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Configure audit messages and log destinations
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Audit messages and logs record system activities and security events, and are essential tools for monitoring and troubleshooting. You can adjust audit levels to increase or decrease the type and number of audit messages recorded. Optionally, you can define any HTTP request headers you want to include in client read and write audit messages. You can also configure an external syslog server and change the destination of audit information.
For more information about audit messages, see Review audit logs.
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All StorageGRID nodes generate audit messages and logs to track system activity and events. By default, audit information is sent to the audit log on Admin Nodes. You can adjust audit levels to increase or decrease the type and number of audit messages recorded in the audit log. Optionally, you can configure audit information to be stored temporarily on the originating nodes for manual collection.
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If you have a large grid, use multiple types of S3 applications, or want to retain all audit data, configure an external syslog server and save audit information remotely. Using an external server minimizes the performance impact of audit message logging without reducing the completeness of of audit data. See Considerations for external syslog server for details. |
Change audit message levels in the audit log
You can set a different audit level for each of the following categories of messages in the audit log:
| Audit category | Description |
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System |
By default, this level is set to Normal. See System audit messages. |
Storage |
By default, this level is set to Error. See Object storage audit messages. |
Management |
By default, this level is set to Normal. See Management audit message. |
Client reads |
By default, this level is set to Normal. See Client read audit messages. |
Client writes |
By default, this level is set to Normal. See Client write audit messages. |
ILM operations |
By default, this level is set to Normal. See ILM operations audit messages. |
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These defaults apply if you initially installed StorageGRID using version 10.3 or later. If you have upgraded from an earlier version of StorageGRID, the default for all categories is set to Normal. |
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During upgrades, audit level configurations will not be effective immediately. |
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Select CONFIGURATION > Monitoring > Audit and syslog server.
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For each category of audit message, select an audit level from the drop-down list:
Audit level Description Off
No audit messages from the category are logged.
Error
Only error messages are logged—audit messages for which the result code was not "successful" (SUCS).
Normal
Standard transactional messages are logged—the messages listed in these instructions for the category.
Debug
Deprecated. This level behaves the same as the Normal audit level.
The messages included for any particular level include those that would be logged at the higher levels. For example, the Normal level includes all of the Error messages.
If you don't require a detailed record of client read operations for your S3 applications, optionally change the Client Reads setting to Error to decrease the number of audit messages recorded in the audit log. -
Optionally, under Audit protocol headers, define any HTTP request headers you want to include in client read and write audit messages. Use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard to match zero or more characters. Use the escape sequence (\*) to match a literal asterisk.
Audit protocol headers apply to S3 and Swift requests only. -
Select Add another header to create additional headers, if needed.
When HTTP headers are found in a request, they are included in the audit message under the field HTRH.
Audit protocol request headers are logged only if the audit level for Client Reads or Client Writes is not Off. -
Select Save
A green banner displays indicating your configuration has been saved successfully.
Use an external syslog server
You can configure an external syslog server if you want to save audit information remotely.
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If you want to save audit information to an external syslog server, go to Configure an external syslog server.
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If you aren't using an external syslog server, go to Select audit information destinations.
Select audit information destinations
You can specify where audit logs, security event logs, and application logs are sent.
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Some destination are available only if you are using an external syslog server. See Configure an external syslog server to configure an external syslog server. |
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For more information about StorageGRID software logs, see StorageGRID software logs. |
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On the Audit and syslog server page, select the destination for audit information from the listed options:
Option Description Default (Admin nodes/local nodes)
Audit messages are sent to the audit log (
audit.log) on the Admin Node, and security event logs and application logs are stored on the nodes where they were generated (also referred to as "the local node").External syslog server
Audit information is sent to an external syslog server and saved on the local node. The type of information sent depends upon how you configured the external syslog server. This option is enabled only after you have configured an external syslog server.
Admin Node and external syslog server
Audit messages are sent to the audit log (
audit.log) on the Admin Node, and audit information is sent to the external syslog server and saved on the local node. The type of information sent depends upon how you configured the external syslog server. This option is enabled only after you have configured an external syslog server.Local nodes only
No audit information is sent to an Admin Node or remote syslog server. Audit information is saved only on the nodes that generated it.
Note: StorageGRID periodically removes these local logs in a rotation to free up space. When the log file for a node reaches 1 GB, the existing file is saved, and a new log file is started. The rotation limit for the log is 21 files. When the 22nd version of the log file is created, the oldest log file is deleted. On average about 20 GB of log data is stored on each node.
Audit information generated on every local node is stored in /var/local/log/localaudit.log -
Select Save.
A warning message appears.
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Select OK to confirm that you want to change the destination for audit information.
A green banner appears notifying you that your audit configuration has been saved.
New logs are sent to the destinations you selected. Existing logs remain in their current location.