# Running haproxy as non root user i'd like to see logs

**URL:** <https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460>\
**Category:** Help!\
**Created:** [June 22, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460 "2016-06-22T14:12:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MidanTahrir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MidanTahrir](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/MidanTahrir)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460/1 "2016-06-22T14:12:13Z")

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Hi,  
I am new to haproxy, running on CentOS 6.7. See haproxy version information below.  
Previously i used stunnel and pen.  
I run haproxy as a non root user and have managed to set up some instances with load balancing and SSL. Fine, It works.

Now I am trying to configure an instance to a remote machine with signed client authentication.

myservice----haproxy—ssl----\>remote machine.

This does not work. When started in foreground mode i get an ssl handshake error.  
This is the point where i noticed that haproxy gives me no log file.

I would like to see more information from haproxy: statistics, error mesages etc.  
Where are the log files? How can I configure logging without being root?

I’ve read a lot in [https://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/configuration-1.5.html#8](https://cbonte.github.io/haproxy-dconv/configuration-1.5.html#8) but still have no clue.

Can someone please give me advice or an example config how to get a bit logging from haproxyß

Thanks in advance  
MT

HA-Proxy version 1.5.4 2014/09/02  
Copyright 2000-2014 Willy Tarreau [w@1wt.eu](mailto:w@1wt.eu)

Build options :  
TARGET = linux2628  
CPU = generic  
CC = gcc  
CFLAGS = -O2 -g -fno-strict-aliasing  
OPTIONS = USE\_LINUX\_TPROXY=1 USE\_ZLIB=1 USE\_REGPARM=1 USE\_OPENSSL=1 USE\_PCRE=1

Default settings :  
maxconn = 2000, bufsize = 16384, maxrewrite = 8192, maxpollevents = 200

Encrypted password support via crypt(3): yes  
Built with zlib version : 1.2.3  
Compression algorithms supported : identity, deflate, gzip  
Built with OpenSSL version : OpenSSL 1.0.1e-fips 11 Feb 2013  
Running on OpenSSL version : OpenSSL 1.0.1e-fips 11 Feb 2013  
OpenSSL library supports TLS extensions : yes  
OpenSSL library supports SNI : yes  
OpenSSL library supports prefer-server-ciphers : yes  
Built with PCRE version : 7.8 2008-09-05  
PCRE library supports JIT : no (USE\_PCRE\_JIT not set)  
Built with transparent proxy support using: IP\_TRANSPARENT IPV6\_TRANSPARENT IP\_FREEBIND

Available polling systems :  
epoll : pref=300, test result OK  
poll : pref=200, test result OK  
select : pref=150, test result OK  
Total: 3 (3 usable), will use epoll.

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**Author:** ![ann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ann](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/ann)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 6:51am UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460/2 "2017-07-11T06:51:46Z")

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> [@MidanTahrir](#):
>
> a non root user and

How did you start HAProxy as a non root user ? . I get the following ALERT message : "Starting frontend GLOBAL: cannot bind UNIX socket [/location/to/the/stats]

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MidanTahrir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MidanTahrir](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/MidanTahrir)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460/3 "2017-07-11T13:51:53Z")

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Hi, I think you are not answering my question but rather ask a new one…  
anyway: hapoxy -f haproxy.conf starts the haproxy.

you should describe your problem and ask a new question.

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**Author:** ![lukastribus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@lukastribus](https://discourse.haproxy.org/u/lukastribus)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://discourse.haproxy.org/t/running-haproxy-as-non-root-user-id-like-to-see-logs/460/4 "2017-07-11T14:47:00Z")

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Something like this, make sure you have a syslog daemon listening:

```
global
 log 127.0.0.1 syslog debug
defaults
 log global
 mode http
 option httplog

```

Logging only sends syslog packets to the destination, there is no need for a privileged user like root (also, when started as root, haproxy can downgrade privileges and logging still works).

@ann starting without root works fine if you have the privilege to bind to the necessary sockets (port \> 1024, file permissions on unix sockets). However it isn’t recommended; starting as root and after the bind downgrading via user and group directive is the recommended configuration, as it allows privileged binds while running the code with a low-privileged user.