CentOS Dropped Logs: Analysis and Troubleshooting Guide
Dropped logs in CentOS record events where the system discards data packets, connections, or processes—often due to network congestion, firewall rules, hardware limitations, or misconfigurations. These logs are critical for identifying performance bottlenecks, security threats, or system errors. Below is a structured approach to accessing, analyzing, and resolving dropped issues using CentOS’s native logging tools.
CentOS stores dropped-related logs in multiple locations, depending on the system component (network, firewall, security). The most relevant files include:
/var/log/messages: General system logs covering kernel messages, network errors, and service issues (e.g., packet drops from iptables or network drivers)./var/log/syslog: Similar to messages but may contain additional application-level logs (useful for user-space processes that drop connections)./var/log/kern.log: Kernel-specific logs (e.g., network interface errors, DMA issues causing packet drops)./var/log/secure: Authentication and firewall logs (e.g., firewalld or iptables dropping unauthorized access attempts)./var/log/audit/audit.log: Security audit logs (if enabled), recording privileged operations (e.g., users dropping processes via kill).These logs are the primary sources for investigating dropped events.
CentOS provides command-line tools to efficiently search and analyze dropped logs:
journalctl (Recommended for CentOS 7+):
journalctl -n 100 (displays the last 100 entries).journalctl -k | grep -i "dropped\|drop" (shows kernel-level dropped events) or journalctl -u firewalld | grep "Dropped" (checks firewalld-specific drops).journalctl -f (tracks new logs as they are generated).grep/tail for Text Logs:
/var/log/messages: grep -i "dropped" /var/log/messages.tail -f /var/log/syslog | grep "drop".ausearch/aureport (for Audit Logs):
ausearch -k process_drop (requires predefined audit rules).aureport -u -ts today (identifies users associated with dropped events).Dropped logs often indicate underlying issues. Key causes include:
Network Issues:
ip link show eth0 or ethtool -S eth0 | grep "rx_oversize_pkts_phy").netstat -i or ethtool -S eth0).Firewall/Security Rules:
iptables/firewalld blocking legitimate traffic (check rules with iptables -L -n -v or firewall-cmd --list-all)./proc/sys/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_count; increase limit with sysctl -w net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_max=100000).Hardware/Resource Constraints:
ethtool -S eth0 to check for errors like rx_errors or tx_dropped.top or vmstat 1).Once the root cause is identified, take targeted actions:
Adjust Network Configuration:
ip link set eth0 mtu 1500) and verify with ip link show eth0.ethtool shows persistent errors, replace the network cable or card.Modify Firewall Rules:
iptables (e.g., iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT) or adjust firewalld zones.net.netfilter.nf_conntrack_max=100000 to /etc/sysctl.conf and run sysctl -p.Optimize System Resources:
top to identify high-resource consumers) or optimize applications.By systematically accessing logs, filtering for dropped events, and addressing root causes, you can effectively troubleshoot and resolve dropped issues in CentOS. Regular log monitoring (e.g., using logrotate to manage log size) ensures proactive detection of future problems.