Syslog: Difference between revisions

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Syslog collects log data from multiple programs either to RAM or to a file, and handles log rotation (similar to <code>journald</code> on systemd-based systems). Alpine installs <code>syslog</code> as provided by <code>busybox</code> per default, but it also packages [https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/packages?name=*syslog* other implementations], such as <code>rsyslog</code> and <code>syslog-ng</code>.
Syslog collects log data from multiple programs either to RAM or to a file, and handles log rotation (similar to <code>journald</code> on systemd-based systems). Alpine installs <code>syslog</code> as provided by <code>busybox</code> per default, but it also packages [https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/packages?name=*syslog* other implementations], such as <code>rsyslog</code> and <code>syslog-ng</code>.


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When <code>-C</code> is enabled in the configuration:
When <code>-C</code> is enabled in the configuration:
<pre>
<pre>
# logread -f /var/log/messages
# logread -f
# logread -f /var/log/messages | grep ssh
# logread -f | grep ssh
</pre>
</pre>


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$ logger "hello world"
$ logger "hello world"
</pre>
</pre>
[[category:System Administration]]

Revision as of 12:07, 14 September 2019

Syslog collects log data from multiple programs either to RAM or to a file, and handles log rotation (similar to journald on systemd-based systems). Alpine installs syslog as provided by busybox per default, but it also packages other implementations, such as rsyslog and syslog-ng.

busybox syslog

Running syslogd

Depending on how you have installed Alpine, it is already running (check with ps a | grep syslogd). Otherwise enable it at boot and start it with the following commands:

# rc-update add syslog boot
# rc-service syslog start

Configuration

Edit /etc/conf.d/syslog.cfg to change the options used when running syslogd. All available options can be looked up with syslogd --help.

Reading logs

# tail -f /var/log/messages
Shows all messages and follows the log
# tail -f /var/log/messages | grep ssh
Only shows SSH related messages, also follows the log

When -C is enabled in the configuration:

# logread -f
# logread -f | grep ssh

Writing logs

Many applications are able to write to the syslog by default (e.g. sshd). If you wish to write manually to it, use the logger program.

$ logger "hello world"