Syslog forwarder configuration for bigfix

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Step 1: Prepare the Syslog Server

  1. Set up the Syslog server (e.g., rsyslog, syslog-ng) on the destination machine, configured to listen for syslog messages on the desired port (usually UDP 514).
  2. Verify network access between the BigFix server and the Syslog server, ensuring the required ports are open.

Step 2: Configure BigFix to Send Logs via Syslog

BigFix does not natively support syslog export, so this will involve configuring the environment to capture log data and forward it.

Option 1: Using BigFix Audit Logs (WebUI)

  1. In BigFix WebUI, go to Settings > Logging & Auditing.
  2. Enable Audit Logging to capture events.
  3. Use a log monitoring tool on the BigFix server (e.g., Rsyslog or Splunk Forwarder) to read these logs and send them to the syslog server.

Option 2: Syslog Forwarding via Script/Agent Configuration

  1. Install a syslog agent (such as Rsyslog or syslog-ng) on the BigFix root server or the servers where BigFix components are installed.
  2. Configure the agent to monitor relevant log files generated by BigFix, such as:
  • BESRelay.log
  • BESRootServer.log
  • BESClient.log (on endpoints)
  1. Define a rule in the syslog configuration file to forward these logs to the syslog server.
  • For Rsyslog, add the following lines to /etc/rsyslog.conf (replace your-syslog-server and your-port):

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$InputFileName /path/to/bigfix/log/file.log
$InputFileTag bigfix_logs
$InputFileStateFile bigfix_state
$InputFileSeverity info
$InputFileFacility local0
$InputRunFileMonitor
*.* @your-syslog-server:your-port
  • Restart the Rsyslog service to apply changes:

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sudo systemctl restart rsyslog

Option 3: BigFix Web Reports (Optional)

  1. Configure BigFix Web Reports to export specific event data (like security events or patching activities) to a CSV or XML format.
  2. Use a custom script to parse this data and forward it via syslog.

Step 3: Verify and Monitor

  1. Test the configuration by triggering sample events in BigFix and confirming they appear in your syslog server.
  2. Monitor both the syslog and BigFix logs to ensure that all necessary data is being transferred correctly.

This setup helps capture and transfer BigFix log information, such as system events and audit trails, to your syslog server for central monitoring and analysis.

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