9 BEST Syslog Servers for Windows (Open Source)

Syslog is a standard for sending log messages within a network. It supports by a variety of devices. The Syslog protocol offers a wide range of system information and, it is an important part of network monitoring.

Syslog monitoring tool helps to receive and manage messages from all types of network devices. Syslog server also ingests data of all shapes, sizes, and sources.

After dedicating 100+ hours to researching 40+ BEST Syslog Servers for Windows, I have curated a comprehensive list of top tools, including both free and paid options. My well-researched and unbiased guide features trusted insights, popular features, pros and cons, and pricing details. This ultimate review may help you make an informed choice. Read the full article to discover exclusive, must-see information. Read more…

Top Pick

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer operates as a Syslog server and is free for up to five log sources. EventLog Analyzer provides tools for real-time event log correlation. It also includes predefined rules for security event logs

Visit ManageEngine

Best Syslog Servers for Windows & Linux: Free & Open Source

Name	Supported platforms	Free Trial/Open Source	Link
👍 ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer	Windows, Linux	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
PRTG free Syslog server	Windows	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
LogStash	Windows	14 Days Free Trial	Learn More
fluentd	Windows	Open Source	Learn More
Fastvue Syslog Server	Linux and Mac OS X.	Open Source	Learn More

1) ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer is a top choice for a syslog server because it is reliable and efficient. It helped me manage my logs with ease. It functions as a syslog server and is cost-free for handling up to five log sources, which I particularly appreciate as it is a budget-friendly option.

#1 Top Pick

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer

5.0

Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux

Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial

Visit EventLog Analyzer

Features:

Real-Time Event Log Correlation: EventLog Analyzer provides tools for real-time event log correlation, allowing me to quickly determine when problems or suspicious activities occur.
Custom Rule Creation for Alerts: I could build custom rules for alerts, enabling notifications of crucial issues related to service uptime or security. It allowed me to focus on key threats by setting up custom alerts.
Predefined Security Event Rules: It includes predefined rules for security event logs, helping you promptly address potential security threats. I received instant alerts for critical security events thanks to these predefined rules.

Pros

Provides detailed audit trails for compliance with various security standards
Real-time monitoring of system logs offers proactive threat detection
A User-friendly interface simplifies the log management process effectively
It allowed me to streamline security operations with automated log analysis

Cons

Initial setup complexity might require additional training for new users
I could access limited features in the free version, which restricted its utility
High resource consumption can affect overall system performance during peak times

👉 How to Get ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer for Free?

Visit ManageEngine.com official website using the provided link.
Choose the ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer plan that best suits your needs, particularly the syslog plan. You can take advantage of a 30-day Free Trial.
If you decide to cancel within this trial period, simply reach out to customer support to have your payment refunded to the original method.

Visit ManageEngine >>

30-Days Free Trial

2) PRTG free Syslog server

PRTG free Syslog server offers strong server management features that I particularly appreciate. It helps you track systems, devices, traffic, and applications throughout your IT infrastructure. I have found that it is a great option for keeping everything in check.

PRTG Syslog server

4.9

Supported Platforms: All Windows

Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial

Visit PRTG

Features:

Plugin-Free Operation: I did not need additional plugins or downloads, ensuring straightforward installation and use across various environments.
Comprehensive Port Monitoring: PRTG monitors both open and closed ports, offering complete visibility into network activities. It helped me easily access detailed port information.
Centralized Syslog Monitoring: It allowed me to set up the Syslog receiver sensor as a centralized monitor for all network messages.
Custom Web Pages for Monitoring Data: It helped me create web pages with up-to-date monitoring data formatted according to my requirements. I could access real-time data in my preferred format.
Network Segment Scanning: PRTG Syslog monitor tool can scan network segments by pinging defined IP ranges, enhancing network visibility.
Windows Compatibility: Platform support includes all Windows versions, ensuring compatibility with various system setups.

Pros

User-friendly interface allows quick setup and easy navigation for administrators
As per my experience, it allowed me to identify issues quickly and accurately
Scalable architecture supports growing network environments without additional costs
Customizable dashboards offer tailored views of critical network metrics

Cons

Limited storage capacity may require frequent log management
It helped me access basic functions, but scalability required additional setup
Initial learning curve for new users unfamiliar with monitoring tools

👉 How to Get PRTG Syslog server for Free?

Visit PRTG Syslog’s official website using the provided link.
Select the PRTG Syslog server plan that fits your requirements, especially the Syslog plan. You can enjoy a 30-day free trial.
If you choose to cancel during this trial period, simply contact customer support to get your payment refunded to the original payment method.

