Best FREE Syslog Servers

Every minute, your routers, switches, printers, firewalls, and more are sending syslog messages regarding their activity and overall functioning. To collect—and make sense—of these messages requires the use of a syslog server. With so many syslog servers on the market, finding the right one for your IT team depends on the size of your company, so I’ve built this list of free syslog server tools and some of their paid counterparts.

My favorite? When it comes to performance, SolarWinds ® Kiwi Syslog ® Server free and paid solutions offer robust, comprehensive management of syslog messages through real-time statistics and alerts as well as an intuitive web console. Kiwi offers a free syslog tool that’s a limited version of its commercial version. It allows you to collect, view, and archive syslog message and SNMP traps for up to five sources. And if you need to monitor more than five devices, you can easily upgrade to the commercial edition. The paid version also has a free 30-day trial, so you can test it on all your network devices to see if it’s the best syslog server for your company.

Best FREE Syslog Servers

Kiwi Syslog Server – Free Edition

The free edition of Kiwi Syslog Server from SolarWinds is, in my opinion, the best free syslog server for companies in need of monitoring messages from a few devices (the tool can handle up to five).

With this tool in hand, you’ll receive centralized management of syslog messages and SNMP traps, be empowered to view and respond to messages, and even be able to archive messages and facilitate the compliance process. The free Kiwi Syslog Server also provides real-time statistics and daily statistic summaries so IT teams can keep their finger on the pulse of all activity. As far as free syslog servers go, this is by far the most comprehensive on the market.

If you’re looking to put a little spend behind your syslog server, the paid version of SolarWinds Kiwi Syslog Server can go a long way. In my view, Kiwi Syslog Server is not only the best syslog server for Cisco devices, but also a great syslog server Windows users within my community have come to rely on.

You can set custom alerting thresholds to monitor your entire IT infrastructure, all within one intuitive console. There are even a host of built-in actions to react to syslog messages, making it easy to trigger notifications and reports, run scripts, or forward syslog messages or SNMP traps to another host. The tool boasts detailed graphs of syslog statistics over designated time periods and automatically stores and archives logs, helping keep you compliant with SOX, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and more.

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

Like SolarWinds, Paessler offers free and paid tools to help with syslog management through its PRTG network monitoring software. The free version for Windows helps IT teams capture and monitor syslog messages via a syslog receiver sensor and view all relevant information associated with syslog messages, like IP addresses and time of the message, through a single dashboard. From a security standpoint, PRTG will alert users if the contents of a syslog message exceed your predefined threshold values and even offers a ranking system. Messages with a “0” signify an emergency, while a “7” is typically an indication of a minor issue, like a debug. The free version of this software is powerful but can only be leveraged if you have a small network. While it offers extensive capabilities, the program’s functionality has been known to falter.

EZ5 Syslog Watcher

This free syslog server helps enhance the stability and reliability of your network through its syslog collection, sorting, and analyzing capabilities. It’s a high-performing tool designed to handle a heavy load, processing thousands of messages per minute and offering alerts via email in the event of unusual activity. You can even export syslog messages and data to your database or to a variety of file types, like CSV, XML, or JSON. Overall, it’s a strong tool, especially with its $0 price tag. Just don’t expect the more comprehensive centralization and reporting compliance of paid programs.

Project/Ipswitch WhatsUp Syslog Server

Another free syslog server software, WhatsUp Gold Syslog Server is a straightforward way to manage your syslog needs. It monitors syslog messages and provides real-time views into message data as well as filters to help you sort through the approximately 6,000,000 messages it can process per hour. To help customize your experience, Syslog Server encourages users to create rules for processing, sorting, and receiving syslog message alerts. These features make it easy to stay abreast of network activity and security. Since this is a free tool, the scope of its capabilities are fairly limited, but it’s great for smaller IT teams looking for a simplified syslog message management option.

How Do Syslog Servers Work?

However, to understand syslog servers, we must have a basic understanding of syslog. Syslog, short for System Logging Process, is a universal protocol for system message logging. All network equipment, like routers, switches, printers, workstations, and firewalls, can send syslog messages. These messages keep IT teams informed of all network equipment event activity. The syslog server collects and analyzes thousands of these messages per minute and determines the appropriate course of action. Without these analytic tools, syslog messages often fall through the cracks. This can drastically inhibit your company’s productivity, as you clunk through repairs and issues, and even put sensitive information in jeopardy.

