n8n Workflow: Error Log Monitor with SSH, Slack Alerts, and Jira Ticket Creation

This n8n workflow provides a robust solution for monitoring error logs on a remote server via SSH. When specific error patterns are detected, it automates the process of notifying a team on Slack and creating a corresponding issue in Jira for tracking and resolution.

What it does

This workflow automates the following steps:

1. Triggers on a Schedule: The workflow can be configured to run at regular intervals (e.g., every 5 minutes, hourly) to continuously check for new errors. A manual trigger is also available for testing or on-demand execution.
2. Connects to Remote Server via SSH: It establishes an SSH connection to a specified server.
3. Executes Log Monitoring Command: It runs a command on the remote server (e.g., tail -n 100 /var/log/syslog | grep "error") to fetch the latest log entries and filter for "error" messages.
4. Processes Log Output: The raw log output is processed to extract relevant error information.
5. Conditional Alerting: An 'If' node checks for the presence of specific error keywords or patterns.
6. Sends Slack Notification: If an error is detected, a detailed alert message is posted to a designated Slack channel, informing the team immediately.
7. Creates Jira Ticket: Simultaneously, a new issue (e.g., a "Bug" or "Task") is created in Jira, containing the error details, to ensure the issue is formally tracked and assigned for resolution.
8. Waits (Optional): An optional 'Wait' node can be used to introduce a delay if necessary, for example, to prevent rate limiting on external services or to space out notifications.

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
• SSH Credentials: SSH credentials (host, username, private key/password) for the remote server where the logs are located.
• Slack Account: A Slack workspace and an API token or webhook URL for posting messages.
• Jira Software Account: Access to a Jira Software instance and API credentials (API token or username/password) for creating issues.
• Basic understanding of shell commands: To configure the SSH command for log fetching and filtering.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the Workflow:
   • Download the provided JSON file.
   • In your n8n instance, go to "Workflows" and click "New".
   • Click the three dots menu (...) in the top right and select "Import from JSON".
   • Paste the workflow JSON or upload the file.
2. Configure Credentials:
   • Locate the SSH node and configure your SSH credentials (Host, User, Private Key or Password).
   • Locate the Slack node and configure your Slack credentials (API Token or Webhook URL).
   • Locate the Jira Software node and configure your Jira credentials (API Token or Username/Password).
3. Customize SSH Command:
   • In the SSH node, adjust the "Command" field to specify the exact log file path and filtering logic you need. For example, to check for "critical" errors in a specific application log:

     tail -n 50 /var/log/my-app/app.log | grep "critical"
     

4. Customize Error Detection Logic:
   • In the If node, modify the conditions to match the specific error patterns you want to trigger alerts for. You can use regular expressions for advanced matching.
5. Customize Slack Messages:
   • In the Slack node, adjust the "Text" field to customize the content of your Slack alerts. You can use expressions to include data from previous nodes (e.g., {{ $json.errorDetails }}).
6. Customize Jira Ticket Creation:
   • In the Jira Software node, configure the "Project Key", "Issue Type", "Summary", and "Description" fields. Use expressions to dynamically populate these fields with error details.
7. Activate the Schedule Trigger:
   • Enable the Schedule Trigger node and set your desired interval for the workflow to run.
8. Save and Activate:
   • Save the workflow and activate it to start monitoring your logs.

This workflow provides a powerful foundation for proactive error management, reducing manual intervention and accelerating incident response.