Visit PRTG >>

30-Days Free Trial

3) Logstash

According to my research, Logstash is a data pipeline tool that provides effective data gathering and transmission to Elasticsearch. It is helpful to collect data from different sources and cleanse it for analytics, making it perfect for data visualization.

Features:

Versatile Data Ingestion: It helps you ingest data of all shapes, sizes, and sources, providing comprehensive data handling capabilities. I could access and manage diverse data sources effortlessly.
Centralized Deployment Management: I could centrally manage deployments with a single UI, streamlining the process of monitoring and control.
Structured and Unstructured Data Analysis: Logstash analyzes a large variety of structured and unstructured data and events, enhancing data insights.
Custom Data Transportation: It allowed me to choose my stash to transport my data, giving me flexibility in data handling.
Platform Compatibility: Logstash is compatible with Linux and Mac OS X, ensuring broad platform support.

Pros

Provides powerful filtering and parsing capabilities for complex log data
Highly customizable with plugins to enhance functionality as per needs
It allowed me to create tailored pipelines for efficient log data management

Cons

High initial learning curve for new users unfamiliar with its ecosystem
As per my experience, I found the setup process time-consuming and tedious

👉 How to Get Logstash for Free?

Head over to the official Logstash website using the provided link.
Choose the Logstash plan that suits your needs, particularly the syslog plan, and take advantage of the 14-day free trial.
During the trial, if you decide to cancel, simply reach out to customer support to have your payment refunded to the original payment method.

Link: https://www.elastic.co/logstash

4) Fluentd

When I evaluated Fluentd, I found it to be a free, open-source log management tool that is remarkable for storing logs in a buffer. It allows you to keep your system stable with load balancing and retries. With over 500 plugins, it is one of the best choices for connecting to various data sources and outputs.

Features:

Data Decoupling: It lets me decouple data from multiple sources, ensuring efficient and organized data management.
Log Structure Understanding: This application provided me with a detailed structure for understanding logs, making log analysis more accessible.
Easy Configuration: The tool is easy to configure, allowing for quick setup and minimal operational hassle. I could access and configure the tool effortlessly, streamlining the setup process.
Real-Time Data Collection: It could collect data from machines in real time, ensuring timely and accurate information gathering. It helped me access real-time data, enhancing the monitoring process.
Effective Log Analysis: It is one of the best syslog servers, helping me to analyze logs with ease and precision.
File Monitoring and Management: Fluentd allowed me to monitor and manage existing files, providing comprehensive control over your data.

Pros

It provided me with a customizable data pipeline for diverse logging needs
Handles high data volumes efficiently without sacrificing performance
Open-source nature allows for continuous community-driven improvements and updates
Flexible architecture suitable for diverse environments, from small to enterprise

Cons

I could experience challenges with plugin compatibility in certain environments
Documentation might not cover all use cases or specific scenarios

👉 How to Get Fluentd for Free?

Head over to the official Fluentd website using the provided link.
Select the Fluentd plan that aligns with your requirements, especially the syslog plan.
Benefit from the open-source data collector offered by Fluentd at no cost.

Link: https://www.fluentd.org/

5) Fastvue Syslog Server

Fastvue lets you log all your Syslog data in one place for free. It helps you forward Syslog messages to other servers with ease. I found that it is a great option for centralizing Syslog data.

Features:

Automatic Log Compression: Fastvue Syslog Server automatically zips logs older than 30 days, ensuring efficient storage management. It provided me with robust log management for large-scale network environments.
Syslog Message Forwarding: This Syslog Server helps you forward Syslog messages to other Syslog servers, providing centralized log management. It allowed me to efficiently manage logs across multiple servers.
Open Format Text Logs: Fastvue provides text logs with an open format, ensuring my data remains accessible and not locked within proprietary databases.
Human-Readable Text Logs: It comes with text logs that are human-readable and easy to search, simplifying log analysis. I could easily search and read through the logs, saving valuable time.
Log Size and Archive Monitoring: I could see the overall size of logs and archived logs per device, offering better control over storage.

Pros

Supports a wide range of log formats, enhancing compatibility
Allows for detailed reporting and customizable alerts
As per my experience, it offered me real-time network security insights

Cons

High resource consumption can impact system performance
I could experience the complex interface that took time to master

👉 How to Get Fastvue Syslog Server for Free?

Visit the official Fastvue Syslog Server website using the provided link.
Choose the Fastvue Syslog Server plan that best meets your needs, focusing on the syslog plan.
Take advantage of the open-source data collector provided by Fluentd at no cost.

Link: https://www.fastvue.co/syslog

6) NXLog Community Edition

NXLog is one of the best Syslog servers for log collection. It helps you get started with its easy-to-deploy installation package. I found that it supports TLS and TCP for secure message buffering and network transport.

