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Asked: 2018-04-21 05:04:17 +0800 CST

Logrotate configuration: it works, but always keeps 'current' log empty

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I moved logging for openvpn into its own log and attempted to set up log rotation for it, but I've obviously done something wrong.

Logging occurs as desired but always into the 2nd logfileopenvpn.log.1. The 'current' logfile openvpn.log exists, but is always empty.

-rw------- 1 root root     0 Apr 20 07:35 openvpn.log
-rw------- 1 root root  5411 Apr 20 07:58 openvpn.log.1

Here's my logrotate configuration file for openvpn.

/var/log/openvpn.log {
       daily
       rotate 7
       delaycompress
       compress
       notifempty
       missingok
}

The line in Openvpn's server.conf regarding logging is

log-append /var/log/openvpn.log

What did I mess up?

openvpn logrotate

2 Answers

  1. According to this old post on the openvpn-users mailing list :

    openvpn logging is done by redirecting stdout/stderr to the logfile

    So the solution is to use the copytruncate option in the logrotate configuration:

    copytruncate

    Truncate the original log file to zero size in place after creating a copy, instead of moving the old log file and optionally creating a new one. It can be used when some program cannot be told to close its logfile and thus might continue writing (appending) to the previous log file forever. Note that there is a very small time slice between copying the file and truncating it, so some logging data might be lost. When this option is used, the create option will have no effect, as the old log file stays in place.

    This is what I have in my /etc/logrotate.d/openvpn file :

    /var/log/openvpn.log {
    weekly
    rotate 12
    copytruncate
    compress
    delaycompress
    missingok
    notifempty
}
    • 8
  2. Best Answer

    You should make your service aware of log rotation. Some services may be killed with HUP signal some may need a full restart. It is possible that service opens the openvpn.log file, which is renamed to openvpn.log.1.

    Try to add:

    postrotate
    systemctl restart openvpn.service
endscript

    I don't know exactly how your service is called, so my guess for openvpn.service may be wrong.

    • 1