To keep your company safe and on track, I recommend equipping the IT department with a syslog server that offers:

• Consolidation – To boost efficiency, syslog servers should centralize logs from systems and network devices, so you can quickly view syslog messages and pinpoint issues in minutes, not hours.
• Real-Time Alerts – A strong syslog tool will empower you to set predefined criteria for syslog messages based on time, type of message, or source, and alert you when these criteria have been met.
• Remote Capabilities – As an IT professional, you never know when an issue will arise. Staying in tune with your network health at all times, from any location, is essential. Look for a syslog server with a web console you can view when you’re at the office, or while you’re on a business trip.
• Compliance Reporting – Log collection and retention are the mainstays of many compliance frameworks. An advanced syslog server should be equipped to schedule automated log archival and cleanup and generate syslog reports, making it easy to comply with industry standards and keep your company in good standing.
• Sorting – Trying to sift through millions of syslog messages is no easy task. Find a syslog server with advanced filtering, so you can search messages by host name, host IP address, priority, time of day, and more to quickly access the critical data you need.

Depending on the size of your business, many free tools offer robust capabilities that could be just what you’re looking for.

Finding the Syslog Server

Finding the right tool for your company can be overwhelming amidst so many options. I recommend looking for a syslog server that centralizes all network and device logs, offers advancing filtering qualities, alerts you to anomalies, and helps keep you compliant with industry standards. My personal favorite? Both the free and paid version of SolarWinds Kiwi Syslog Server offer robust, comprehensive syslog message management. Download the free 30-day trial and try it out for yourself.

Additional Resources

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Best Free Syslog Servers for Windows of 2020

Review By James Cox / Last Updated: May 19, 2020

Syslog, and by extension syslog servers, are programs and protocols which aggregate and transfer diagnostic and monitoring data.

Their power comes from the wide range of data that can be collected and, furthermore, the ways in which this data can be analyzed and levied for the sake of network maintenance, system monitoring, and dozens of other diagnostic and troubleshooting purposes!

Generally the Syslog protocol is supported by a wide variety of devices and thus it’s easy for devices and applications to fire off log information to the Syslog server, which stores the information for further analysis.

Most notably, Syslog servers are often capable of triggering alerts or sending notifications.

This enables an admin in the field to receive time-critical information, or to simply gets a heads up of something that may need attention soon.

Thanks to a built-in severity metric, it’s easier to know when something can wait and when it can’t.

SNMP ties heavily into Syslog server functionality and can be used in tandem to poll all the wonderfully wide variety of information that admins are used to snatching up via SNMP.

However, when taken a step further via Syslogging server software, they can take that SNMP data and do a lot more with it – graphical interfaces which aggregate and monitor SNMP data, for example, can massively speed up the assessment of almost any number of critical systems or failure points.

Using these same metrics many Syslog servers can also have automated scripts or events that will trigger and can potentially streamline the process of recovering from, or preventing, downtime or outages.

Some Syslog servers require client-based software to manage but many also offer web-based solutions, which can ease management both remotely or from different systems on a network environment.

Most servers are also quite good at data management and will handle some level of archival functionality for saving older logs or records that may not actively be needed at present.

Syslog does have a few drawbacks – it’s not particularly standardized, meaning that sloppy implementation can cause troubles for Syslog servers, and it also lacks any kind of authentication.

In a trusted network environment this isn’t really an issue, but especially nefarious malware or untrusted networks can sow seeds of trouble.

Here’s the Best FREE Syslog Server Software & Tools of 2021:

Below is a list of software that performs these functions and more, as well as the compatible operating systems and, quite importantly, whether it supports some form of alert (alarms, pop-ups, etc.) and/or notifications (email, txt, etc.)

1. Kiwi Syslog Server – FREE VERSION

Kiwi’s Syslog Server boasts ease of installation and setup on top of its other range of desirable features.

Reports can be generated both in easy-to-read HTML or in plain text if necessary for parsing with other software.

Log archival and storage are automatic and rigorous with a focus on compatibility in cases where even regulatory needs must be carefully met – even those as stringent as HIPAA.

Kiwi utilizes a web-based console for extremely ease of access and swift availability that requires no client installation or configuration.

Kiwi’s software even handles Syslog and SNMP, including from Linux and UNIX hosts, and performs real-time alerting and notification based on this data with a vast, and customizable, range of metrics that can be checked against.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Win XP 32/64, Win 2003 32/64, Windows Vista 32/64, Win7 32/64, Windows 2008 R2 32/64, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2; has both alert and notification ability.

Download FREE!

2. PRTG (Free Version)

PRTG has some Syslog ability then added via a sensor to the PRTG monitoring suite.

