From b6c05e4ccbe7edcafb704531b130bb78a9eac5b6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Asif Bacchus Date: Sun, 24 May 2020 03:55:20 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] update logwatch readme to point to wiki --- etc/logwatch/readme.md | 301 +---------------------------------------- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 294 deletions(-) diff --git a/etc/logwatch/readme.md b/etc/logwatch/readme.md index 6e9b299..675ad71 100644 --- a/etc/logwatch/readme.md +++ b/etc/logwatch/readme.md @@ -1,300 +1,13 @@ -# Using Logwatch to monitor backup script +# Using Logwatch to monitor the backup script -The backup script's log file has been set up so that utilities like Logwatch can -easily parse it. In order to make that happen, a LogFile Group file, Service -and Script have to be created for Logwatch to generate reports. The correct -(general) directory structure has been created in this git archive already. -Below are the details of each file. +## quick start -**If you don't care about how it works, you can simply copy this folder to your -Logwatch configuration directory (_/etc/logwatch/_ by default). Everything is -already in the proper directory structure for a default Debian/Ubuntu -installation.** +Simply copy the contents of this folder to your logwatch configuration directory (*/etc/logwatch/* by default). The directory structure is already correct for a default Debian/Ubuntu logwatch installation. You **must** update the paths in */etc/logwatch/conf/logfiles/backup.conf* to point to your script's log file, but that's the only required change. Please consult [page 7.1.5](https://git.asifbacchus.app/asif/MailcowBackup/wiki/7.1.5-Testing) in the wiki for information on how to test logwatch using this new configuration. -*If you need help installing or setting up Logwatch, please see my blog at -[https://mytechiethoughts.com](https://mytechiethoughts.com) and search for -'_logwatch_'*. These instructions assume you already have Logwatch setup correctly. +## more information -## Contents +Please consult [section 7.1](https://git.asifbacchus.app/asif/MailcowBackup/wiki/7.1-Using-logwatch) in the wiki for detailed information about each logwatch configuration file contained within this section of the git repo and how to customize them for your environment. -- [LogFile Group file (/etc/logwatch/conf/logfiles/backup.conf)](#logfile-group-file-etclogwatchconflogfilesbackupconf) - - [Log file location](#log-file-location) - - [Archive location and name format](#archive-location-and-name-format) - - [External script for timestamp processing](#external-script-for-timestamp-processing) -- [Service definition file (/etc/logwatch/conf/services/backup.conf)](#service-definition-file-etclogwatchconfservicesbackupconf) - - [LogFile Group file definition](#logfile-group-file-definition) - - [Report title](#report-title) - - [Detail level](#detail-level) -- [Service script (/etc/logwatch/scripts/services/backup)](#service-script-etclogwatchscriptsservicesbackup) - - [Detail levels](#detail-levels) -- [Timestamp processing script (/etc/logwatch/scripts/shared/sqfullstampanywhere)](#timestamp-processing-script-etclogwatchscriptssharedsqfullstampanywhere) - - [The time format specification](#the-time-format-specification) - - [The search REGEX](#the-search-regex) -- [Testing](#testing) -- [Final thoughts](#final-thoughts) +## final thoughts -## LogFile Group file (/etc/logwatch/conf/logfiles/backup.conf) - -### Log file location - -Update this as needed to point to the location and name of the log file -generated by the backup script. Remember, by default, the log file is created -in the same directory as the script itself. - -```Ini -LogFile = /path/to/your/backup.log -... -``` - -Best practices suggest you use the backup script's *-l* flag to change this -location to something like */var/log/backup.log*, for example. In that case, -the entry would look like: - -```Ini -LogFile = /var/log/backup.log -... -``` - -### Archive location and name format - -If you want Logwatch to process old (archived) log files generated by something -like *Logrotate*, then you have to specify the location and file name format of -those files. I've included the generalized compressed format of such rotated -files as the default in the script. Suppose you store your log files in the -recommended location (*/var/log/*) and are using *Logrotate* with compression -enabled, the archive line would look like: - -```Ini -... -Archive = /var/log/backup.log.?.gz -... -``` - -This would tell Logwatch, when the archive option is set to true, that your -*backup.log* files are archived as: *backup.log.1.gz*, *backup.log.2.gz*, etc. -and are all located in */var/log/*. - -**Note: This line is totally optional and only used if you set the archive -option in Logwatch to true (default). You can comment/delete this line if you -wish.** - -### External script for timestamp processing - -Since the log file uses a non-standard (according to Logwatch) method of -datestamping, a custom filter had to be created. See the -[relevant](#timestamp-processing-script-etclogwatchscriptssharedsqfullstampanywhere) -section of this document for more information. - -The script file is called with an *\** before the filename. - -```Ini -... -*sqFullStampAnywhere -... -``` - -If you change the name of this file, you will have to change this line. -Remember that whatever you type here as a name is converted to all-lowercase -so your filename should be all lowercase also. - -## Service definition file (/etc/logwatch/conf/services/backup.conf) - -### LogFile Group file definition - -The service file needs to know what group of log files it is responsible for -processing. This MUST match the name of your *LogFile Group file*: - -```Ini -LogFile = backup -... -``` - -If you change your LogFile Group filename, then update it here too without the -*.conf* extension. - -### Report title - -The Logwatch output file (html or text) is divided into sections. You can -define the title to be anything that has meaning for you. I have arbitrarily -chosen *"System and Mailcow Backup"* but you can change it to anything you want by -modifying the line: - -```Ini -... -Title = "System and Mailcow Backup" -``` - -### Detail level - -If you want to set the *detail* level of this service differently from your -other services (which will use the *--detail* switch value or the value in your -*logwatch.conf*), then you can define that level here. By default, it appears -like this in the service configuration file: - -```Ini -... -# Override the detail level for this service -# Remember the levels are: 0, 1-4, 5, 6+ -# Detail = 0 -``` - -Simply change it to the value you want enforced. For example, here I'm setting -it to output level 5 regardless of whatever settings everything else is using. - -```Ini -# Override the detail level for this service -# Remember the levels are: 0, 1-4, 5, 6+ -Detail = 5 -``` - -## Service script (/etc/logwatch/scripts/services/backup) - -Logwatch calls any script with a name that **matches the service name**. You'll -notice that I just named everything *backup* to keep things simple. You can -change this to whatever you want, however. If you changed the service name to -*"MailcowBackup*.conf", for example, you would have to rename this script file -to "*MailcowBackup*" with no extension.