Final answer:
The Search Head is the Splunk deployment component that initiates searches, aggregating results and serving as the user interface for query execution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The architectural component of a Splunk deployment that initiates a search is the Search Head. In a Splunk environment, there are several key components, but to understand the specific roles relating to searching, we should focus on the responsibilities of the Forwarder, the Indexer, and the Search Head.
A Forwarder is responsible for collecting data from various sources and forwarding it to the Indexer. The Indexer, in turn, processes the data, indexing it to facilitate rapid searching and analysis. However, it is the Search Head that initiates searches, aggregates the results, and provides an interface for users to interact with the indexed data. When a user queries the system to search for specific patterns or data, the query is executed from the Search Head, making it the starting point for searches.
Therefore, when considering which component kicks off a search within Splunk, the correct answer is (3) Search Head.