Primarily focuses on SNMP and Syslog protocol data and has a good amount of analysis ability due to the built-in capability PRTG already has for general monitoring and management.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Any Windows 64-bit environment with Windows Server 2012 R2 specifically recommended; good notification and alerts, but all varies a bit as sensor must be added and configured by hand

Download:

3. SNMPSoft Sys-log Watcher

Installed as a dedicated syslog server for all manner of network devices with a native support for a good range of notification options – SNMPSoft’s program also boasts a particular ability to parse and handle non-standard Syslog, something that can cause some other software to falter!

Of particular note, there’s also a Syslog Watcher VendorPack available, which is a huge reference of syslog messages for proprietary equipment that helps in swift troubleshooting by defining non-standard syslog messages automatically.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Windows XP through Windows 10; robust notifications and solid alerts as well

Download:

4. Splunk Light

Not an ideal solution as even the Splunk forum will suggest using several Splunk servers for a proper setup, but still doable! Utilizing Splunk to index and manage log files is more strongly recommended, as syslog data will be lost with each Splunk restart by default.

None the less, it does offer syslog functionality and, with a little work getting several Splunks working together, can be a solid solution.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Splunk runs on Windows 64-bit versions as well as Linux and Mac OSX, syslog functionality varies; no real alerting or notification functionality for syslog

Download:

5. The Dude

The Dude, despite it’s odd name, is an interesting and free option for general network management – it comes with a built-in syslog server which can be enabled with ease as well as provides functionality for remote logging via RouterOS.

Log events can be filtered, sorted to different logs, or discarded based on customizable thresholds.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Most versions of Windows, recommended Windows 2000 or newer, also runs on Linux or MacOS using Wine/Darwine; email based notification with some on-screen alert or log-based alert options, too

Download:

6. TFTPD32

TFTPD32 has a strong root in TFTP, as the name implies, but it also serves as a capable Syslog server to boot in addition to DHCP, DNS, SNTP, as well!

It’s breadth of coverage does mean less features, and overall the software is pretty cut and dry – which isn’t always a bad thing! Handles all basic Syslog message gathering and storage

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Runs as Windows service, compatible with most newer Windows versions after 2000; email based notifications

Download:

7. Syslog Server (Abandoned)

A fairly simple and barebones Syslog server that also doubles as an analyzer. It can be adjusted to only log and monitor events at certain threshold values and also can trigger email-based notifications, as well as sort the way in which events are displayed.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Service on Windows server prior to 2008, application functionality on most Windows versions; can trigger e-mail notifications based on thresholds

Download:

8. Icinga Open-Source Monitoring

Icinga is a powerful open-source monitoring suite, and though its focus is on a wide breadth of monitoring, it does offer a plug-in specifically for Syslog monitoring and management.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Most Windows both consumer and server on application level; some alerting functionality based on plug-in settings and version

Download:

9. Visual Syslog Server

Visual Syslog Server is a very straightforward and light-weight Syslog option that focuses on a real-time approach.

It does have some ability to handle and rotate logs automatically, to avoid bloat, and can also trigger scripts or programs based on thresholds that can be set.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability:

• Windows XP,
• Vista,
• 7,
• 8,
• 8.1,
• as well as Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012;

It can handle notifications via email and also some alerting and automated triggering of actions!

Download:

10. 3cDaemon

Based on the BSD-unix style functionality of syslogd, this particular offering is going to appeal to only a select crowd! None the less, it can handle logging based on priority, filter/restriction messages by IP, has real-time viewing of the log, and even can dump log information to plain ASCII.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability: Application level server run on most older Windows, newer OS versions may be iffy at best as the software is quite old; no real alerting or notification functionality

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability:

Download:

11. Datagram

This software focuses on an enterprise level of functionality and is geared towards larger environments – it can gather and store a wide range of Syslog information and store it on a central database with a wide range of filters and alarms available.

OS Compatibility and alert/notification ability:

Windows 2000 and forwards; has alarm functionality but not much for notifications

Download:

Conclusion

Syslog tracking via a powerful Syslog server can save any network administrator an obscene amount of time and effort.

Every bit of data, whether SNMP or Syslog, that can be requested, aggregated, and analyzed is another potential piece of a puzzle that can trigger alerts or notifications and quickly bring human attention to the problem as soon as possible, or even fire off predefined scripts or programs to alleviate, or at least slow down, oncoming issues.

The flexibility of these programs are a superb way for admins to leverage monitoring to their advantage with the goal of maximum uptime and stability.

Much of this information can be seen on any one system or device, but even a small network with a few dozen devices would be totally unreasonable to monitor one by one – having it centralized, automated, and closely monitored is invaluable!

James Cox is the Editor at ITT Systems and has a Long History in the IT and Network Engineering Field. He Boasts a long list of Credentials ranging from CompTIA Certifications up to Cisco and VMWare points on his Resume.