linux log files

• /var/log/message: General message and system related stuff
• /var/log/auth.log: Authenication logs
• /var/log/kern.log: Kernel logs
• /var/log/cron.log: Crond logs (cron job)
• /var/log/maillog: Mail server logs
• /var/log/qmail/ : Qmail log directory (more files inside this directory)
• /var/log/httpd/: Apache access and error logs directory
• /var/log/lighttpd: Lighttpd access and error logs directory
• /var/log/boot.log : System boot log
• /var/log/mysqld.log: MySQL database server log file
• /var/log/secure: Authentication log
• /var/log/utmp or /var/log/wtmp : Login records file
• /var/log/yum.log: Yum log files

view common log file /var/log/messages using any one of the following command:

# tail -f /var/log/messages
# less /var/log/messages
# more -f /var/log/messages
# vi /var/log/messages
# tail -N1 /var/log/messages | head -N2