool or access path is missing | Resolve it before rendering or applying |
| Rendered assets are incomplete | Required non-secret inputs are absent | Complete intake and render again |
| Apply is blocked | Review, credentials, or explicit acceptance is missing | Use the documented handoff |
| Validation is incomplete | Live evidence is unavailable | Record the gap and keep completion open |

## Shared add-on completion gate

Whenever this workflow installs, configures, or hands off ITSI or a companion
content pack, follow the
[shared completion gate](../shared/ta_completion_gate.md). Package delivery
alone is not success; validate applicable ingest, ITSI objects, and shipped
views against data.

Automates installation and validation of **Splunk IT Service Intelligence**
(`SA-ITOA`).

## About ITSI

ITSI is a premium Splunk product for AI-powered IT operations monitoring. It
provides service-level visibility, ML-based anomaly detection, event
correlation, and glass table dashboards. ITSI is also a dependency for
bidirectional integrations in apps like Cisco ThousandEyes.

ITSI requires a valid Splunk ITSI license. The install skill handles package
delivery but does not manage licensing.

## Routing boundary

Use this skill when the requested outcome is to install, upgrade, restart, or
validate the **ITSI product and its core app bundle**. After ITSI is installed,
licensed, enabled, and healthy, stop this workflow and hand configuration to
[`splunk-itsi-config`](../splunk-itsi-config/SKILL.md).

Examples owned by `splunk-itsi-config` include entities, services, KPIs,
thresholds, dependencies, service trees, service-template links, custom NEAPs,
maintenance and other reviewed native objects, and content-pack catalog/import
work. The configuration skill must never call this installation workflow
automatically; a missing-product finding is an explicit user-visible handoff.

## Package Model

**Pull from Splunkbase first, fall back to `splunk-ta/`.** Use
`splunk-app-install` with `--source splunkbase --app-id 1841`; the shared
installer pins the repository-verified release by default. If Splunkbase is
unavailable, fall back to the local package in `splunk-ta/`.

The repository-verified package and configuration baseline is ITSI `4.21.2`,
which also advertises Splunk 10.5, so the default install path needs no
override. The current public listing is `5.0.1` and advertises Splunk 10.5 too,
but its package and native-object contracts have not been verified here: the
Splunkbase download for `1841` is entitlement-gated and returns HTTP 403 without
an ITSI entitlement, so `5.0.1` could not be downloaded, unpacked, or inspected.
The shared installer therefore defaults to `4.21.2`; only an explicit
`--accept-unverified-release` follows public `5.0.1`. After that override,
limit this skill to package installation and core-health validation, then
review ITSI 5.0 before handing native object changes to `splunk-itsi-config`.

After installation, use this skill to validate the deployment and check
integration readiness for dependent apps (e.g., ThousandEyes).

## Agent Behavior — Credentials

**The agent must NEVER ask for passwords or secrets in chat.**

Splunk and Splunkbase credentials are read automatically from the project-root
`credentials` file (falls back to `~/.splunk/credentials`). If neither exists,
guide the user to create it:

```bash
bash skills/shared/scripts/setup_credentials.sh
```

ITSI does not require additional device credentials or API keys beyond the
standard Splunk authentication.

## Environment

| Item | Value |
|------|-------|
| Search-tier API | `SPLUNK_SEARCH_API_URI` env var (legacy alias: `SPLUNK_URI`) |
| Cloud stack | `SPLUNK_CLOUD_STACK` for Cloud installs |
| App name | `SA-ITOA` (also installs `itsi` and supporting apps) |
| Splunkbase ID | 1841 |
| Credentials | Project-root `credentials` file (falls back to `~/.splunk/credentials`) |
| Skill scripts | `skills/splunk-itsi-setup/scripts/` (relative to repo root) |

### Remote Splunk Connection

```bash
export SPLUNK_SEARCH_API_URI="https://splunk-host:8089"
```

## Setup Workflow

### Step 1: Install ITSI

```bash
bash skills/splunk-app-install/scripts/install_app.sh \
  --source splunkbase --app-id 1841
```

That command defaults to the repository-reviewed `4.21.2` package. To request
public `5.0.1`, add `--accept-unverified-release` and follow the compatibility
review boundary above.

If Splunkbase is unavailable, fall back to a local package:

```bash
bash skills/splunk-app-install/scripts/install_app.sh \
  --source local --file splunk-ta/itsi_package.spl
```

ITSI installs multiple apps including `SA-ITOA`, `itsi`, `SA-UserAccess`, and
supporting components. The Splunkbase package bundles all of them.

### Step 2: Restart If Required

On Splunk Enterprise, restart Splunk after installation.
On Splunk Cloud, check `acs status current-stack` and only run
`acs restart current-stack` when ACS reports `restartRequired=true`.

### Step 3: Validate

```bash
bash skills/splunk-itsi-setup/scripts/validate.sh
```

Checks: core ITSI apps installed, KVStore collections available, ITSI
navigation accessible, and integration readiness for dependent apps.

## ITSI Core Apps

| App | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| `SA-ITOA` | ITSI core engine — service definitions, KPIs, event management |
| `itsi` | ITSI UI — glass tables, service analyzer, deep dives |
| `SA-UserAccess` | Role-based access control for ITSI |
| `SA-ITSI-Licensechecker` | ITSI license validation |

## Integration Points

### Cisco ThousandEyes

When ITSI is installed alongside the ThousandEyes app (`ta_cisco_thousandeyes`),
the following integrations become available:

- **Alert action**: `thousandeyes_forward_splunk_events` forwards ITSI notable
  events to ThousandEyes
- **Event sampling**: Controlled event forwarding rate to ThousandEyes
- **KVStore**: `itsi_episodes` tracks episode state for ThousandEyes correlation

The ThousandEyes validate script automatically detects ITSI presence and
reports integration readiness.

## Key Learnings / Known Issues

1. **License required**: ITSI is a premium product. Installation will succeed
   but full functionality requires a valid ITSI license applied to the Splunk
   instance.
2. **Multiple apps**: ITSI installs as a bundle of several apps. `SA-ITOA` is
   the primary app to check for when verifying installation.
3. **Cloud considerations**: On Splunk Cloud, ITSI installation may require
   coordination with Splunk Cloud support depending on your stack type.
4. **KVStore dependency**: ITSI relies heavily on KVStore. Ensure KVStore is
   healthy before and after installation.
5. **Restart required**: ITSI always requires a Splunk restart after
   installation.