syslog-ng Premium Edition 7.0.14 - Administration Guide

To install syslog-ng PE in a Docker container

1. Start Docker. Use the command appropriate for you platform:

   • docker run -d -p <network-ports-forwarded-to-docker> -v <directories-to-be-mounted> --name syslog-ng-in-docker centos:7

   • docker run -d -p <network-ports-forwarded-to-docker> -v <directories-to-be-mounted> --name syslog-ng-in-docker registry.access.redhat.com/rhel-7.5-s390x

   • docker run -d -p <network-ports-forwarded-to-docker> -v <directories-to-be-mounted> --name syslog-ng-in-docker ubuntu:18.04

   For example, to forward port 514 and mount the etc and var directories on RedHat, use the following command: docker run -d -p 514:514 -v /root/docker/etc/:/opt/syslog-ng/etc -v /root/docker/var:/opt/syslog-ng/var --name syslog-ng-in-docker registry.access.redhat.com/rhel-7.5-s390x

   Note the following points:

   • Forward all ports to Docker that you want to receive messages from in your syslog-ng PE configuration.

   • The previous example mounts the etc and var directories from outside the docker container. That way you can edit the syslog-ng PE configuration file outside the container, and the syslog-ng PE persist file will not be deleted if you delete and recreate the docker container.

   • Do not mount the same var directory for multiple docker containers.

   • Make sure that the syslog-ng PE running in the docker container has permissions to read the configuration file, and read and write permissions for the var directory.

   • If you want to read the logs of the host from /dev/log, mount it into the Docker container. Note that only a single syslog-ng PE instance can read /dev/log at the same time. Do not mount the same /dev/log for multiple syslog-ng PE instances.

2. Download the syslog-ng PE .run installation package from Downloads page.

3. Install syslog-ng PE in the Docker container. (Since there is no service management (systemd) in the docker container, the registration and start of the syslog-ng PE service is disabled.)

   docker exec -it syslog-ng-in-docker /bin/bash

   syslog-ng-premium-edition-7.0.14-linux-glibc2.11-amd64.run -- --accept-eula --silent --no-register

4. (Optional Step) If you want to use any features of syslog-ng PE that require external packages (for example, Java or Python-based destinations), install the required packages manually in the Docker container (for example, Java or Python).

5. Start syslog-ng PE.

   docker exec -i syslog-ng-in-docker /opt/syslog-ng/sbin/syslog-ng <-optional-command-line-parameters-of-syslog-ng>

   For the list of available command-line parameters, see the syslog-ng.8 manual page.

Start, reload, stop syslog-ng PE in a Docker container

To start syslog-ng PE, issue the following command in the Docker container.

docker exec -i syslog-ng-in-docker /opt/syslog-ng/sbin/syslog-ng <-optional-command-line-parameters-of-syslog-ng>

To reload syslog-ng PE, issue the following command in the Docker container.

docker exec -i syslog-ng-in-docker /opt/syslog-ng/sbin/syslog-ng-ctl reload

To stop syslog-ng PE, issue the following command in the Docker container.

docker exec -i syslog-ng-in-docker /opt/syslog-ng/sbin/syslog-ng-ctl stop

Upgrading syslog-ng PE running in a Docker container

To upgrade a syslog-ng PE instance that is running in a Docker container

1. Download the new syslog-ng PE .run installation package from Downloads page.

2. Upgrade syslog-ng PE in the Docker container.

   docker exec -it syslog-ng-in-docker /bin/bash

   syslog-ng-premium-edition-7.0.14-linux-glibc2.11-amd64.run -- --accept-eula --silent --no-register --upgrade

3. Start syslog-ng PE.

   docker exec -i syslog-ng-in-docker /opt/syslog-ng/sbin/syslog-ng <-optional-command-line-parameters-of-syslog-ng>

   For the list of available command-line parameters, see the syslog-ng.8 manual page.

To upgrade to syslog-ng PE 7

1. Download the new installer package from the Support Portal. Use the same package type as you used for the installation (for example, use the .run package for the upgrade if you have originally installed syslog-ng PE using a .run installer).

2. Download the new license file from My License Assets.

3. Install syslog-ng PE and check the warnings. Upgrade the respective parts of your configuration if needed.

4. On the host where you are running syslog-ng PE in server mode, replace the old license file with the new one.

   Caution: Hazard of data loss! Without the new license file, syslog-ng PE will run in relay mode, and will not store the incoming messages locally.

5. Set the version of the configuration file to 7.0.14.