\ -*Note: The script is a PERL file (note the shebang) but it can be written in any -language.* - -**In essence, Logwatch just spits out the log file(s) defined in the LogFile -Group file as standard input (STDIN) for the script and then takes whatever is -output (STDOUT) from the script to assemble into it's report.** - -### Detail levels - -The script supports four (4) detail levels as follows: - -- **Level 0: Summary output only** - - This will display an aggregate total of certain logged elements. It will - display the total number of overall successful script executions, total - generated warnings and total errors encountered that stopped the normal - execution of the script. All totals are relative to the reporting period - Logwatch is using (--range parameter). - - **This is the recommended reporting level.** It does not take up much space - and is quick to read. If you notice warnings and/or errors, you should - consult the full log. -- **Levels 1-4 (all the same): Critical messages** - - This uses the data which is summarized by Level 0 but outputs the actual - messages in the log file. For example, you will see the actual text of the - errors logged instead of just a total number of errors. This level of - reporting is useful when *initially* monitoring the script's operation since - you can see the actual text of any generated warnings/errors. - -- **Level 5: Verbose (debugging) output** - - Like the previous level, this outputs the actual messages found in the log - file. However, it also includes *[INFO] tags* which contain logged - operational messages such as created temporary directories, - starting/stopping docker containers, whether the 503 page was copied, etc. - This level of reporting is useful in diagnosing why errors are occurring or - if you just want more insight into how the script works. - - **This level of output will make your Logwatch reports longer and consume - more of your time to review. You should not use this level day-to-day.** -- **Levels 6+ (all the same): Complete log file dump** - - Any number greater than 5 passed as a detail level will trigger the script - to dump the entire log file out to Logwatch line-by-line. This is useful - only if you are debugging an issue and cannot get access to the actual raw - log file itself. The actual log file is colour-coded which makes it much - easier to read for debugging purposes. - - **Use this detail level only when you need to see the entire log file and - cannot otherwise access the log file.** - -## Timestamp processing script (/etc/logwatch/scripts/shared/sqfullstampanywhere) - -This is basically a modified version of the '*applyeurodate*' script that comes -with Logwatch. It had to be modified to search within [square brackets] and to -accept characters coming before the stamp (i.e. ANSI colour codes). If you -change the '**stamp**' variable in the backup script to update the timestamp to -your liking (which to totally fine!) then you'll probably have to update this -file. There are two lines you need to modify to suit your new '**stamp**' -variable. - -### The time format specification - -'*$SearchDate*' is the variable used in the PERL script to do exactly what it -says, search for the date stamp. I have it set up to look for the format -'*year-month-date hour:minute:second*'. Note, we don't care about brackets or -anything here, we're just defining the format of the date/time stamp. - -```Perl -... -$SearchDate = TimeFilter('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'); -... -``` - -If you changed the '**stamp**' variable so it was formatted as '*month/day/year -hour:minute*' (ex: '*[09/27/2018 18:38]*') then you'd update the **$SearchDate** -variable as follows (note: no mention of the square brackets!): - -```Perl -... -$SearchDate = TimeFilter('%m/%d/%Y %H:%M'); -... -``` - -### The search REGEX - -The PERL script uses a '*regular expression*' (REGEX) to search within the log file for -'*$SearchDate*'. For the default datestamp, this specification looks like: - -```Perl -... -if ($ThisLine =~ m/\[$SearchDate\] /o) { -... -``` - -The REGEX appears between '*m/*' and '*/o*'. In this case, it searches for -'*$SearchDate*' inside [square brackets] appearing anywhere on the line. This -is because ANSI colour-codes often appear before the datestamp in the default -log file. If you have modified this so that your datestamp appears at the -beginning of the line and in the example format in the section above (using -slashes instead of dashes) then you'd rewrite this REGEX as follows: - -```Perl -... -if ($ThisLine =~ m/^\[$SearchDate\] /o) { -... -``` - -or using regular brackets anywhere on the line: - -```Perl -... -if ($ThisLine =~ m/\($SearchDate\) /o) { -... -``` - -or without any brackets but appearing at the beginning of the line: - -```Perl -... -if ($ThisLine =~ m/^$SearchDate /o) { -... -``` - -## Testing - -Run *logwatch --help* and note the options. You can test just this service -locally on your screen with the following command (assuming you kept default -names for everything): - -```Bash -# Summary output, entire duration of log file -logwatch --service backup --output stdout --format text --range all --detail 0 - -# Minimal detail, yesterday only -logwatch --service backup --output stdout --format text --range yesterday --detail 3 - -# Verbose output, today only -logwatch --service backup --output stdout --format text --range today --detail 5 -``` - -## Final thoughts - -That's it! I'm a horrible PERL programmer so if anyone can optimize/improve the -script file used for Logwatch then please do it! Otherwise, I hope this made -sense and helped you integrate the backup script with Logwatch for easy -monitoring :-) \ No newline at end of file +I hope this helps you get your mailcow backup integrated with logwatch easily and quickly. If you have any suggestions/improvements, drop me a line in the issues section!