---
title: "Log statistics from the internal() source"
url: "https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/chapter-log-statistics/log-statistics-internal-source/"
last_modified: "2026-04-09T13:02:06+02:00"
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/llms.txt).

# Log statistics from the internal() source

> **Note:**
> Instead of using the statistics messages of the `internal()` source, we recommend monitoring AxoSyslog using [metrics](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/chapter-log-statistics/metrics-reference/index.md), or if it’s not possible in your environment, by [querying statistics](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/chapter-log-statistics/log-statistics-description/index.md).

If the [`stats(freq())` global option](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/chapter-global-options/reference-options/index.md#global-option-stats-freq) is higher than 0, AxoSyslog periodically sends a log statistics message. This message contains statistics about the received messages, and about any lost messages since the last such message. It includes:

- a `processed` entry for every source and destination, listing the number of messages received or sent, and
- a `dropped` entry including the IP address of the server for every destination where AxoSyslog has lost messages.
- The `center(received)` entry shows the total number of messages received from every configured sources.

The following is a sample log statistics message for a configuration that has a single source (`s_local`) and a network and a local file destination (`d_network` and `d_local`, respectively). All incoming messages are sent to both destinations.

```shell
Log statistics;
dropped='tcp(AF_INET(192.168.10.1:514))=6439',
processed='center(received)=234413',
processed='destination(d_tcp)=234413',
processed='destination(d_local)=234413',
processed='source(s_local)=234413'
```

The statistics include a list of source groups and destinations, as well as the number of processed messages for each. You can control the verbosity of the statistics using the [`stats(level())` global option](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/4.28/chapter-global-options/reference-options/index.md#global-option-stats-level). The following is an example output.

```shell
src.internal;s_all#0;;a;processed;6445
src.internal;s_all#0;;a;stamp;1268989330
destination;df_auth;;a;processed;404
destination;df_news_dot_notice;;a;processed;0
destination;df_news_dot_err;;a;processed;0
destination;d_ssb;;a;processed;7128
destination;df_uucp;;a;processed;0
source;s_all;;a;processed;7128
destination;df_mail;;a;processed;0
destination;df_user;;a;processed;1
destination;df_daemon;;a;processed;1
destination;df_debug;;a;processed;15
destination;df_messages;;a;processed;54
destination;dp_xconsole;;a;processed;671
dst.tcp;d_network#0;10.50.0.111:514;a;dropped;5080
dst.tcp;d_network#0;10.50.0.111:514;a;processed;7128
dst.tcp;d_network#0;10.50.0.111:514;a;queued;2048
destination;df_syslog;;a;processed;6724
destination;df_facility_dot_warn;;a;processed;0
destination;df_news_dot_crit;;a;processed;0
destination;df_lpr;;a;processed;0
destination;du_all;;a;processed;0
destination;df_facility_dot_info;;a;processed;0
center;;received;a;processed;0
destination;df_kern;;a;processed;70
center;;queued;a;processed;0
destination;df_facility_dot_err;;a;processed;0
```

The statistics are semicolon separated: every line contains statistics for a particular object (like source, destination, tag).

To reset the statistics to zero, use the following command: `syslog-ng-ctl stats --reset`

Last modified April 9, 2026: [Don't use internal source for monitoring (63eab217)](https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog-core-docs/commit/63eab2172e8a06d7535a96a4181c28dd086cb737)