# Newb rsyslogd vs logstash question

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/newb-rsyslogd-vs-logstash-question/195398>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [August 15, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/newb-rsyslogd-vs-logstash-question/195398 "2019-08-15T21:41:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mgotechlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mgotechlock](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/mgotechlock)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/newb-rsyslogd-vs-logstash-question/195398/1 "2019-08-15T21:41:23Z")

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Please clear the topic of whether to use rsyslog or logstash itself as the syslog receiver.

This thread ([https://github.com/elastic/logstash/issues/2965](https://github.com/elastic/logstash/issues/2965)) implies that using ryslog has a great benefit over logstash as a syslog server. They say "You can bypass all of the syslog-level grok grief by using Rsyslog to output JSON formatted text to a TCP port, which Logstash can ingest. "

Let's use Cisco ASA syslog, for example. Is it better to syslog to rsyslog or direct to a logstash udp/tcp port? Why? Does the logstash direct route require a bunch of grok configs that rsyslog route does not?

As a side question, it's getting clearer that I need specific config sections for each syslog type I accept. I would expect that in 2019, there would be a website that lists the configs needed for various syslog inputs. Eg. here is a sample config for a Cisco ASA, here is one for a Fortinet Firewall, here is one for a Sonicwall, for a Checkpoint, etc. Every config i have found is 4+ years old. Does such a site exist or is everyone just scraping it together as they go?

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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:** [September 12, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/newb-rsyslogd-vs-logstash-question/195398/2 "2019-09-12T21:41:32Z")

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