Monitor multiple log files at once using MultiTail utility.
This utility can be useful in multiple different ways. I will show you the three different ways I use it, so you can take advantage of it by yourself.
Install multitail
utility.
$ sudo apt install multitail
Display usage information.
$ multitail -h
--*- multitail 6.5.0 (C) 2003-2019 by folkert@vanheusden.com -*-- multitail [-cs|-Cs|-c-] [-i] inputfile [-i anotherinputfile] [...] *** selecting files to follow *** -i x the following parameter is a filename (in case it starts with a dash) -I x like -i only this one merges this logfile into the previous window -q x z check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, create a new window for those -qs x y z check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, create a new window for those, use color scheme y -Q x z check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, put them all in the same window (using subwindows) -Qs x y z check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, put them all in the same window (using subwindows), use color scheme y -iw file i check every 'i' seconds if 'file' appeared in the filesystem --new-only (for -q/-Q) only create windows for files created after multitail was started, existing files are ignored -f follow the following filename, not the descriptor (e.g. when logrotate archives logfiles) --follow-all see -f: for all files after this switch --retry keep trying to open the following file until it is accessible --retry-all like --retry but for all following files *** selecting command output to follow *** -l x parameter is a command to be executed -L x see -l but merge the output to a previously created window -r interval restart the command when it terminated after `interval' seconds -R interval like -r, but only show the differences -Rc/-rc interval like -r/-R but clean the window before each iteration -j read from STDIN (can be used only once) -J like -j but merge into previous window --listen [interface]:port behave like a syslog server. port is normally 514 --Listen [interface]:port like --listen but merge into previous window *** merge parameters *** --mergeall merge all of the following files into the same window (in the previous window) --mergeall-new merge all of the following files into the same window (in a new window) --no-mergeall stop merging all files into one window --no-repeat suppress repeating lines and replace them with a "last message repeated x times" *** markers *** --mark-interval x when nothing comes in, print a '---mark---' line every 'x' seconds --mark-change when multiple files are merged an multitail switches between two windows, print a markerline with the filename --no-mark-change do NOT print the markerline when the file changes (overrides the configuration file) *** initial tail / scrollback parameters *** -n x initial number of lines to tail -m x set scrollback buffer size (# lines) -mb x set scrollback buffer size (in bytes, use xKB/MB/GB) -bw a/f what to buffer: 'a'll or what went through the 'f'ilter *** "tee" functionality *** -a x like 'tee': write (filtered) input to file 'x' -A x see -a: but write the unfiltered(!) input to file 'x' -g x redirect the input also (filtered) to command/process 'x' -G x redirect the unfiltered input also to command/process 'x' *** screen layout *** -s x vertical split screen (in 'x' columns) -sw x,x,... at what columns to split the screen, use '0' for automatic size -sn x,x,... number of windows per column -wh x height of window *** filtering *** -fr scheme use the predefined filter from the configuration file -e[m] print only when matching with this regexp -ev print only when NOT matching with this regexp -ec use regular expression but display the matches inverted on following file -eC use regexp, display everything but matches inverted on following file -ex execute command ('-ex regexp command') when matches, matching line is given as commandline parameter -eX like -ex but only give the matching substring as commandline parameter to the command -E use regular expression on following files -Ec use regular expression but display the matches inverted on following files -EC use regexp, display everything but matches inverted on following files -ke x strip parts of the input using regular expression 'x' -kr x y strip parts of the input starting at offset x and ending (not including!) offset y -kc x y strip parts of the input: strip column 'y' with delimiter 'x' -ks x use edit scheme 'x' (defined in configuration file) -kS x only show the substrings matched by the substring-selects (the parts between '(' and ')') in the regular epxression 'x' -v invert next regular expression (do not use with -ev/em) *** colors *** -cv x use conversion scheme 'x' (see multitail.conf) -c colorize current -cS scheme use color scheme 'scheme' (as defined in multitail.conf) -csn extra switch for the following switches; do not use reverse (inverted) colors -Cs colorize all following files with syslog-scheme -C colorize all following files -Cf/-cf field delimiter colorize next/all file(s) depending on the given field number. fields are delimited with the given field-delimiter -ci color use 'color' (red, green, etc), usefull when merging multiple inputs -c- do NOT colorize the following file -C- do NOT colorize the following files -cT term interpret terminal-codes from file/command (for terminal type 'term') -Z color set color for markerline -w do not use colors *** timestamps *** -ts add a timestamp (format configurable in multitail.conf) before each line -T put a timestamp in markerlines *** status line parameters *** -d do NOT update the status-line -D do not display a status-line at all -du put the statusline above the data window *** status line parameters *** -z do not show "window closed" pop-ups -x str show "str" in the xterm title bar -t x display 'x' in the window-title (when MultiTail runs in an xterm) -u set update interval (for slow links) *** input text handling *** -p x [y] set linewrap (l=left/a=all/r=right/s=syslog,S=syslog w/o procname,o=offset -> 'y',w=wordwrap) -P like -p but for all following files -b n set TAB-width --cont reconnect lines with a '' at the end *** line prefixes *** --basename only display the filename (and not the path) in the statusline --label x put in front of each line -S prepend show subwindow number in merged output *** configuration file *** -F file use 'file' as configuration file (instead of /etc/multitail.conf) --no-load-global-config do not read /etc/multitail.conf -o config_file_parameter do a setting which would normally be set in the configuration file *** monitoring *** -H x show heartbeat (to keep your sessions alive) --beep-interval x beep every x lines processed --bi x like '--beep-interval' but only for current (sub-)window --closeidle x close windows when more then 'x' seconds no new data was processed *** miscellaneous *** -V show version and exit -h this help You can have multiple regular expressions per file/command. Be warned: if you define multiple and one of them is specified with '-E' (=for every following file), _all_ of the current regular expressions are for all following files! For help at any time press F1.
Perform basic program execution to follow multiple log files using separate windows.
$ sudo multitail --follow-all -i /var/log/messages -i /var/log/syslog

Perform basic program execution to follow multiple log files in a single window.
$ sudo multitail --follow-all --mergeall -ci red -i /var/log/messages -ci blue -i /var/log/kern.log

Perform basic program execution to follow multiple log files over the remote connection.
$ multitail --follow-all -l 'ssh 172.16.0.110 tail -f /var/log/syslog' -l 'ssh 172.18.0.1 tail -f /var/log/syslog'

Apply filtering to it and use it to the fullest.