Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana – The ELK stack
ELK Hunt
© Lead Image © welcomia, 123RF.com
A powerful search engine, a tool for processing and normalizing protocols, and another for visualizing the results – Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana form the ELK stack, which helps admins manage logfiles on high-volume systems.
Even a single, small LAMP server will produce a number of logfiles, and if you have a large array of servers, you can generally look forward to a volume of logfiles that is likely to exceed the capabilities of most built-in log management tools – if you want to analyze the data in your logs, that is. The different file formats output by the typical zoo of applications also add complexity.
The ELK stack, which is a combination of Elasticsearch [1], Logstash [2], and Kibana [3] addresses these difficulties. Elasticsearch is an extremely powerful search server that receives its data from Logstash, an application that extracts the data from server protocols, normalizes them, and dumps the results in an Elasticsearch index. Finally, the Kibana analytics and data visualization tool offers extremely flexible views of the information.
The lab environment consisted of several Debian Jessie servers, one running an ELK stack, as well as Filebeat [4], a service that acquires the local logs and sends them to Logstash. Filebeat can also collect logs from remote sources; we used it on another server that was already set up and upgraded as a central log host. The server also takes care of Syslog forwarding.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Alpine Linux 3.24 Features Fresh Desktops and a Newer Kernel
If you're a fan of Alpine Linux, it's time to upgrade because the latest version has been released with KDE Plasma 6.6, Gnome 50, and Linux kernel 6.18 LTS.
-
EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
Comprehensive measures adopted by the European Commission aim to reduce dependency on non-EU countries.
-
Linux Foundation Report Indicates AI Driving Tech Hiring
Within growing security and skills gaps, AI has been found to be a positive driving force behind tech hiring trends in Europe.
-
United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
A new open source portal seeks to coordinate and scale open source efforts across the United Nations system.
-
KDE Linux Drops AUR
KDE Linux developers have dropped the Arch User Repository from the build pipeline due to security concerns; other distributions should consider doing the same.
-
California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
-
Another Logic Bug Found in Linux Kernel
Qualys has discovered a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be used to elevate standard user privileges.
-
Ubuntu Core 26 Offers Game-Changing Enterprise Features
Ubuntu Core 26 could be a game-changer for organizations looking for increased security and reliability.
-
AI Flooding the Linux Kernel Security Mailing List
AI is giving Linus Torvalds a headache, but not in the way you might think.
-
Top Priorities for Open Source Pros Seeking a New Job
Professional fulfillment tops the list, according to LPI report.