> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.logfleet.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FAQ

> Frequently asked questions about LogFleet

## General

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is LogFleet?">
    LogFleet is an open source edge log management platform for distributed systems. It collects logs at edge locations (retail stores, IoT devices, warehouses), stores them locally, extracts metrics, and streams full logs on-demand.

    Key differentiators:

    * **Edge-first**: Logs stored locally, not shipped to cloud by default
    * **100x bandwidth savings**: Only metrics go to cloud, not raw logs
    * **Offline capable**: Works without internet connectivity
    * **On-demand streaming**: Full logs available when you need them
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is LogFleet different from Datadog/Splunk/etc?">
    Traditional observability platforms require shipping all logs to the cloud, which is:

    * **Expensive**: Bandwidth costs for 20,000+ locations add up fast
    * **Unreliable**: No logs when internet is down (exactly when you need them)
    * **Wasteful**: 99% of logs are never queried

    LogFleet inverts this model:

    * Store logs at the edge with automatic retention
    * Extract and ship only metrics (summaries, counts, gauges)
    * Stream full logs on-demand when debugging

    This reduces bandwidth by 100x while keeping full logs accessible.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is LogFleet open source?">
    Yes! LogFleet will be open source under Apache 2.0 license. We're currently in private beta and will be releasing the self-hosted version soon.

    In the meantime, LogFleet Cloud offers:

    * **Free tier**: Up to 3 nodes, forever free
    * **Pro tier**: Unlimited nodes with full features
    * **Enterprise**: Self-hosted option available
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What scale is LogFleet designed for?">
    LogFleet is designed for distributed deployments with hundreds to tens of thousands of locations. The architecture is inspired by production systems handling:

    * 20,000+ edge locations
    * Millions of transactions per day
    * Global retail and restaurant operations

    For smaller deployments (up to 3 nodes), the Cloud Free tier is available at no cost.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Technical

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What components does the edge agent use?">
    The edge agent consists of:

    * **Vector**: High-performance log collector and transformer
    * **Loki**: Horizontally-scalable log storage with LogQL
    * **Control Plane**: Manages streaming, config sync, and health

    All components run as containers on your edge device.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are the hardware requirements?">
    Minimum per edge location:

    * **CPU**: 2 cores (Intel Core i5 or equivalent)
    * **RAM**: 4GB (8GB recommended)
    * **Storage**: 50GB SSD (scales with retention period)
    * **Network**: Intermittent internet connectivity

    For production deployments, we recommend a 3-node Kubernetes cluster per location.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does offline mode work?">
    When internet connectivity is lost:

    1. Logs continue to be collected and stored locally
    2. Metrics are buffered in Vector's disk buffer
    3. When connectivity returns, metrics are forwarded automatically
    4. No manual intervention required

    The edge agent is designed to operate indefinitely without cloud connectivity.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long are logs retained at the edge?">
    Configurable from 1-30 days, with automatic rotation. Loki's compactor enforces retention limits, implementing ring-buffer semantics where oldest logs are deleted when storage fills.

    Default: 7 days
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What log formats are supported?">
    Vector supports 100+ sources including:

    * Syslog (RFC 3164, RFC 5424)
    * JSON logs
    * Docker/Kubernetes logs
    * File-based logs (any format with regex parsing)
    * HTTP endpoints
    * And [many more](https://vector.dev/docs/reference/configuration/sources/)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I query logs locally without cloud?">
    Yes! Each edge location runs a full Loki instance. You can query directly:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -G "http://localhost:3100/loki/api/v1/query_range" \
      --data-urlencode 'query={job="myapp"}' \
      --data-urlencode 'limit=100'
    ```

    Or use Grafana connected to local Loki for a UI experience.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I extract custom metrics from logs?">
    Use Vector's `log_to_metric` transform. Example:

    ```yaml theme={null}
    transforms:
      my_metrics:
        type: log_to_metric
        inputs: ["my_logs"]
        metrics:
          - type: counter
            field: status
            name: http_requests_total
            tags:
              status: "{{status}}"
    ```

    See [Custom Metrics](/guides/custom-metrics) for detailed examples.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Security

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How is data encrypted?">
    * **In transit**: All API communication uses TLS 1.3
    * **At rest**: Loki data can be encrypted with filesystem encryption
    * **API keys**: Stored hashed, never in plaintext
    * **JWT tokens**: Short-lived with secure signing

    See [Security](/guides/security) for full details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does remote access work?">
    LogFleet uses Tailscale for zero-trust remote access:

    * No exposed ports on edge devices
    * Mesh VPN with WireGuard encryption
    * Identity-based access control
    * Audit logging of all access

    You can query any location securely without VPN concentrators or port forwarding.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is LogFleet SOC 2 compliant?">
    LogFleet Cloud is pursuing SOC 2 Type II certification. The self-hosted edge agent inherits your existing compliance posture.

    For enterprise compliance requirements, [contact us](mailto:enterprise@logfleet.io).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Pricing & Licensing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What's included in the Cloud Free tier?">
    * Up to 3 nodes (edge devices)
    * Cloud dashboard & fleet management
    * 7-day log retention
    * Basic alerting
    * Community support

    Forever free, no credit card required. Perfect for evaluation and small teams.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does per-node pricing work?">
    You pay per node (edge device running the LogFleet agent), not per log volume. This makes costs predictable and scales with your actual usage.

    **Cloud Pro** (\$19/node/month):

    * Unlimited nodes
    * 30-day log retention
    * Custom metrics & dashboards
    * Slack & webhook alerts
    * Priority support

    **Enterprise**: Volume discounts for 50+ nodes, custom retention (90+ days), SSO/RBAC, SLA guarantee.

    [View pricing](https://logfleet.io#pricing)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I self-host everything?">
    Self-hosted option is available for Enterprise customers. The open source version will be released publicly soon under Apache 2.0 license.

    LogFleet Cloud provides fully managed convenience:

    * Zero infrastructure to manage
    * Automatic updates and security patches
    * Fleet-wide dashboards and alerting
    * No DevOps overhead
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Getting Started

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I get started?">
    1. **Join the waitlist** at [logfleet.io](https://logfleet.io#waitlist)
    2. **Get early access** to LogFleet Cloud dashboard
    3. **Install the agent** with a single command: `curl -sSL https://get.logfleet.io | sh`
    4. **Start collecting** logs from your edge devices

    See [Quickstart](/quickstart) for the full guide.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does deployment take?">
    With LogFleet Cloud:

    * **Agent installation**: Under 5 minutes
    * **Dashboard setup**: Instant (it's pre-configured)
    * **Production fleet**: Deploy agents via your existing automation

    The edge agent is a single install command that auto-registers with your cloud dashboard.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where can I get help?">
    * **Documentation**: You're here!
    * **GitHub**: [github.com/sadhiappan/logfleet](https://github.com/sadhiappan/logfleet)
    * **Email**: [support@logfleet.io](mailto:support@logfleet.io)
    * **Enterprise**: [enterprise@logfleet.io](mailto:enterprise@logfleet.io)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>