---
title: "Using a Syslog Server"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/nios90/280403148/Using%20a%20Syslog%20Server"
format: markdown
---
Syslog is a widely used mechanism for logging system events. NIOS appliances generate syslog messages that you can view through the Syslog viewer and download to a directory on your management station. In addition, you can configure a NIOS appliance to send the messages to one or more external syslog servers for later analysis. Syslog messages provide information about appliance operations and processes. NIOS appliances include syslog messages generated by the BloxTools service. You can choose logging categories to send specific syslog messages. The prefixes in the syslog messages are based on the logging categories you configure in the syslog. Note that syslog messages are prefixed only when you select logging categories. For information about how to configure logging categories, see <span style="color: #003300">Specifying Syslog Servers below</span>. You can also include audit log messages and specific BIND messages among the messages the appliance sends to the syslog server.   
  
In addition to saving system messages to a remote syslog server, a NIOS appliance also stores the system messages locally. When the syslog file reaches its maximum size, which is 300 MB for Infoblox appliances and VMware virtual appliances, the appliance automatically writes the file into a new file by adding a .`0` extension to the first file and incrementing subsequent file extensions by 1.  
  
Files are compressed during the rotation process, adding `a.gz` extension following the numerical increment (`file.#.gz`). The sequential incrementation goes from zero through nine. When the eleventh file is started, the tenth log file (`file.9.gz`) is deleted, and subsequent files are renumbered accordingly. For example, the current log file moves to` file.0.gz`, the previous `file.0.gz` moves to `file.1.gz`, and so on through `file.9.gz`. A maximum of 10 log files (0-9) are kept.  
  
You can set syslog parameters for RPZ at the Grid, member, and zone levels. At the member level, you can override Grid-level syslog settings and enable syslog proxy, also you can override Grid-level settings to zone level. For more information see about Modifying RPZs, see<span style="color: #0000ff">* *</span><span style="color: #0000ff">*[Managing RPZs](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/nios90/pages/280402532)*</span>.  
  
You can configure the appliance to back up rotated syslog files to external servers through FTP or SCP. When you do so, the appliance forwards the rotated syslog files to the external servers that you configure. You can configure up to 10 external syslog backup servers each at the Grid, member, and zone levels. You can also override the Grid-level server configuration at the member level. For information about configuring syslog backup servers, see Configuring Syslog Backup Servers below.  
  
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