How do I use MCP Log Collector?

1. Click on "Install Server". 2. Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state. 3. In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@MCP Log Collector show the last 50 lines of /var/log/auth.log" That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed. Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.

MCP Log Collector

by Vignesh-ViggyPiggy

Overview Schema Related Servers Score Discussions

Python

Remote

MCP Log Collector - Comprehensive Guide

A production-ready client-server implementation for remote log collection across networks. The server runs on Linux with direct file access, and clients can connect from anywhere using HTTP/HTTPS.

📋 Table of Contents

Related MCP server: MCP SSH Server with Streamable HTTP

Overview

Key Features

✅ No SSH Required - Direct HTTP/HTTPS communication
✅ Cross-Network - Works across different networks via Cloudflare Tunnel
✅ Production Ready - Systemd services with auto-restart
✅ Secure - HTTPS, API keys, DDoS protection
✅ Fast - HTTP keep-alive vs SSH handshake overhead
✅ Automated - One-command setup and start scripts
✅ Multiple Clients - Single server, many clients

Use Cases

Remote log monitoring for Linux servers
Security log analysis with Claude Desktop
Centralized log collection from multiple systems
Real-time log access across networks

Quick Start (Automated)

Want to get started in 5 minutes? Use the automated scripts!

Linux Server (5 minutes)

cd server
sudo bash setup_linux.sh
# Choose option 2 for Cloudflare Tunnel (recommended)
# Enter your domain (e.g., logs.yourdomain.com)
# Authenticate in browser
# Done!

Windows Client (2 minutes)

setup_windows.bat
# Enter server URL from Linux output
# Test connection
# Done!

Start Services

Linux:

sudo bash start_server.sh start

Windows:

start_client.bat

That's it! Jump to Running the System for daily usage.

Architecture

System Design

┌─────────────────────┐         HTTP/HTTPS        ┌─────────────────────┐
│  Windows Machine    │ ──────────────────────> │  Linux System       │
│  (Client)           │                            │  (Server)           │
│  - MCP Client       │ <────────────────────── │  - FastAPI Server   │
│  - Claude Desktop   │                            │  - Direct Log       │
│                     │                            │    File Access      │
└─────────────────────┘                            └─────────────────────┘

With Cloudflare Tunnel (Production)

[Windows Client] ──HTTPS──> [Cloudflare CDN] ──Tunnel──> [Linux Server]
    (Anywhere)              (DDoS Protected)   (No ports)   (localhost:8000)

Directory Structure

mcp-2/
├── server/                    # Deploy on Linux system
│   ├── server.py              # FastAPI server with MCP endpoints
│   ├── config.yaml            # Log files configuration
│   ├── .env                   # Server configuration
│   ├── requirements.txt       # Server dependencies
│   ├── log-collector.service  # Systemd service file
│   ├── setup_linux.sh         # Automated setup script
│   ├── start_server.sh        # Start/manage services
│   ├── stop_server.sh         # Stop services
│   └── restart_server.sh      # Restart services
│
├── client.py                  # MCP client (runs on Windows)
├── test_client.py             # Test script for client
├── .env                       # Client configuration (server URL)
├── requirements.txt           # Client dependencies
├── setup_windows.ps1          # Automated Windows setup
├── setup_windows.bat          # Batch wrapper for setup
├── start_client.ps1           # Start client with checks
├── start_client.bat           # Batch wrapper for starting
└── README.md                  # This file

Installation

Automated Setup

Recommended for production deployments.

Linux Server Setup

cd server
chmod +x setup_linux.sh
sudo bash setup_linux.sh

Interactive options:

Local network only - Server accessible on LAN (port 8000)
Production with Cloudflare Tunnel - Accessible from anywhere via HTTPS

What it does:

✅ Installs system dependencies (Python, curl, jq)
✅ Installs MCP server to /opt/mcp-log-collector
✅ Configures systemd service for auto-start
✅ Sets up Cloudflare Tunnel (if selected)
✅ Configures firewall (if needed)
✅ Starts and tests services

Time: 3-7 minutes (depending on Cloudflare authentication)

Windows Client Setup

setup_windows.bat

Or with PowerShell directly:

.\setup_windows.ps1 -ServerURL "https://logs.yourdomain.com" -ApiKey "optional-key"

What it does:

✅ Checks Python and pip installation
✅ Installs Python dependencies
✅ Configures .env file interactively
✅ Tests server connection
✅ Creates helper scripts

Time: 2-3 minutes

Manual Setup

For advanced users or custom configurations.

