Centralized Log Management
Perform event log analysis from within a unified dashboard
Perform event log analysis from within a unified dashboard
Need to know what’s happening across your IT infrastructure? SolarWinds® Security Event Manager (SEM) is a centralized log management system built to gather log data from across your network. SEM is built to let you centralize logs from across workstations, servers, systems, IDS/IPS, firewalls, authentication services, and more.
To facilitate easier analysis, the platform can normalize and categorize thousands of syslogs, event logs, and other files. SEM is designed to leverage in-memory event correlation for real-time analysis without requiring you to scan logs manually. The integrated agent automatically sends the data you need to the SEM platform, which uses actionable intelligence to track user activity, security issues, and more. SEM also uses a high-compression data model so you can unify event log analysis without worrying about log storage limits or external hardware.
Easily track key metrics in real-time with centralized log management system
Easily track key metrics in real-time with centralized log management system
It can be impossible for admins to individually check every error log on every device in their environment. SEM is built with centralized logging solutions that can enable admins to easily monitor their IT environments by tracking key metrics and change activity. Log centralization can also help enable quicker anomaly detection, even as your infrastructure grows.
With centralized log management tools, SEM can help admins catch potential errors and suspicious traffic patterns by providing real-time visibility. The nDepth search engine in SEM can also locate specific event data as it passes through SEM Managers, allowing you to conduct searches of historical data and view the results in intuitive visualizations. The log analyzer is designed to provide information like source machine IP, event name and severity, time of insertion or detection, protocol usage, and more.
Scan log sources for significant change activity
Scan log sources for significant change activity
SEM File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) features use centralized logging to catch a range of unauthorized changes, including modifications to log and audit files, SQL databases, configuration files, executables, and more. Filtering this data through a central logging platform can allow admins to easily configure SEM to respond to particular events in certain ways, such as sending alerts to admins based on specified patterns within the system log data.
SEM is also built to collect and normalize logs, which helps empower admins to manage event data by using configurable event filters and display widgets. Armed with this centralized event data, the platform leverages real-time event correlation capabilities to detect issues, send alerts, and initiate automated responses. The tool’s Active Response capability includes 700+ built-in rule templates with customizable responses to a wide range of log event patterns. Admins can even prioritize responses based on issue severity levels.
Catch security issues by utilizing a central log server
Catch security issues by utilizing a central log server
Event logs offer limited insights in isolation, whereas a management system with centralized log data empowers admins to take a proactive approach to security. By ingesting logs from dozens or even hundreds of sources—including firewalls, antivirus software, and endpoint protection applications—SEM is built to offer a more comprehensive overview of suspicious log patterns.
IT needs to be able to monitor users and catch anomalies in typical behavior patterns. What assets do users usually log into? What ports and protocols do users typically leverage? SEM log analyzer is designed to filter event log noise you don’t need, while comparing anomalies against a cybersecurity intelligence database of known threats, including bad IPs. SEM can also produce data visualizations like charts and treemaps that give you insights into the security of your entire system.
Run custom reports to help ensure security compliance
Run custom reports to help ensure security compliance
Compliance is more critical than ever, but distributed IT environments can make gathering the right information a complex task. SEM helps IT admins centrally manage and analyze the event log data they need to complete forensic analysis and compliance reporting, including sensitive data, authentication and authorization protocols, and device configuration changes.
SEM is also designed to help make it easier to demonstrate compliance with regulatory standards set by PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, and more. The platform’s reporting dashboard can generate reports for internal or external audits with its 300 built-in, customizable templates that can be sent directly to the appropriate stakeholders.
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What is centralized log management?
Centralized log management is a comprehensive approach to network, data, and security management that uses automated tools to collect logs from across an IT infrastructure. Potential log sources include applications like antivirus programs, intrusion detection systems, and devices such as servers, firewalls, routers, and workstations.
How does the central logging server work, and why should you use it?
A centralized log server simplifies IT management by aggregating and standardizing log files from diverse sources like switches, routers, firewalls, workstations, and applications across a network into a single platform. This process not only facilitates centralized log analysis by normalizing formats but also enables automated tools within the server to conduct security scans and threat detection efficiently.
