10 Splunk Syslog Best Practices

Syslog is a standard for message logging that allows for the collection of log messages from a variety of devices in a central location. Splunk is a software platform that enables the searching, monitoring, and analyzing of data from any source.

In this article, we will discuss 10 Splunk syslog best practices that will help you get the most out of your data collection and analysis.

1. Use a dedicated syslog server

A syslog server is a central repository for system logs. By using a dedicated syslog server, you can:

– Collect and store all of your system logs in one place
– Monitor and analyze your system logs in real-time
– Generate reports based on your system logs

Using a dedicated syslog server makes it easier to monitor and troubleshoot your system because all of the logs are in one place. It also allows you to generate reports that can help you improve your system’s performance.

2. Configure your devices to send logs in the correct format

If your devices are not configured to send logs in the correct format, Splunk will have a hard time parsing and indexing them. This can lead to data being lost or corrupted, which can be very difficult to troubleshoot.

To avoid this issue, make sure that you configure your devices to send syslog messages in RFC 5424 format. This is the most common format for syslog messages, and it is the format that Splunk expects by default.

If you’re not sure how to configure your devices to use this format, consult the documentation for your devices or contact the manufacturer for assistance.

3. Only forward relevant events

If you’re forwarding all of the syslog data that your devices generate, you’re going to end up with a lot of useless data in Splunk. Not only is this a waste of disk space, but it’s also going to make it harder to find the events that you actually care about.

To avoid this, take some time to figure out which events are actually important for your organization, and only forward those. You can use filters to do this, or you can configure your devices to only send certain types of events to Splunk.

Either way, this is a crucial step in getting the most out of Splunk, so don’t skip it!

4. Don’t use UDP

UDP is an unreliable protocol, which means that there is no guarantee that your data will actually reach its destination. This is a big problem when you’re dealing with log data, because you need to be absolutely sure that all of your data is being collected and indexed.

TCP is a much more reliable protocol, and it’s the only protocol that Splunk supports for syslog data. So, if you’re using UDP, switch to TCP as soon as possible. It will make your life a lot easier in the long run.

5. Enable TLS encryption for all remote logging traffic

When syslog traffic is sent in cleartext, it can be intercepted and read by anyone with network access. This means that sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information could be compromised.

TLS encryption solves this problem by encrypting syslog traffic before it’s sent over the network. This ensures that only the intended recipient can read the logs, keeping your data safe from prying eyes.

Enabling TLS encryption is easy to do and only requires a few steps. First, generate a self-signed certificate or get one from a trusted Certificate Authority. Next, configure your Splunk server to use the certificate. Finally, configure your devices to send syslog traffic to Splunk over TLS.

By following these steps, you can be sure that your syslog traffic is secure and your data is safe.

6. Monitor and test log forwarding configurations

If you’re not monitoring and testing your log forwarding configurations, you have no way of knowing if they’re working as intended. This could lead to critical data being missed, which could have a major impact on your ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues.

It’s important to test both new and existing log forwarding configurations on a regular basis to ensure that they’re functioning properly. There are a few different ways to do this, but one of the most effective is to use Splunk’s forwarder management app.

This app allows you to monitor and test your log forwarding configurations from within Splunk, which makes it easy to identify and resolve any issues.

Monitoring and testing your log forwarding configurations is an essential part of maintaining a healthy Splunk deployment. By doing so, you can be confident that your data is being collected and forwarded as intended, which will help you avoid potential problems down the road.

7. Forward logs from multiple sources to different indexes

When you have multiple log sources going to the same index, it can be difficult to troubleshoot and investigate issues. If there is an issue with one of the log sources, all of the logs in that index will be affected. This can make it difficult to isolate the problem.

By forwarding logs from different sources to different indexes, you can more easily troubleshoot and investigate issues. If there is an issue with one of the log sources, only the logs in that index will be affected. This makes it much easier to isolate the problem.

It’s also a good idea to forward logs from different sources to different indexes so that you can more easily monitor and analyze the data. When all of the logs are in the same index, it can be difficult to get a clear picture of what’s going on. By forwarding logs from different sources to different indexes, you can more easily monitor and analyze the data.

8. Consider using a third-party SIEM tool

While Splunk is a powerful tool that can provide valuable insights into your data, it’s not a SIEM. A SIEM is designed to give you a holistic view of your security posture by aggregating and correlating data from multiple sources, including syslog data.

If you’re looking for a SIEM solution, there are many great options on the market. Some of our favorites include SolarWinds Loggly, Sumo Logic, and Splunk Enterprise Security.

Whichever SIEM solution you choose, make sure it integrates well with Splunk so you can get the most out of your data.

9. Use Splunk alerts to monitor your environment

When something goes wrong in your environment, you want to be the first to know about it. That way, you can take action quickly to mitigate the issue before it causes major problems.

Splunk alerts give you the ability to do just that. You can configure Splunk to send you an email, text message, or even run a script whenever certain conditions are met. For example, you could set up an alert to notify you whenever an error occurs in your system logs.

Configuring Splunk alerts is relatively simple. Just log into Splunk, go to the Settings menu, and then click on Alerts. From there, you can create a new alert by clicking on the “New Alert” button.

Give your alert a name, description, and severity, and then select the conditions that will trigger the alert. Finally, choose the actions that Splunk should take when the alert is triggered.

10. Keep an eye on disk space usage

If you’re not monitoring your disk space usage, you could end up in a situation where Splunk runs out of space and can no longer index data. This would effectively render Splunk useless, as you would have no way of searching through your data.

To avoid this, it’s important to monitor your disk space usage and ensure that you have enough free space for Splunk to continue running smoothly. You can do this by setting up alerts or using a tool like Splunk Cloud Monitor.

Once you’ve set up monitoring, you can then take steps to reduce your disk usage, such as deleting old data that you no longer need or compressing your data.