# Log stash and log stash forwarder how should it be used

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [June 9, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237 "2015-06-09T16:36:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Berson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Peter\_Berson](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Peter_Berson)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/1 "2015-06-09T16:36:32Z")

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Newbie Question  
It seems that logstash can send logs to another server that is running elastic search. What is the need for log stash-forwarder? Security?

Setup that I am trying to design.

```
App Logs Machine Log Server
log stash send to -> elasticSearch

or
log-stash-forwarder - logstash
                               elasticsearch
```

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**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/2 "2015-06-09T19:30:57Z")

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logstash-forwarder exists primarily because Logstash has a pretty large deployment overhead (both disk space and RAM) which can be a problem for small machines. Quoting the [readme file](https://github.com/elastic/logstash-forwarder/blob/master/README.md):

> Perceived Problems: Some users view logstash releases as "large" or have a generalized fear of Java.

> Actual Problems: Logstash, for right now, runs with a footprint that is not friendly to underprovisioned systems such as EC2 micro instances; on other systems it is fine. This project will exist until that is resolved.

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**Author:** ![Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jerry_Hoffmeister)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/3 "2015-06-09T23:30:53Z")

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Logstash doesn't seem to have all of the same features to send logs via lumberjack as logstash-forwarder?

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**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 3:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/4 "2015-06-10T03:46:46Z")

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Logstash has both input and output plugins for the Lumberjack protocol, so what are you missing, specifically?

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**Author:** ![Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jerry_Hoffmeister)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/5 "2015-06-10T04:55:25Z")

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I've a different problem / question from the the original questioner but for example the output plugin lacks the ability to set fields (type for example) that the logstash-forwarder can do.

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**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 6:35am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/6 "2015-06-10T06:35:53Z")

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In Logstash fields are added by filters, not output plugins. The `type` field is usually set by input plugins (but can be modified by filters). Logstash is _a lot_ more powerful in this regard.

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**Author:** ![Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@Jerry\_Hoffmeister](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jerry_Hoffmeister)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/7 "2015-06-10T17:15:16Z")

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Yup, as we discussed in my thread, I'm all set at least for now 😄

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/log-stash-and-log-stash-forwarder-how-should-it-be-used/2237/8 "2017-07-06T05:37:50Z")

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