Fix /var/log/cron filesize

If your /var/log/cron file is growing too large due to excessive script output, you can take a few steps to control the logging behavior. Here’s how you can fix it:

1. Modify Your Cron Jobs

• The output of cron jobs is typically sent to /var/log/cron by default if not redirected. To minimize the logging:
  • Redirect the standard output (stdout) and standard error (stderr) of your cron jobs to a file or to /dev/null (to discard output): * * * * * /path/to/your/script.sh > /dev/null 2>&1
    • > /dev/null discards standard output.
    • 2>&1 redirects standard error to standard output.

2. Adjust Verbosity in Scripts

• If possible, review your scripts and reduce unnecessary logging or verbosity. For example, avoid printing debug or informational messages unless needed.

3. Change Cron Logging Configuration

• On many systems, cron logging is controlled by syslog or rsyslog. To reduce the log volume:
  • Edit the syslog configuration file (commonly /etc/rsyslog.conf or /etc/syslog.conf): # Reduce cron log verbosity cron.* /var/log/cron You can change cron.* to a less verbose level (e.g., cron.warning or cron.err).
  • Restart the syslog service: sudo systemctl restart rsyslog

4. Rotate the Logs

• Implement log rotation to automatically manage the size of /var/log/cron. Most systems have logrotate installed:
  • Edit or create a logrotate configuration file for cron (e.g., /etc/logrotate.d/cron): /var/log/cron { daily rotate 7 compress missingok notifempty }
  • This will keep logs for 7 days and compress old ones.

5. Monitor with Care

• Be cautious when discarding output entirely, as it might hide errors. Ensure critical errors or messages are logged to an appropriate location.

By combining these methods, you can regain control over your /var/log/cron file while keeping essential logs intact. Do you want help applying any of these suggestions?