rsyslog Archives - Rainer Gerhards

2026-02-072026-02-07

Using Local AI Review to Save CI Time, Money, and Nerves

You know, I like efficient processes. After all, that was one reason that I wrote rsyslog. Which, btw, nowadays is increasingly useful and cost-saving as an ETL/ingestion issue for its speed. So no surprise, I also like efficient workflows.

Terminal showing iterative local AI code review with cubic CLI, code fixes, rebuilds, and test runs before final commit.”

We strongly believe in CI. Especially with AI code generation, it is your ultimate safeguard. However, CI is costly, and AI review usually runs max once per CI run.

So I have paired that review with some local test execution and review. Nowadays of course AI assisted. I usually use CLI tools for their efficiency. As part of the post-build process, I make the AI run various checks. The last one is a full review. I often use cubic for that, because it provides very good results to me.

2026-01-222026-01-22

AI Code Generation in a 200k LOC C Codebase: What Actually Worked in rsyslog

If you want the CS summary: it is at the end.

I keep seeing the same take pop up: “AI is overhyped. Mostly money burning.” Sure. There is hype. There is also a whole lot of low-effort “vibe coding” that produces low-quality output at impressive speed.

Illustration of a robotic hand carefully adjusting gears in a large rsyslog C codebase machine, symbolizing AI-assisted maintenance of mature software.

But there is also something else: if you treat AI as a serious engineering tool and you are willing to do the unglamorous work, it can make measurable difference and boost productivity and quality.

So here is a concrete case study: agentic code work in rsyslog.

2025-12-08

How We Run Open Source and Closed Source at Adiscon

I know many people know I am with Adiscon. They also know we do both open source and closed source software. That combination often raises eyebrows, and I occasionally get the same question: how do we manage this without open-core games, dual-licensing traps, or hidden agendas?

Blue and orange streams converge into a gear, symbolizing concept transfer between open source and commercial development. — Blue and orange streams meet in a gear: open source and commercial work, shared concepts, clear boundaries. (Image: Rainer Gerhards via AI)

So I decided to write it down, plainly.

2025-11-282025-11-28

CyberSicherheitsForum Baden-Württemberg 2025: Notes from an rsyslog Perspective

Yesterday I attended the CyberSicherheitsForum Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart. Program link: https://cybersicherheitsforum-bw.de/

For non-German readers: Baden-Württemberg is one of Germany’s federal states (Bundesländer), and an important IT region in its own right. Companies like SAP SE and Schwarz Digits are based here, and the Open Source ecosystem is active as well. When the state talks about digital sovereignty or security strategies, it is usually backed by real capabilities in industry and administration.

Conference hall with many attendees seated, large screens on stage showing the opening session of the CyberSicherheitsForum Baden-Württemberg. — Photo taken during the opening session of the CyberSicherheitsForum Baden-Württemberg 2025 in Stuttgart. (Rainer Gerhards)

2025-11-172025-11-17

The Real Scope Behind the rsyslog Documentation Overhaul

For a concise Computer Science summary of this effort, see the section at the end of this article.

When I began the current documentation overhaul, the objective was never limited to cleaning up a few pages. From the beginning, the plan was to prepare rsyslog for the AI era. And the truth is simple: without modern AI tooling, this work would not have been feasible at this depth or speed.

Symbolic illustration showing documentation, an AI head, and a graph structure representing RAG.

2025-11-072025-11-07

YAML for rsyslog — a new option, not a revolution

rsyslog’s configuration language has grown into a very capable scripting environment — RainerScript — that can express almost anything a log pipeline might need. For complex systems, that won’t change.
But many modern environments — especially containerized and cloud-native ones — expect configuration in YAML. So the idea is simple: rsyslog should understand that world directly.

Symbol image for “Engineering Rational” type of postings. (Image: Rainer Gerhards via AI)

2025-10-292025-10-29

Having a good Time with DO Gradient AI

I thought I provide a quick “happy camper” status update. Even though this was only a side-activity, I had an exceptionally good day working with Digital Ocean Gradient and open source models. I am working on support Agents for the rsyslog ecosystem.

rsyslog site with DO Gradient-based AI Agent. Right now, we do not auto-expand it, but this might change.

2025-10-232025-10-16

Adiscon joins connect.IT Heilbronn-Franken

Adiscon (rsyslog’s main sponsor) has joined connect.IT Heilbronn-Franken. Short version: I want more first-hand input from real deployments in AI, logging, and security. Local practitioners have plenty of it. Turning those lessons into clear guidance helps the global rsyslog community. Simple.

2025-10-202025-10-16

Why We Built a Second rsyslog AI Assistant — and What It Means

A few days ago, we posted the short announcement on the project site:
👉 New rsyslog AI Assistant — powered by DigitalOcean Gradient

This is the longer story: the plan, the first results, and what we think is sensible to do next.

2025-10-142025-10-14

From Stream to Lake: Thinking About rsyslog as the River System Behind Your Data

I recently had a discussion about data lakes. It made me realize that people often picture them as the starting point of data collection — as if all information somehow appears in the lake. In reality, no lake exists without rivers. And in the world of IT systems, rsyslog is part of that river system.