What is Syslog?
Syslog is a system for transmitting log information from operating systems, applications, and other sources over IP networks. Introduced in 1983 with BSD-based UNIX systems, Syslog has over 20 years of history. In 2001, its protocol and message format were standardized by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) as RFC 3164.
Syslog operates as a client/server protocol. The client (sender) transmits short text messages to the server (receiver) using UDP or TCP, with port 514 designated on the server side. Software acting as the server is commonly referred to as syslogd (syslog daemon).
Syslog enables centralized management of log data from various systems in a single repository. Since the collected log data is stored as cleartext, one event per line, it is easy to process and integrate with other software. Logs produced by syslogd can be passed to any program via pipelines or accessed through APIs.
Syslog remains widely used across a broad range of devices and software today. F5 BIG-IP supports Syslog client functionality, allowing integration with centralized logging systems.