Linux Server (Manual)

1. Copy Server Files

Transfer the server/ directory to your Linux system:

# On Linux system
sudo mkdir -p /opt/mcp-log-collector
cd /opt/mcp-log-collector

# Copy files (server.py, config.yaml, .env, requirements.txt)

2. Install Dependencies

cd /opt/mcp-log-collector
pip3 install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure Server

Edit .env to set server binding (use 0.0.0.0 for network access or 127.0.0.1 for localhost-only):

nano .env

SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0
SERVER_PORT=8000
# Optional: API_KEY=your-secret-key

4. Configure Log Files

Edit config.yaml to specify which log files to collect:

nano config.yaml

log_files:
  - path: /var/log/audit/audit.log
    description: "Audit logs"
    requires_sudo: true
  
  - path: /var/log/secure
    description: "Security logs"
    requires_sudo: true
  
  - path: /var/log/syslog
    description: "System logs"
    requires_sudo: false

5. Setup Sudo (if needed)

For logs requiring sudo, configure passwordless sudo:

sudo visudo

# Add this line (replace 'username' with actual user)
username ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/tail

6. Test Server Manually

python3 server.py

Server should start on http://0.0.0.0:8000

7. Setup as Systemd Service

# Copy service file
sudo cp log-collector.service /etc/systemd/system/

# Enable and start service
sudo systemctl enable log-collector.service
sudo systemctl start log-collector.service

# Check status
sudo systemctl status log-collector.service

8. Configure Firewall

Allow incoming connections on port 8000 (skip if using Cloudflare Tunnel):

# For UFW (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo ufw allow 8000/tcp

# For firewalld (RHEL/CentOS)
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8000/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Windows Client (Manual)

1. Install Dependencies

cd mcp-2
pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Configure Client

Edit .env with your Linux server URL:

REMOTE_SERVER_URL=http://192.168.1.100:8000
# or for Cloudflare Tunnel:
# REMOTE_SERVER_URL=https://logs.yourdomain.com

3. Test Connection

python test_client.py

4. Run MCP Client

python client.py

Network Options

Choose the deployment method that fits your needs:

Option 1: Local Network Only

Best for: Same LAN or VPN connections

Setup:

Server binds to 0.0.0.0:8000
Open firewall port 8000
Client uses http://<server-ip>:8000

Pros: Simple, fast setup
Cons: Only works on same network

Option 2: Cloudflare Tunnel (Recommended)

Best for: Internet access, production deployments

Setup:

# Automated (included in setup_linux.sh option 2)
sudo bash setup_linux.sh

# Or manual - see CLOUDFLARE_TUNNEL.md

Pros:

✅ No firewall configuration
✅ Free HTTPS
✅ DDoS protection
✅ Access from anywhere

Cons: Requires Cloudflare account and domain

Option 3: Port Forwarding

Best for: Quick testing without domain

Setup:

Forward port 8000 on router to Linux server IP
Client uses http://<public-ip>:8000

Pros: Simple
Cons: Exposes port to internet, no HTTPS

Option 4: ngrok (Testing Only)

Best for: Quick demos

# On Linux
ngrok http 8000
# Use provided URL in Windows client

Running the System

Daily Operations

Start Services

Linux Server:

# Automated start/stop/restart
sudo bash start_server.sh start
sudo bash start_server.sh stop
sudo bash start_server.sh restart

# Check status (no sudo needed)
bash status_server.sh

# View live logs
sudo bash start_server.sh logs

Windows Client:

start_client.bat

Or with PowerShell:

.\start_client.ps1

Check Status

Linux:

sudo bash start_server.sh status

Output:

Service Status:

  MCP Server:         ● RUNNING
  Cloudflare Tunnel:  ● RUNNING

  Health Check:       ● HEALTHY
  Server Response:    1.0.0

Access URLs:
  Local:     http://localhost:8000
  Network:   http://192.168.1.100:8000
  Public:    https://logs.yourdomain.com

Windows:

.\test_connection.ps1

Stop Services

Linux:

sudo bash stop_server.sh

Windows: Press Ctrl+C in client terminal

Auto-Start Configuration

Linux - Services auto-start on boot (configured by setup script):

# Verify auto-start is enabled
sudo systemctl is-enabled log-collector.service
sudo systemctl is-enabled cloudflared  # if using Cloudflare

# To disable auto-start
sudo systemctl disable log-collector.service

Windows - Optional auto-start:

