Configuring syslogd to receive remote messages

The ability to receive messages from remote syslogd instances can be very useful in providing a consolidated log of messages from multiple hosts into a consolidated z/OS® message log. For example, in scenarios where you are running Linux hosts on System z® processors, and these Linux hosts are performing processing in cooperation with or on behalf of z/OS systems, you might want to have certain important messages generated on the Linux hosts visible from a z/OS system. This capability would enable z/OS operators to be alerted of specific conditions on the Linux hosts that might require actions to be taken locally or on the Linux hosts.

If you decide that this remote logging capability is useful in your environment, there are several configuration considerations that should be examined prior to enabling this function. It is also important to note that the syslogd remote logging capability can work in both directions; the z/OS syslogd can forward some of its messages to another remote syslogd instance, or the z/OS syslogd instance can be the receiver of remote syslogd messages. The considerations described here focus primarily on the latter scenario, where the z/OS syslogd is the recipient of remote messages.