VSI-AXPVMS-SYSLOGD-04-FEB-2018-RNOTES.PDF

This document provides a step-by-step guide to installing and configuring SYSLOGD (an OpenVMS port of UNIX/Linux syslogd) on OpenVMS (8.4-1H1 or higher) with HP TCP/IP Services.

The process involves:

1. Account Creation: Creating a dedicated TCPIPSSYSLOG account with specific authorized and default privileges (TMPMBX, SYSPRV, WORLD, OPER) and its associated directory.
2. File Extraction: Extracting the provided SYSLOGD ZIP file into the new account's login directory.
3. Service Definition & Enablement: Defining the syslog service using the tcpip set service syslog /proto=udp command with various qualifiers (e.g., /port, /username, /file, /log, /accept), and then enabling it. The SERVICE.COM script can automate this. This command should also be added to system startup to ensure persistence across reboots.
4. Command Procedure: Creating a STARTUP.COM procedure in the account's directory to define the tcpip$syslog_config logical (pointing to the configuration file) and execute SYSLOGD.EXE.
5. Configuration File: Creating or modifying SYSLOGD.CFG. This file, similar to UNIX syslog configurations, specifies how messages are handled based on <facility>.<severity> combinations, routing them to destinations like files (/), other network nodes (@), OPCOM messages (% followed by classes), or specific usernames.
6. Verification and Control: Using the LOGGER.EXE utility to send test messages (e.g., logger "This is a test message") to verify SYSLOGD is operating. LOGGER can also control SYSLOGD with the -c option, allowing commands like s (shutdown) or r (reopen log files).