SYSLOGD(8)              OpenBSD System Manager's Manual             SYSLOGD(8)

NAME
     syslogd - log systems messages

SYNOPSIS
     syslogd [-du] [-f config_file] [-m mark_interval] [-a path] [-p
             log_socket]

DESCRIPTION
     syslogd reads and logs messages to the system console, log files, other
     machines and/or users as specified by its configuration file.

     The options are as follows:

     -d      Enable debugging to the standard output, and do not disassociate
             from the controlling terminal.

     -f config_file
             Specify the pathname of an alternate configuration file; the de-
             fault is /etc/syslog.conf.

     -m mark_interval
             Select the number of minutes between ``mark'' messages; the de-
             fault is 20 minutes.

     -u      Select the historical ``insecure'' mode, in which syslogd will
             accept input from the UDP port.  Some software wants this, but
             you can be subjected to a variety of attacks over the network,
             including attackers remotely filling logs.

     -p log_socket
             Specify the pathname of an alternate log socket to be used in-
             stead; the default is /dev/log.

     -a path
             Specify a location where syslogd should place an additional log
             socket.  Up to about 20 additional logging sockets can be speci-
             fied.  The primary use for this is to place additional log sock-
             ets in /dev/log of various chroot filespaces.

     syslogd reads its configuration file when it starts up and whenever it
     receives a hangup signal.  For information on the format of the configu-
     ration file, see syslog.conf(5).

     syslogd opens an Internet domain socket as specified in /etc/services.
     Normally syslogd will only use this socket to send messages outwards, but
     in ``insecure'' mode it will also read messages from this socket.  sys-
     logd also opens and reads messages from the UNIX domain socket /dev/log,
     and from the special device /dev/klog (to read kernel messages).

     syslogd creates the file /var/run/syslog.pid, and stores its process ID
     there.  This can be used to kill or reconfigure syslogd.

     The message sent to syslogd should consist of a single line.  The message
     can contain a priority code, which should be a preceding decimal number
     in angle braces, for example, ``<5.>''. This priority code should map in-
     to the priorities defined in the include file <sys/syslog.h>.

FILES
     /etc/syslog.conf     configuration file
     /var/run/syslog.pid  process ID of current syslogd
     /dev/log             name of the UNIX domain datagram log socket
     /dev/klog            kernel log device

SEE ALSO
     logger(1),  syslog(3),  services(5),  syslog.conf(5)

HISTORY
     The syslogd command appeared in 4.3BSD.


OpenBSD 2.6                      June 6, 1993                                2