Overall, a centralized log management solution enhances network security and streamlines system configuration management. Deciding to centralize log management can also boost IT admin productivity by offering real-time insights and eliminating the manual labor of sifting through logs on multiple servers.
What does a centralized device log analyzer do?
A centralized device log analyzer is the part of the centralized logging system designed to provide customizable searching capabilities. Analysis, whether manual or automated, can be configured to focus on criteria to catch anomalies and generate specific results that help admins answer questions about security and system usage.
A centralized device log analyzer uses a unified dashboard to access, manage, and analyze cleaned-up log data and can offer admins the following capabilities:
- Store logs as needed, retaining key logs based on set policies
- View and manage logs without having to access the root server
- Search all logs at the same time, rather than searching systems separately
- Generate alerts and actions based on defined parameters
- Understand if configuration changes function as intended
- Compare log data against a list of known threats
- Easily generate and share reports on relevant log data
A centralized logging system may also offer other management features, such as automated alerting and response, reporting capabilities, anomaly detection, and more.
How does centralized log management work in Security Event Manager?
Security Event Manager is designed to provide straightforward, streamlined centralized log management even in complex environments. Log files can be sent from various systems, devices, and applications to the central console through SEM agents, with syslog and SNMP protocols, and more. SEM takes care of log aggregation by normalizing logs and standardizing event log data to help ensure easier analysis.
One of SolarWinds SEM’s key features is its Active Response, which enables real-time event correlations to support automated actions in response to user-specified events. Simply choose from built-in filters and start receiving alerts or triggering actions in response to specific patterns or events.
Another significant advantage of SEM is its 60:1 high-compression log file storage ratio, which is designed to prevent many of the problems associated with data retention. That means you can collect more log file data, helping ensure nothing goes overlooked. The tool’s focus on security is yet another benefit of using SEM centralized logging solutions. The log analyzer is built to compare potential threats to a regularly updated database of known security risks to deliver added protection across your system.
What can integration with Hybrid Cloud Observability additionally offer to your business?
By integrating Security Event Manager and Access Right Manager into Hybrid Cloud Observability, you gain a unique set of Security Observability features. This integration offers your business enhanced visibility, intelligence, and productivity across on-premises and multi-cloud environments. It eliminates tool sprawl by centralizing disparate data types into actionable insights, reduces alert fatigue with AIOps-driven problem correlation, and supports growth with flexible licensing.
This solution provides comprehensive observability, ensuring availability, accelerating issue resolution, and optimizing IT operations for increased efficiency and readiness for future innovations.
What are the benefits of centralized logging?
Centralized log management offers multiple benefits to organizations:
- Enhanced Security: enables quicker detection of security incidents and vulnerabilities.
- Improved Compliance: central log management assists in meeting regulatory requirements through efficient log storage and access.
- Operational Efficiency: streamlines troubleshooting and monitoring, reducing downtime.
- Cost Reduction: minimizes the need for multiple logging tools and processes.
- Data Analysis: facilitates advanced analytics on log data for better decision-making.
- Real-time Monitoring: overall, centralized log management tools provide immediate visibility into system and network health for businesses.
What are the best practices for centralized log management?
To make the best use of centralized log management, consider these best practices:
- Ensure comprehensive log collection across all systems and applications.
- Standardize log formats to simplify processing and analysis.
- Implement robust security measures to protect log data.
- Use real-time monitoring and alerts for prompt issue detection.
- Regularly review and analyze logs to identify trends or issues.
- Maintain compliance with data retention policies and regulations.
- Leverage advanced analytics for deeper insights into log data.
- Optimize storage to manage large volumes of log data efficiently.
These practices can help maximize the benefits of centralized log management, enhancing security, compliance, and operational efficiency.
What is centralized log management?
Centralized log management is a comprehensive approach to network, data, and security management that uses automated tools to collect logs from across an IT infrastructure. Potential log sources include applications like antivirus programs, intrusion detection systems, and devices such as servers, firewalls, routers, and workstations.
“.... by bringing SEM in, we can definitely get an in-depth view of what's going on in our environment"
Max Kuzmenko
Senior Systems Engineer
Achieve comprehensive system insight with centralized log management
Security Event Manager
- Aggregate log files drawn from dozens or even hundreds of log sources
- Utilize an automated log analyzer to gain actionable insights
- Leverage automated log collection to improve security and error management
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