Task Scheduler:
- Create Basic Task
- Trigger: "When I log on"
- Action: powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\path\to\start_client.ps1"
Startup Folder:
- Press Win+R, type shell:startup
- Create shortcut to start_client.bat

Configuration

Server Configuration

Location: /opt/mcp-log-collector/

Environment Variables (`.env`)

# Server binding (0.0.0.0 for network, 127.0.0.1 for localhost only)
SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0
SERVER_PORT=8000

# Optional API authentication
API_KEY=your-secret-key-here

Log Files (`config.yaml`)

log_files:
  - path: /var/log/audit/audit.log
    description: "Linux audit system logs"
    requires_sudo: true
  
  - path: /var/log/secure
    description: "Security/authentication logs"
    requires_sudo: true
  
  - path: /var/log/syslog
    description: "System logs"
    requires_sudo: false
  
  - path: /var/log/apache2/access.log
    description: "Apache access logs"
    requires_sudo: false

After editing:

sudo systemctl restart log-collector.service

Client Configuration

Location: mcp-2/.env

# Remote server URL
REMOTE_SERVER_URL=https://logs.yourdomain.com

# Number of log lines to collect (default)
NUM_LINES=10

# Optional API key (must match server)
API_KEY=your-secret-key-here

Usage

Available MCP Tools

When running the client, these tools are available to Claude Desktop:

1. `collect_logs`

Collects the last N lines from all configured log files.

Parameters:

num_lines (optional): Number of lines to collect (default: 10)

Example:

{
  "tool": "collect_logs",
  "arguments": {
    "num_lines": 50
  }
}

Response:

=== Log Collection Results ===

File: /var/log/audit/audit.log (Audit logs)
[log entries...]

File: /var/log/secure (Security logs)
[log entries...]

2. `list_configured_logs`

Lists all log files configured on the server.

Parameters: None

Example:

{
  "tool": "list_configured_logs",
  "arguments": {}
}

Response:

Configured Log Files:
====================

Path: /var/log/audit/audit.log
Description: Audit logs
Sudo Required: True

Path: /var/log/secure
Description: Security logs
Sudo Required: True

Testing the System

Test Connection:

