Overview
Smart IP management in LogCentral allows you to control which IP addresses can send logs to your locations. This security feature ensures that only authorized sources can submit logs to your infrastructure, providing an essential layer of access control for your log ingestion pipeline.
By managing IP addresses at the location level, you can restrict log submissions to known, trusted sources while blocking unauthorized attempts to send data to your locations.
Understanding IP-Based Access Control
IP address management works as a whitelist system for log ingestion. When you add IP addresses to a location, only those specific addresses are authorized to send logs to that location's endpoint. This helps you:
Secure your log infrastructure by limiting access to known sources
Prevent unauthorized log submissions from unknown IP addresses
Control data ingestion costs by blocking unwanted traffic
Maintain audit compliance by tracking authorized log sources
Managing Location IP Addresses
Accessing IP Management
To manage IP addresses for a location:
Navigate to your organization's locations
Select the specific location you want to configure
Access the location details page at
/organizations/:orgId/locations/:locationIdLocate the IP management section
The IP management interface is available on the location details page, which provides comprehensive location information including statistics, logs, and configuration options.
Adding IP Addresses
To authorize a new IP address for log ingestion:
Access the IP management section on your location details page
Enter the IP address you want to authorize
Save your changes
Important: Only users with location management permissions can add or modify IP addresses. If you don't see the IP management controls, contact your organization owner or administrator.
Managing Multiple IP Addresses
Each location can have multiple authorized IP addresses, allowing you to:
Configure multiple log sources for a single location
Support distributed infrastructure with various ingestion points
Maintain backup or redundant log collection systems
When managing multiple IPs, consider organizing them by:
- Purpose: Production servers, staging environments, backup systems
- Geographic location: Different data centers or regions
- Service type: Application servers, network devices, security appliances
Updating or Removing IP Addresses
To modify your authorized IP list:
Navigate to the location details page
Access the IP management section
Remove outdated or unauthorized IP addresses
Add new authorized addresses as needed
Save your configuration
Best Practice: Regularly review your authorized IP list to ensure it reflects your current infrastructure and remove any addresses that are no longer in use.
Location Activation and IP Requirements
Location status affects how IP management works:
Enabled locations: Actively accept logs from authorized IP addresses
Disabled locations: Do not accept logs, regardless of IP configuration
You can enable or disable locations from the location details page. When a location is disabled, log ingestion is completely stopped, even from authorized IPs. This is useful for:
- Temporarily pausing log collection
- Performing maintenance
- Testing configuration changes
Security Best Practices
IP Configuration Guidelines
Follow these recommendations for secure IP management:
Use specific IP addresses: Avoid overly broad ranges when possible
Document your IPs: Keep records of which systems correspond to each authorized IP
Regular audits: Review your IP whitelist periodically to remove unused addresses
Principle of least privilege: Only authorize IPs that actively need to send logs
Monitor changes: Track who modifies IP configurations and when
Access Control Considerations
Remember that IP management controls log ingestion access, not user access to the LogCentral platform. For user access control:
- User permissions are managed separately through your organization's user management system
- Role-based access control determines who can view logs and manage locations
- IP whitelisting and user permissions work together to provide comprehensive security
Network Security Integration
IP management works best as part of a broader security strategy:
Combine with network-level firewalls for defense in depth
Use secure protocols for log transmission
Implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts
Coordinate IP management with your network security team
Troubleshooting IP Configuration
Logs Not Being Received
If logs aren't appearing after configuring IP addresses:
Verify the IP address: Ensure you've added the correct source IP
Check location status: Confirm the location is enabled
Review recent changes: Check if IP configuration was recently modified
Examine log sources: Verify your log sources are sending to the correct endpoint
Common Configuration Issues
Issue: Logs were working but suddenly stopped
- Solution: Check if the source IP address has changed (common with dynamic IPs or cloud infrastructure)
Issue: Cannot add or modify IP addresses
- Solution: Verify you have location management permissions for the organization
Issue: Logs from multiple sources not all arriving
- Solution: Ensure all source IPs are added to the authorized list
Understanding the Location Details Page
The location details page provides comprehensive information about your location, including:
Location statistics: Status, storage usage, last log received, and platform information
Live log streaming: Real-time log viewing via WebSocket connection
Storage charts: Usage tracking with predictions
Current logs viewer: Search and filter through recent logs
IP address management: Configure authorized sources
Filter rules: Set up log filtering patterns to optimize storage
Integration status: Monitor connected services
This centralized view helps you manage all aspects of your location, including IP-based access control.
Related Topics
User Management: Control who can access and manage locations in your organization
Log Filtering: Configure filter rules to reduce storage costs by dropping unwanted logs
Storage Management: Monitor and optimize your location's storage usage
Location Configuration: General location settings and management
Need Help?
If you're experiencing issues with IP management or have questions about securing your log ingestion, contact your organization administrator or reach out to LogCentral support.