Features:

Automatic Log Compression: Fastvue Syslog Server automatically zips logs older than 30 days, ensuring efficient storage management. I found this option very effective for retaining old log files.
Syslog Message Forwarding: It helps you forward Syslog messages to other Syslog servers, providing centralized log management. It allowed me to efficiently manage logs across multiple servers.
Open Format Text Logs: NXLog provided me with text logs in an open format, ensuring my data remains accessible and not locked within proprietary databases.
Human-Readable Text Logs: It comes with text logs that are human-readable and easy to search, simplifying log analysis. I could easily search and read through the logs, saving valuable time.
Log Size and Archive Monitoring: I could see the overall size of logs and archived logs per device, offering better control over storage.

Pros

Efficiently collects and processes logs from various sources in real-time
Open-source nature ensures it is freely accessible for smaller organizations
Supports multiple platforms, including Windows, making it highly versatile
It allowed me to configure multiple output formats for different use cases

Cons

I could access fewer user-friendly interfaces, which slowed down my workflow
Limited official support, relying mostly on community-driven solutions

👉 How to Get NXLog Community Edition for Free?

Visit the official NXLog website through the provided link.
Select the NXLog Community Edition plan that aligns with your needs, especially the syslog plan.
Enjoy the benefits of NXLog’s modern, open-source log collector completely free of charge.

Link: https://nxlog.co/products/nxlog-community-edition

7) Syslog-ng Open Source Edition

I found that Syslog-ng Open Source Edition delivers improved SIEM performance by enhancing data quality. It is important to locate logs swiftly, and Syslog-ng allows you to do that with ease. It is a top choice for effective log management.

Features:

Multi-Source Data Delivery: It can deliver data from various sources to MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Hadoop, and other platforms. This facility assured me of seamless data integration.
Log Data Routing: The application can route log data from one source to another, providing efficient data flow management. It allowed me to streamline data routing across multiple sources effortlessly.
Plugin Extensibility: I could extend Syslog-ng with plugins, making it adaptable to suit any specific use case requirements.
Event Correlation and Transformation: It helped me correlate events and transform them into a unified format, enhancing data consistency. I benefitted from using its event correlation feature to maintain data uniformity.
Automated Archiving: Syslog-ng provides automated archiving, ensuring that my log data is stored and managed efficiently over time.
Custom Reporting: Syslog-ng offers custom reporting, allowing me to generate reports tailored to your specific needs.

Pros

Provides extensive logging options that ensure detailed and precise data collection
Supports a wide range of log formats, making it highly flexible and reliable
It helped me access comprehensive log management features without incurring additional costs

Cons

High customization options may result in complex configurations that are hard to manage
As per my experience, the setup process was challenging due to limited documentation

👉 How to Get Syslog-ng Open Source Edition for Free?

Access the official Syslog-ng Open Source Edition website using the provided link.
Choose the Syslog-ng Open Source Edition plan that best fits your requirements, particularly the syslog plan.
Take advantage of Syslog-ng Open Source’s modern log collector, available completely free of charge.

Link: https://www.syslog-ng.com/products/open-source-log-management/

8) Nagios Log server

Nagios is one of the best free Syslog software for managing logs. It helps you monitor systems, networks, and infrastructure. I have noticed that it is great for monitoring systems, applications, services, and business processes in a DevOps environment.

Features:

Scalability and Security: This system is relatively scalable, manageable, and secure, offering a reliable solution for expanding networks.
Logging and Database Management: This open-source Syslog server provides a robust log and database system, essential for effective data management.
Web Interface Design: The informative and attractive web interfaces are great for simplifying navigation and improving user interaction.
Automated Alerts: This is one of the best free Syslog servers, automatically sending alerts if log conditions change. I could receive timely alerts, which helped me avoid potential issues quickly.
Comprehensive Monitoring: With a single, integrated dashboard, you can monitor the entire business process and IT infrastructure. This allowed me to effortlessly oversee all operations.
Error Detection: This open-source Syslog server tool is great for finding network errors or server crashes and minimizing disruptions.
Performance Troubleshooting: It lets me troubleshoot server performance issues effectively, ensuring smooth and continuous server operations.

Pros

Allows easy scalability to handle large volumes of log data
Customizable dashboards offer tailored views of critical log data
As per my experience, the interface is user-friendly and intuitive to navigate

Cons

I could access only a few advanced features without additional configuration

👉 How to Get Nagios Log server for Free?

Visit the official Nagios Log server website using the provided link.
Select the Nagios Log Server plan that best suits your needs, especially the syslog plan.
Utilize Nagios Open Source’s modern log collector, available entirely free of charge.