python test_client.py
```bash
python test_client.py

Expected output:

MCP Log Collector Client - Test Script
================================================================================

Testing connection to remote server...
Server URL: https://logs.yourdomain.com
================================================================================
✓ Server is reachable and healthy!

Testing list_configured_logs...
================================================================================
Configured Log Files:

Path: /var/log/audit/audit.log
Description: Linux audit system logs
Sudo Required: True
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Testing collect_logs...
================================================================================
✓ Successfully collected logs from 3 files

Integrating with Claude Desktop

Add to your MCP configuration (claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "log-collector": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/mcp-2/client.py"]
    }
  }
}

Replace C:/path/to/mcp-2/ with your actual path.

Usage in Claude:

"Show me the last 50 lines from the audit logs"
"What log files are configured?"
"Collect recent security logs"

Troubleshooting

Linux Server Issues

Service Won't Start

# Check status
sudo systemctl status log-collector.service

# View recent logs
sudo journalctl -u log-collector.service -n 50

# Check if port is in use
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep 8000

# Test manually
python3 /opt/mcp-log-collector/server.py

Permission Denied on Log Files

# Check file permissions
ls -l /var/log/audit/audit.log

# Test sudo access
sudo tail -n 10 /var/log/audit/audit.log

# Verify sudoers configuration
sudo visudo -c

Cloudflare Tunnel Issues

# Check tunnel status
sudo systemctl status cloudflared
sudo journalctl -u cloudflared -n 50

# Verify tunnel
cloudflared tunnel info log-collector

# Test DNS
nslookup logs.yourdomain.com

# Restart tunnel
sudo systemctl restart cloudflared

Windows Client Issues

Cannot Connect to Server

Checklist:

✅ Server is running: curl http://server-ip:8000/health
✅ Firewall allows connections
✅ REMOTE_SERVER_URL in .env is correct
✅ Network connectivity: ping server-ip

Test connection:

.\test_connection.ps1

Python Not Found

# Check Python installation
python --version

# If not found, install from:
# https://www.python.org/downloads/

# Ensure "Add to PATH" is checked during installation

Module Import Errors

# Reinstall dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Or install specific package
pip install httpx mcp

Timeout Errors

Server may be overloaded
Network latency too high
Increase timeout in client code if needed

Common Issues

Port 8000 Already in Use

# Find process using port
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep 8000

# Kill process (replace PID)
sudo kill -9 <PID>

# Or change port in .env

Logs Not Updating

# Verify log files exist
ls -l /var/log/audit/audit.log

# Check log rotation
sudo logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.conf

# Restart server
sudo systemctl restart log-collector.service

Advanced Topics

API Key Authentication

Enable on Server:

Edit /opt/mcp-log-collector/.env:

API_KEY=your-super-secret-key-here

Update server.py to require API key (see CLOUDFLARE_TUNNEL.md for code).

Enable on Client:

Edit mcp-2/.env:

API_KEY=your-super-secret-key-here

Restart both services.

Multiple Servers

Client can connect to multiple servers:

Create separate client directories
Configure different .env files
Add multiple entries to Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "logs-prod": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/mcp-2-prod/client.py"]
    },
    "logs-staging": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["C:/path/to/mcp-2-staging/client.py"]
    }
  }
}

Log Filtering

Server-side: Modify server.py to add filtering by pattern, date, etc.

Client-side: Use Claude to analyze and filter logs after collection.

Performance Optimization

Server:

Limit log file sizes with logrotate
Use grep for pre-filtering large logs
Add caching for frequently accessed logs

Client:

Adjust NUM_LINES to balance detail vs performance
Use connection pooling for multiple requests

Monitoring

Server Metrics:

# View service status
sudo bash start_server.sh status

# Monitor resource usage
htop
sudo systemctl status log-collector.service

# Watch logs in real-time
sudo bash start_server.sh logs

Cloudflare Analytics:

Go to Cloudflare Dashboard
Zero Trust > Access > Analytics

Backup and Disaster Recovery

Backup Configuration:

# Backup server config
sudo tar -czf mcp-backup.tar.gz /opt/mcp-log-collector

# Backup Cloudflare config
tar -czf cloudflare-backup.tar.gz ~/.cloudflared

Restore:

# Restore server
sudo tar -xzf mcp-backup.tar.gz -C /

# Restart service
sudo systemctl restart log-collector.service

Advantages Over Alternatives

vs SSH-Based Approach

Feature	SSH-Based	MCP Log Collector
Connection Speed	⚠️ Slower (handshake overhead)	✅ Fast (HTTP keep-alive)
File Access	⚠️ Remote execution	✅ Direct local access
Multiple Clients	⚠️ One session per client	✅ Single server, many clients
Production Ready	⚠️ Manual execution	✅ Systemd service
Real-time	❌ Not supported	✅ Can add WebSocket
Cross-Network	⚠️ VPN required	✅ Cloudflare Tunnel
Authentication	SSH keys	API keys + HTTPS

vs Manual Log Collection

Feature	Manual	Automated
Time to collect	Minutes	Seconds
Error prone	High	Low
Multiple sources	Tedious	Automatic
Integration	None	Claude Desktop

Security Best Practices

Essential Security

✅ Use HTTPS - Cloudflare Tunnel provides free HTTPS
✅ API Keys - Enable API key authentication in production
✅ Firewall - Only open port 8000 if not using Cloudflare
✅ Sudo - Configure passwordless sudo only for specific commands
✅ Log Rotation - Prevent disk space issues

Advanced Security

