What is the primary use of correlation searches in Splunk ES?

The primary use of correlation searches in Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) is indeed to identify and analyze relationships between different data points in security events. Correlation searches are powerful tools that help security analysts detect suspicious or malicious activities by combining various data sources and looking for patterns, anomalies, or indicators that may signify a security threat.

By utilizing correlation searches, organizations can automate the detection of complex security incidents that might go unnoticed when reviewing data in isolation. This capability allows for timely alerts and actions based on the analysis of correlated events, which is crucial in minimizing potential damage from security breaches.

In contrast, archiving logs focuses on long-term data storage rather than real-time analysis. Creating visualizations of data trends involves a different approach, emphasizing the representation of data rather than the relationships at the heart of security monitoring. Deploying applications across multiple instances pertains to infrastructure management rather than the analysis of security events. Thus, the focus on relationships and patterns in security events distinctly positions correlation searches as a critical feature for security analysis in Splunk ES.