# Send Syslog Data to InfluxDB
This article shows how to collect `syslog` data into [InfluxDB](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb) using Fluentd.
## Prerequisites
* A basic understanding of [Fluentd](https://www.fluentd.org/)
* A running instance of `rsyslogd`
* [InfluxDB](https://www.influxdata.com/)
* Your InfluxDB access token
* [Chronograf](https://www.influxdata.com/time-series-platform/chronograf/)
You can install Fluentd via major packaging systems.
* [Installation](https://docs.fluentd.org/installation)
## Step 1: Install InfluxDB
You can install InfluxDB via major packaging systems.
* [Install InfluxDB OSS v2](https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2/install/)
Once it is installed, you can run it with:
```
$ sudo systemctl start influxdb
```
Then, run the initial setup process and create/configure the following:
* Create `influxdb` user
* Create proper operation token
* Set `fluent` organization
* Create `test` bucket
* Crete access API token
See [Set up InfluxDB](https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2/get-started/setup/).
Then, you can verify that InfluxDB is running:
```
$ curl --header "Authorization: Token (INFLUXDB_ACCESS_TOKEN_HERE)" "http://localhost:8086/query?q=show+databases"
```
If InfluxDB is running normally, you will see an object that contains the `_monitoring`, `_tasks` and `test` database:
```javascript
{"results":[{"statement_id":0,"series":[{"name":"databases","columns":["name"],"values":[["_monitoring"],["_tasks"],["test"]]}]}]}
```
We are done for now.
## Step 2: Install Fluentd and the InfluxDB plugin
You can install Fluentd via major packaging systems.
* [Installation](https://docs.fluentd.org/installation)
Next, install the InfluxDB output plugin:
If [`out_influxdb`](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb-plugin-fluent) (fluent-plugin-influxdb-v2) is not installed yet, please install it manually.
See [Plugin Management](https://docs.fluentd.org/installation/post-installation-guide#plugin-management) section how to install fluent-plugin-influxdb-v2 on your environment.
{% hint style="warning" %}
Do not install fluent-plugin-influxdb, it does not support for InfluxDB v2.
{% endhint %}
Finally, configure `/etc/fluent/fluentd.conf` as follows:
```
@type syslog
port 42185
tag system
@type influxdb
url http://localhost:8086
org fluent
bucket test
token "ACCESS_TOKEN_HERE"
use_ssl false
flush_interval 10s # for testing
```
Restart `fluentd` with `sudo systemctl restart fluentd`.
## Step 3: Configure `rsyslogd`
If remote `rsyslogd` instances are already collecting data into the aggregator `rsyslogd`, the settings for `rsyslog` should remain unchanged. However, if this is a brand new setup, create `/etc/rsyslogd.d/90-fluentd.conf` and append the following line:
```
*.* @localhost:42185
```
You should replace `localhost` with the IP address of your aggregator server. Also, there is nothing special about port `42185` (do make sure this port is open though).
Now, restart `rsyslogd`:
```
$ sudo systemctl restart rsyslog
```
## Step 4: Confirm Data Flow
Your `syslog` data should be flowing into InfluxDB every 10 seconds (this is configured by `flush_interval`).
For visualizing incoming data, you can use the InfluxDB UI by default and as an option, you can use `Chronograf` with InfluxDB v2.
You can install Chronograf via major packaging systems.
* [Install Chronograf](https://docs.influxdata.com/chronograf/v1/introduction/installation/)
{% hint style="info" %}
Setup Chronograf "InfluxDB v2 Auth" to connect with InfluxDB v2. See [Use Chronograf with InfluxDB OSS](https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2/tools/chronograf/).
{% endhint %}
Then, go to and clicking on `Explore` brings up the query interface that **lets you write SQL queries against your log data**.
And then click `Visualization` and select the line chart:
Now, switch to `Queries` to count the number of lines of `syslog` messages per facility/priority:
```sql
SELECT COUNT(ident) FROM test.autogen./^system\./ GROUP BY time(1s)
```
Click on **Submit Query** to get a graph like this:
Here is another screenshot for the `system.daemon.info` series:
If this article is incorrect or outdated, or omits critical information, please [let us know](https://github.com/fluent/fluentd-docs-gitbook/issues?state=open). [Fluentd](http://www.fluentd.org/) is an open-source project under [Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)](https://cncf.io/). All components are available under the Apache 2 License.