✅ Cloudflare Access - Add authentication layer (email/Google/GitHub)
✅ Rate Limiting - Configure in Cloudflare Dashboard
✅ IP Whitelist - Restrict client IPs if possible
✅ Audit Logging - Log all access attempts
✅ Regular Updates - Keep dependencies updated

Security Checklist

HTTPS enabled (Cloudflare Tunnel or reverse proxy)
API keys configured and secured
Firewall rules configured
Sudo access restricted to specific commands
Log files contain no sensitive credentials
Services run with minimal privileges
Regular security updates applied
Access logs monitored

Maintenance

Regular Tasks

Weekly:

Check service status
Review access logs
Monitor disk space

Monthly:

Update Python packages: pip install --upgrade -r requirements.txt
Review and rotate large log files
Check for security updates

Quarterly:

Review log file configuration
Update Cloudflare Tunnel if used
Test disaster recovery procedures

Updating

Server Update:

cd /opt/mcp-log-collector
sudo systemctl stop log-collector.service

# Update files (server.py, etc.)
# Update dependencies
pip3 install --upgrade -r requirements.txt

sudo systemctl start log-collector.service

Client Update:

# Update files (client.py, etc.)
# Update dependencies
pip install --upgrade -r requirements.txt

Uninstallation

Linux Server:

# Stop and disable services
sudo systemctl stop log-collector.service cloudflared
sudo systemctl disable log-collector.service cloudflared

# Remove files
sudo rm -rf /opt/mcp-log-collector
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/log-collector.service

# Remove Cloudflare Tunnel (if used)
cloudflared service uninstall
cloudflared tunnel delete log-collector

Windows Client:

# Just delete the directory
# No system-wide changes were made

Additional Resources

Documentation Files

CLOUDFLARE_TUNNEL.md - Detailed Cloudflare Tunnel setup
SETUP_GUIDE.md - Automated setup documentation
QUICK_START.md - Quick reference for daily operations

External Links

Support

For issues or questions:

Check this README and additional documentation
Review service logs: sudo journalctl -u log-collector.service
Test with test_client.py for connection issues
Verify configuration files (.env, config.yaml)

Future Enhancements

Potential additions for future versions:

WebSocket streaming for real-time log monitoring
Web dashboard for log visualization
Advanced filtering and search capabilities
Multiple log format support (JSON, CSV, etc.)
Log aggregation from multiple servers
Built-in log analysis and anomaly detection
Automated alerting for critical events
Database storage for historical logs

License

This code is provided as-is for log collection purposes.

Quick Command Reference

Linux Server Commands

# Setup (one-time)
sudo bash setup_linux.sh

# Daily operations
sudo bash start_server.sh start      # Start services
sudo bash start_server.sh stop       # Stop services
sudo bash start_server.sh restart    # Restart services
sudo bash start_server.sh status     # Check status
sudo bash start_server.sh logs       # View logs

# Configuration
sudo nano /opt/mcp-log-collector/config.yaml  # Edit log files
sudo nano /opt/mcp-log-collector/.env         # Edit settings
sudo systemctl restart log-collector.service  # Apply changes

Windows Client Commands

REM Setup (one-time)
setup_windows.bat

REM Daily operations
start_client.bat          REM Start client
test_connection.ps1       REM Test connection

REM Configuration
notepad .env              REM Edit settings

Troubleshooting Commands

# Linux
sudo systemctl status log-collector.service
sudo journalctl -u log-collector.service -n 50
curl http://localhost:8000/health
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep 8000

# Windows
python test_client.py
python --version
pip list | grep -E "httpx|mcp"

🎉 You're all set! Start with the Quick Start section to get running in minutes.

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maintenance

How are these scores calculated?

Maintenance

–Maintainers

–Response time

–Release cycle

–Releases (12mo)

Commit activity

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GitHub Repository

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MCP Log Collector - Comprehensive Guide

📋 Table of Contents

Overview

Key Features

Use Cases

Quick Start (Automated)

Linux Server (5 minutes)

Windows Client (2 minutes)

Start Services

Architecture

System Design

With Cloudflare Tunnel (Production)

Directory Structure

Installation

Automated Setup

Linux Server Setup

Windows Client Setup

Manual Setup

Linux Server (Manual)

Linux Server (Manual)

Windows Client (Manual)

Network Options

Option 1: Local Network Only

Option 2: Cloudflare Tunnel (Recommended)

Option 3: Port Forwarding

Option 4: ngrok (Testing Only)

Running the System

Daily Operations

Start Services

Check Status

Stop Services

Auto-Start Configuration

Configuration

Server Configuration

Environment Variables (.env)

Log Files (config.yaml)

Client Configuration

Usage

Available MCP Tools

1. collect_logs

2. list_configured_logs

Testing the System

Integrating with Claude Desktop

Troubleshooting

Linux Server Issues

Service Won't Start

Permission Denied on Log Files

Cloudflare Tunnel Issues

Windows Client Issues

Cannot Connect to Server

Python Not Found

Module Import Errors

Timeout Errors

Common Issues

Port 8000 Already in Use

Logs Not Updating

Advanced Topics

API Key Authentication

Multiple Servers

Log Filtering

Performance Optimization

Monitoring

Backup and Disaster Recovery

Advantages Over Alternatives

vs SSH-Based Approach

vs Manual Log Collection

Security Best Practices

Essential Security

Advanced Security

Security Checklist

Maintenance

Regular Tasks

Updating

Uninstallation

Additional Resources

Documentation Files

External Links

Support

Future Enhancements

License

Environment Variables (`.env`)

Log Files (`config.yaml`)

1. `collect_logs`

2. `list_configured_logs`