Remote Access

Remote access lets Syslog Watcher Manager on another computer configure a running Syslog Watcher Server and work with its syslog storage.

Enable Remote Access

Configure the listener on the server computer (local Manager, Local).

  1. On the Server toolbar, click Server → Server Configuration…​.

  2. Select Server.

  3. Set Allow remote access to Yes.

  4. Click Apply.

If no users exist yet, Manager warns and opens Remote Access Users. Add at least one user or remote logins cannot authenticate.

The Server tab status line for Remote Access shows Disabled, or the bind address, port, and Plain / Secure.

Setting Description

Allow remote access

Yes starts the Manager listener on this Server. No (the initial value) refuses remote connections.

Port

TCP port for Manager connections. Example: 8005.

Connection

Plain (unencrypted) or Secure (encrypted). The initial value is Plain (unencrypted). The Manager Protocol on connect must match this setting.

Certificate

Named certificate used when Connection is Secure (encrypted). Certificates are managed from the Server toolbar → More → TLS Certificates…​.

Private key password

Password for a protected private key. Use a secret string (%SECRET%) instead of a plaintext password.

Local IP address

Interface the Server binds for incoming Manager connections.

Allow inbound TCP on Port in the Windows firewall (and any network firewall) for the Syslog Watcher Server host.

Secure Connection

Switching Connection to Secure (encrypted) without a certificate selected generates a self-signed certificate named remote_access (this computer’s name as CN, 2048-bit key, 10 years) and selects it.

Manager checks the certificate with Windows. Trust that certificate on the Manager computer, connect with the computer name as Server (not only the IP), or replace remote_access with a certificate from a CA that Windows already trusts.

Remote Access Users

Open the list from Server toolbar → Server → Remote Access Users…​, or from Server Configuration → Manage Remote Access Users…​.

Columns: Username, Full name, Role.

Without permission to manage users, the window is Remote Access Users: Self Only (the signed-in account only).

Add a User

  1. Click Create New.

  2. Fill User Properties.

  3. Click Create.

The first user is prefilled as username admin, full name Administrator, role Admin. Later new users default to Observer.

Username, Password, and Full name are required. Username must be unique.

Edit a User

Select a row → Edit…​. Username cannot be changed after create. The signed-in user cannot change its own Role.

Delete a User

Select a row → Delete → confirm. The signed-in user cannot be deleted.

User Properties

Setting Description

Username

Login name for Connect. Set at create; read-only afterwards.

Password

Password for the connection.

Full name

Display name in the users list.

Role

Admin, Operator, or Observer.

Roles

Roles apply to remote Manager sessions. A local Manager on the server computer is not limited by these roles.

Role Access

Admin

Full configuration, including other users, licenses, collector start/stop, storage location, secrets, and certificates.

Operator

Day-to-day configuration: features, originators, parsers, views, reports, filter lists, and server settings. Cannot manage other users, change licenses, start or stop the collector, or change the storage location.

Observer

View status, configuration, and stored messages. Cannot change configuration (except the signed-in account and that session’s view tabs).

Connect from Manager

On the workstation (or any computer with Manager):

  1. On the Server toolbar, click Remote.

  2. Fill the connection settings.

  3. Click Connect.

The window remembers the last Server, Port, Protocol, and Username on this Windows account. Remember password stores the password for the same account.

Setting Description

Server

IP address or hostname of the Syslog Watcher Server computer.

Port

Same TCP port as Port on the server (8005 is offered as a preset).

Protocol

Plain (unencrypted) or Secure (encrypted). Must match Connection on the server. The initial value here is Secure (encrypted).

Username

A Remote Access Users username.

Password

That user’s password.

Remember password

Yes stores the password for the next connect from this Windows user.

Use a Remote Session

The remote session uses the Server’s syslog storage, features, originators, and configuration, within the signed-in role.

  • Generate Report Now…​ is not available remotely. Schedule the report so the remote Server generates it.

  • Keep Protocol and Port in agreement with the server. A default Secure (encrypted) connect fails if the server is still Plain (unencrypted).

To leave the session: Server toolbar → Server → Disconnect. To work with the installation on this computer instead: Server toolbar → Local.

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