Configuring Logstash input

As we already know, Logstash has a rich set of plugins for different types of inputs, outputs and filters, which can read, parse, and filter data as per our needs. We will utilize the file input plugin to read the source file.

A file input plugin streams events from the input file, and each event is assumed as a single line. It automatically detects file rotation and handles it. It maintains the location where it left reading, and will automatically detect the new data if configured correctly. It reads files in a similar manner:

tail -0f 

In general, a file input plugin configuration will look as follows:

input {
 
file {
    path => #String (path of the files) (required) 
    start_position => #String (optional, default "end")
    tags => #array (optional)
    type => #string (optional)
}

}

• path: The path field is the only required field in file input plugin, which represents the path of the file from where input events have to be processed...