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 opens the above described socket whether or not it is running in
     secure mode.  If syslogd is running in secure mode, all incoming data on
     this socket is discarded.  The socket is required for sending forwarded
     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 into
     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 3.0                      June 6, 1993                                2
