Overview
Welcome to LogCentral! This guide will help you get started with sending syslog data to the platform. LogCentral provides a centralized location for collecting, monitoring, and analyzing logs from your infrastructure.
Prerequisites
Before you begin sending logs, you'll need:
Access to an organization and location within LogCentral
An active LogCentral subscription
Network connectivity from your log sources to LogCentral
Appropriate permissions to configure log forwarding on your systems
Understanding Locations
In LogCentral, logs are sent to specific locations within your organization. Each location acts as a collection point for logs from related systems or environments.
Think of locations as logical groupings—you might have separate locations for production, staging, or different data centers.
Security Considerations
IP Whitelisting - Mandatory
LogCentral offers IP filtering to control which sources can send logs to your locations. This security feature helps prevent unauthorized log submissions and reduces noise from unknown sources.
Why use IP filtering:
- Locking down production environments
- Meeting security compliance requirements
- Preventing spam or unauthorized log traffic
- Restricting access to known, trusted sources
How IP filtering works:
1. Navigate to your location's IP management settings at /organizations/:orgId/locations/:locationId/ip-management
2. Add trusted IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
3. Enable the IP filtering toggle
4. Only whitelisted IPs will be able to send logs
Sending Your First Logs
Once your location is configured, you can begin sending syslog data. LogCentral accepts standard syslog formats, making it compatible with most logging systems and applications.
In your location details page, you'll find the IP and port to which you can point your syslogs.
Testing Your Configuration
After setting up your log forwarding:
Send a test log message from your system
Check your LogCentral location to verify the log appears
Ensure your source IP is whitelisted
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Logs not appearing:
- Verify your network can reach LogCentral's ingestion endpoints
- Confirm your source IP is whitelisted
- Check your syslog configuration for correct destination settings
Configuration errors:
- Double-check your location identifier
- Ensure proper syslog format and protocol (UDP/TCP)
- Review any authentication requirements for your location
Next Steps
Once you're successfully sending logs to LogCentral:
You'll automatically receive alerts to monitor important events
Explore log search and filtering capabilities
Configure additional locations for different environments
Review security settings and adjust IP filtering as needed
Need help? Contact your LogCentral administrator or refer to additional documentation for advanced configuration options.