How to setup Logwatch on Ubuntu Server

Logwatch is a modular log analyser that runs every night and mails you the results. It can also be run from command line.The output is by service and you can limit the output to one particular service. The subscripts which are responsible for the output, mostly convert the raw log lines in structured format.

Logwatch generally ignores the time component in the output, that means, you will know that the reported event was logged in the requested range of time, but you will have to go to the raw log files to get the exact details.

Install logwatch using the following command :-
# sudo apt-get install logwatch

Configuring Logwatch

First you need to make sure you server is able to send the mails outside you can do this using postfix with SMTP server configuration

Now you need to edit logwatch.conf file:-
# sudo nano /usr/share/logwatch/default.conf/logwatch.conf

Change the following information to suit your need:-

Output = mail
Format = html
MailTo = your_email@email.com

Save and exit the file.

Now edit the 00logwatch file:-
# sudo nano /etc/cron.daily/00logwatch

and add the following line :-
/usr/sbin/logwatch --mailto your_email@email.com

Save and exit the file.

This tool is very useful give it a try fellas!.

Note:-If you want to know more available options check logcheck manpage using the following command from your terminal.

# man logcheck