What is Syslog?

Syslog is a standard protocol used for sending and receiving log or event messages in a network. It allows devices like routers, switches, and servers to send log data to a centralized log server for monitoring. Syslog messages contain information about system operations, errors, or warnings that can help troubleshoot or analyze network performance and uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) on port 514 by default, making it a lightweight solution for event logging.

Example Scenario:
A port on a switch goes down, an event message is sent to the Syslog server, which records the event with relevant details such as time, device, and error type. The administrator can then access the server to view the logs and identify the issue, enabling quick troubleshooting.

Content created by Mike Day