Use the Include Directive in Fluentd

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Use the Include Directive in Fluentd

In this lab, you have been provided with a Linux server that has Fluentd preinstalled. This Fluentd has been configured as a standard Fluentd installation. Two files are provided that will read the `/var/log/messages` and will send new contents of that log to the td-agent stdout. Your task is to take the two provided files and use the `include` option to add them to the Fluentd configuration file so they will be read when Fluentd is restarted. Then you will need to test to ensure it is working and sending the contents of the `/var/log/messages` log to the Fluentd log.

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Oct 15, 2025

Duration

30m

Challenge

Log In to the Provided Server

Log in to the server as cloud_user with the provided password to ensure you can log in. When the file SERVER-READY is shown in the /home/cloud_user folder, then you can follow along with the tasks.
Challenge

Use the Two Provided Files and Add Them to the Configuration

There are two provided files that have separate portions of a configuration that will send new content for the /var/log/messages log into the Fluentd stdout.

Use whatever method is required to include those files into the /etc/td-agent/td-agent.conf configuration file.

The files are called /etc/td-agent/messages-source-include.conf and /etc/td-agent/messages-match-include.conf.
Challenge

Start the td-agent via the CLI

Use whatever command is required to have td-agent read the /etc/td-agent/td-agent.conf configuration file and run the commands inside.
Challenge

Test the Changes Have Worked

Test that the changes have worked, and ensure that any new entries to the /var/log/messages are now being sent to the td-agent stdout.

The logger command can be used to send messages to /var/log/messages.

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