Logs are files that record activity during an application’s execution. They are also sometimes used to analyze an application’s status. Log files are therefore important files within a system that continuously record all events (activities) occurring within the system. These files are crucial to a system, making it easier for us, especially administrators, to examine and trace various problems that arise. Log files help admins identify bugs, attack sources, and system damage, even if they don’t know how to fix them. In this article, we will show you how to configure log rotation, journald, and centralized logging on Debian and Ubuntu servers.
Log files, typically located in the /var/log directory, can grow in size, potentially filling your hard drive and causing system or service failures. Fortunately, this usually won’t happen because Linux systems generally come with a log rotation mechanism through the logrotate software package.
