Unix - Actively Monitor Multiple Logs

On Unix like systems, a handy method to monitor multiple logs simultaneously is combining tmux and lnav (consult your OS for installing these utilities)

This example will actively monitor /var/log/syslog; /sbbs/data/sbbsecho.log; /sbbs/exec/umonitor

First, setup tmux to have 3 panes start with a bash script similar to:

#!/bin/sh
tmux new-session -s "Whatever Tmux" -d
tmux split-window -v
tmux split-window -h
tmux -2 attach-session -d  

Once tmux has started you'll see three panes each with a command prompt. Depending on how your tmux key bindings are setup, (this example uses the default bindings CTRL+B+<arrow_key>) navigate to each pane and launch your desired app.

This example uses the top full width pane to monitor /var/log/syslog as it is the most verbose of our active monitoring:

$ sudo lnav /var/log/syslog

Next, navigate to one of the split horizontal panes at the bottom of the window:

$ lnav /sbbs/data/sbbsecho.log 

Lastly, navigate to the 3rd pane:

$ /sbbs/exec/umonitor

You should now have 3 panes, each monitoring one aspect of you Synchronet BBS activity.

• monitor index