syslog-ng is a configurable logging application that collects messages from sources, optionally processes them, and sends them to destinations. In its Open Source Edition (OSE), the configuration connects sources and destinations through log paths; filters, parsers, and rewrite rules can shape what reaches each destination. The current OSE Administration Guide identified here is version 4.12.0, but check the guide and installed build that match your deployment before relying on a particular driver or feature.
How syslog-ng moves a log message
Think of syslog-ng as a configurable pipeline rather than a single-purpose file collector. A source reads or receives messages; a log path connects that source to one or more destinations. Processing elements in the path can select messages, extract fields, or change message content before delivery. The official OSE Administration Guide describes the configuration model and its behavior.
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- Source: defines where messages come from and how syslog-ng reads or receives them.
- Log path: links sources to destinations and can include processing rules.
- Destination: defines where messages are written or forwarded.
A source or destination is initialized only when it is used in a log statement. That makes the log path—not simply a list of configured inputs and outputs—the operational connection between collection and delivery.
What syslog-ng can collect
Collection depends on the operating system, source driver, and installed build. Documented source types include local system logging interfaces, network syslog, files, and other configured inputs. The source documentation notes that Linux commonly uses /dev/log, while BSD flavors commonly use /var/run/log. These are platform-specific conventions, not universal paths to paste into every configuration. Newer Linux distributions using systemd collect messages into a journal file; choose and configure the appropriate source for the host.
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syslog-ng project materials describe handling legacy BSD syslog (RFC3164), RFC5424-style syslog, JSON, and unstructured text. The exact formats and source drivers available can depend on the package and build. Consult the source-driver documentation for the matching release rather than assuming every input is enabled.
How filters, parsers, and rewrites shape messages
A log path can do more than forward raw messages. Each processing element has a distinct role:
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- Filters select which messages continue, for example by application or message attributes. This lets different classes of events follow different paths.
- Parsers divide message content into fields so downstream systems can work with structured values. Project materials describe built-in parser types including CSV, database, and key-value parsers.
- Rewrite rules add, replace, or remove parts of a message, changing its fields before it reaches a destination.
Vendor materials also describe classification, normalization, enrichment from external data, and correlation or aggregation. Those are broader processing capabilities, not a guarantee that a particular parser, enrichment source, or module is present in every OSE package. Check the documentation and modules for the exact installed version.
Where syslog-ng can send logs
Documented destination examples span local storage and data systems. The project and vendor materials name files, message queues, databases, Elasticsearch, Apache Kafka, and Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS); vendor material also names SQL databases and MongoDB. These examples do not establish that every destination driver is enabled in every build. Confirm the specific driver, version support, and package availability before designing around it.
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| Destination category | Documented examples | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Local storage | Files | File destination options and the storage behavior required by your deployment. |
| Queues and streaming systems | Message queues, Apache Kafka | Driver availability, transport settings, and how the destination behaves when it is unavailable. |
| Databases | SQL databases, MongoDB | Supported driver and version, as well as the destination’s expected schema. |
| Analytics and distributed storage | Elasticsearch, Hadoop/HDFS | Build support, field mapping, and the throughput the receiving system can handle. |
What to check when planning a deployment
Choosing a source and destination is only part of the design. Work through the path a message takes, including what happens when a destination is slow or unavailable.
- Confirm source coverage. Identify whether each sender uses a local logging interface, network syslog, a file, or another source. Check the platform’s native logging mechanism and the matching source-driver guide.
- Decide how messages should be handled. Specify whether a path should forward messages unchanged or filter, parse, normalize, classify, or enrich them. Plan the fields the destination needs.
- Match the destination to its workload. Consider the destination’s schema and throughput as well as whether local files, a database, a queue, or an analytics platform fits the use case.
- Define outage and backpressure behavior. The OSE guide notes that syslog-ng can stop reading from sources when destinations cannot process sent messages. Review configured queues and buffers, transport, and destination failure behavior; do not treat this as a promise of lossless delivery.
- Verify edition, platform, and modules. Confirm that the feature and driver exist in the installed OSE build and are supported on the target operating system. Do not transfer Premium Edition or Store Box claims to OSE.
OSE, Premium Edition, and Store Box are distinct products
The vendor distinguishes Open Source Edition (OSE), Premium Edition (PE), and Store Box in its product-family overview. OSE is the open-source offering covered by the version 4.12.0 Administration Guide cited above. PE is commercial log-management software, while Store Box is presented as a log-management appliance. Product-specific support and platform claims belong to the named edition: for example, the vendor’s Windows support and tested-binary claims concern PE and should not be read as OSE support.
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How to interpret syslog-ng’s published throughput figures
The syslog-ng project’s GitHub description reports 600,000–800,000 messages per second for the simplest use case and says classification, parsing, and filtering still produce several tens of thousands of messages per second. The source does not state a year for these figures. They are project-published claims, not independent benchmark results or a guarantee for a particular host, configuration, message size, or destination. Treat them as context, not as a capacity estimate; measure the workload and path you intend to run.
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