Link: https://www.nagios.com/products/nagios-log-server/

9) Syslog Watcher

In my experience, Syslog Watcher is one of the best tools for network logging. It connects with various devices, servers, and applications and sends Syslog messages to share details about network events and errors. Syslog watcher is the best way to handle network tasks and security checks.

Features:

Performance Optimization: I noticed that Syslog Watcher follows a multi-threaded architecture that is optimized for better performance and ensures efficient processing.
High Load Capacity: It is designed to work under heavy load and can process thousands of Syslog messages per second. I could rely on its high capacity to manage intense data flow without interruptions.
Database Integration: Syslog Watcher can export collected data to any SQL, NoSQL, or file-based database using ODBC connectors.
Automated Email Alerts: The system generates emails in response to incoming Syslogs, providing me with timely notifications for critical events.
Flexible Data Export: It supports exporting collected Syslog messages to various text file types, such as CSV, XML, and JSON. It allowed me to choose the best format for easy data analysis.

Pros

Supports high log throughput, ensuring efficient data processing in large networks
Offers me customizable alert system that helps proactively manage network issues
Allows comprehensive log retention policies for long-term data analysis and compliance

Cons

I could access limited support documentation, which made troubleshooting difficult
Resource-intensive, requiring significant system memory for optimal performance

👉 How to Get Syslog Watcher for Free?

Navigate to the official Syslog Watcher website using the provided link.
Choose the Syslog Watcher plan that aligns with your needs, particularly the syslog plan.
Take advantage of the Syslog Watcher Open Source’s modern log collector, available completely free.

Link: https://ezfive.com/syslog-watcher/

What are the important Syslog server features?

Some important Syslog Server features are:

It helps you to analyze issues and errors within a network.
Allows system admin to generate their own rules and templates.
Enables you to quickly sort, find, and compare previous log activities with the current one.
This tool helps you to locate security problems.
Syslog server helps you to predict IT issues before they impact your network.
Offers real-time event correlation.
It helps you to collect, organize and analyze data.
Online Syslog server provides a user-friendly environment to manage Syslog data and messages.
It allows systems to collect Syslog messages from different types of devices.
Performs cross-platform functions to find messages that arise from any operating system.
Provides a central storage point for all Syslog messages that arise on a WAN.
Creates a logical directory structure to aid access to historical Syslog data.
It uses a standard file format for event logs.
Enables you to view live Syslog messages.
Provides a viewer for historical data loaded from a file.

What are the important types of Syslog messages?

Syslog messages can be understood as Linux/Unix or Windows Event Logs. Here are some important types of Syslog Messages:

Warnings of equipment failure: This Syslog message gets written to a log file.
Capacity exhaustion monitoring: This is a Syslog message forpre-set warning levels, which you set yourself.
Gives alerts of unexpected events: Abnormal activity or indication of compromised user accounts.
Network intrusion detection: Unauthorized devices and access from unexpected locations on the internet.

Why you need Centralized Logging?

Centralized logging allows you to collect all log files and store them in a single place. There are many businesses that use cloud storage for this activity. Aggregating logs for the analysis is also a good idea.

Log files and event messages get generated by many applications and operating systems. It also provides information about the operations of your IT infrastructure so many people tend to ignore them.

However, if you keep your attention to these messages, and if you want security standard accreditation, you should have a comprehensive log management policy.

What is a Syslog server?

Syslog is a standard for sending log messages within a network. It is supported by a variety of devices. The Syslog protocol offers a various kind of important system information so, it is vital part of network monitoring.

A Syslog server helps you to keep event logs for longer periods of time, so you can see the history of events on your operating system. This allows you to see whether any longer-term issues are occurring and whether you need to tackle any missed historical events.

What are Syslog Servers used for?

Syslog servers are mainly used for maintaining a clear view of an enterprise-scale network. Instead of sifting Syslog messages on individual devices, you can use a Syslog server to pull data from hundreds of devices and access all these messages in one place. Without a Syslog server, you need to check these massages through each device individually.

What are the types of logging?

There are two types of logging: Auto-generated logs and Programmer-generated logs.

Auto-generated logs: These types of logs are automatically generated by the system.
Programmer-generated logs: These types of logs are generated by the developer by writing logging.

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Verdict

In this review, you got acquainted with some of the top-notch Syslog servers for Windows. Each tool has distinct features that cater to different needs. To aid your decision-making, I have summarized my findings in this verdict.

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer delivers an impressive and reliable solution, ensuring real-time monitoring and in-depth log analysis.
PRTG Free Syslog Server is an excellent and cost-effective option, ideal for those seeking a simple yet powerful tool.
Logstash offers a customizable and robust solution, making it an ultimate choice for managing diverse data sources.

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