HPC Logging with syslog-ng, Part One
If you need to monitor and manage such a configuration, try syslog-ng (syslog, next generation), a drop-in replacement for syslogd. syslog-ng provides more sophisticated log management capabilities and enables log transfers over the Internet.
Tuesday, November 15th, 2005
Many of the this past year’s “Extreme Linux” columns have focused on Linux- based cluster operating systems and toolkits. While much of the software described in those columns can save system administrators loads of effort, they don’t always meet everyone’s needs. Some folks like to “roll their own,” while other folks just like to lift the hood to see how some of the stuff works. This month, let’s get down and dirty — extreme — with something that sounds tremendously boring, but is actually quite valuable: system logs.
Used properly, system logs are like the pulse of a system. A log can often explain sources of configuration problems or foretell of impending hardware failures. Moreover, logs are invaluable for informing administrators of unscrupulous or mischievous user or cracker behavior. Of course these benefits are realized only through consistent monitoring of the logs, but that’s why programs like
logwatch (
http://directory.fsf.org/logwatch.html) and
swatch (
http://swatch.sourceforge.net/) are so useful. Both provide regular email summaries and alerts based on system log activity.
