rsyslog fails to start, debug logs show "Too many open files"

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • rsyslog does not start
# systemctl status rsyslog.service
â rsyslog.service - System Logging Service
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/rsyslog.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: start-limit) since Wed 2018-10-17 03:12:22 CST; 17min ago
     Docs: man:rsyslogd(8)
           http://www.rsyslog.com/doc/
  Process: 78912 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/rsyslogd -n $SYSLOGD_OPTIONS (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 78912 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

Oct 17 03:12:21 server systemd[1]: Failed to start System Logging Service.
Oct 17 03:12:21 server systemd[1]: Unit rsyslog.service entered failed state.
Oct 17 03:12:21 server systemd[1]: rsyslog.service failed.
Oct 17 03:12:22 server systemd[1]: rsyslog.service holdoff time over, scheduling restart.
Oct 17 03:12:22 server systemd[1]: start request repeated too quickly for rsyslog.service
Oct 17 03:12:22 server systemd[1]: Failed to start System Logging Service.
Oct 17 03:12:22 server systemd[1]: Unit rsyslog.service entered failed state.
Oct 17 03:12:22 server systemd[1]: rsyslog.service failed.

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 7.x

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