After managing source types and extracting fields, which key step comes next in the Add-On Builder?

The next key step after managing source types and extracting fields in the Add-On Builder process is mapping to data models. This step is crucial because it aligns the extracted fields with predefined data models, which facilitates the use of accelerated searches, reports, and visualizations within Splunk. By mapping fields to data models, you ensure that the events processed can be understood in the context of security use cases, thereby enhancing the ability to conduct insightful analysis and investigations.

Mapping to data models creates a structured data layout that enables users to utilize context-rich searches more efficiently. It supports the creation of dashboards and reports that leverage the relationship between different events and attributes, which is particularly important in security monitoring processes.

The other choices, while important in their own right, are not the immediate next steps after field extraction. For instance, validating and packaging ensures that the add-on you’ve created is functional and ready for distribution, which usually comes after all configuration steps are complete. Configuring data collection refers to the setup of how data will be ingested into Splunk, which typically occurs prior to field extraction. Creating alert actions is focused on responding to specific conditions in the data once it’s in the system, rather than on how data is organized and structured after extraction.

Thus,