Configuration

Rsyslogd is configured via the rsyslog.conf file, typically found in /etc. By default, rsyslogd reads the file /etc/rsyslog.conf. This can be changed by a command line option.

Note that configurations can be built interactively via the online rsyslog configuration builder tool.

• Configuration Formats
  • Which Format should I Use?
• sysklogd format
  • DESCRIPTION
  • SELECTORS
  • ACTIONS
  • EXAMPLES
  • CONFIGURATION FILE SYNTAX DIFFERENCES
  • BUGS
• Basic Structure
  • Quick overview of message flow and objects
  • Processing Principles
  • Configuration File
  • Statement Types
  • Comments
  • Processing Order
  • Inputs
  • Outputs
  • Rulesets and Rules
• Templates
  • Description
  • Template processing
  • The template() statement
  • Examples
• rsyslog Properties
  • Message Properties
  • System Properties
• The Property Replacer
  • Accessing Properties
  • Further Links
• Filter Conditions
  • Selectors
  • Property-Based Filters
  • Expression-Based Filters
  • BSD-style Blocks
  • Examples
• RainerScript
  • Data Types
  • Expressions
  • Functions
  • Control Structures
  • configuration objects
  • String Constants
  • Variable (Property) types
  • Lookup Tables
  • General Queue Parameters
  • The rsyslog “call” statement
  • The rsyslog “call_indirect” statement
  • global() configuration object
  • The rsyslog include() object
• Actions
  • General Action Parameters
  • Useful Links
  • Legacy Format
• Input
  • General Input Parameters
• Parser
  • General Parser Parameters
  • Samples
• timezone
  • Parameters
  • Sample
• Examples
  • Templates
  • Selector lines
• Legacy Configuration Directives
  • Configuration Parameter Types
  • Legacy Global Configuration Statements
  • Legacy Directives affecting Input Modules
  • Legacy Action-Specific Configuration Statements
  • Ruleset-Specific Legacy Configuration Statements
• rsyslog statistic counter
  • Queue
  • Actions
  • Plugins
• Modules
  • Output Modules
  • Input Modules
  • Parser Modules
  • Message Modification Modules
  • String Generator Modules
  • Library Modules
  • Where are the modules integrated into the Message Flow?
• Output Channels
• Dropping privileges in rsyslog
• Notes on IPv6 Handling in Rsyslog
• libgcrypt Log Crypto Provider (gcry)
• Dynamic Stats
  • Dyn-stats configuration
  • Reporting
• Lookup Tables
  • Types
  • Lookup Table File Format
  • Lookup-table configuration
  • Implementation Details

Configuration file examples can be found in the rsyslog wiki. Also keep the rsyslog config snippets on your mind. These are ready-to-use real building blocks for rsyslog configuration.

There is also one sample file provided together with the documentation set. If you do not like to read, be sure to have at least a quick look at rsyslog-example.conf.

While rsyslogd contains enhancements over standard syslogd, efforts have been made to keep the configuration file as compatible as possible. While, for obvious reasons, enhanced features require a different config file syntax, rsyslogd should be able to work with a standard syslog.conf file. This is especially useful while you are migrating from syslogd to rsyslogd.

See also

Help with configuring/using Rsyslog:

• Mailing list - best route for general questions
• GitHub: rsyslog source project - detailed questions, reporting issues that are believed to be bugs with Rsyslog
• Stack Exchange (View, Ask) - experimental support from rsyslog community

See also

Contributing to Rsyslog:

• Source project: rsyslog project README.
• Documentation: rsyslog-doc project README