diff --git a/managed_setup.yml b/managed_setup.yml
index f6ce74f..caa0471 100644
--- a/managed_setup.yml
+++ b/managed_setup.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@
 
     - datadog_api_key: ca0faf176c4aedd4f547ed7cf85615eb
 
+    - rsyslog:
+        user: root
+        group: root
+        service: rsyslog
+        configs:
+          - 49-shiptograylog
+
   # prepare python for ansible
   pre_tasks:
     - raw: test -e /usr/bin/python || (apt -y update && apt install -y python-minimal)
@@ -53,6 +60,7 @@
   roles:
     - novuso.users
     - user-richard
+    - rsyslog
 #    - Datadog.datadog #does not support armhf architecture. should switch to fluentd or logstash
 
   tasks:
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/defaults/main.yml b/roles/rsyslog/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4812687
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+# default values
+
+rsyslog:
+  user: root
+  group: root
+  service: rsyslog
+  configs: []
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/handlers/main.yml b/roles/rsyslog/handlers/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f45cd40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/handlers/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+# handlers/main.yml
+# define handlers here
+
+- name: restart rsyslog
+  service: name={{ rsyslog.service }} state=restarted
+
+- name: stop rsyslog
+  service: name={{ rsyslog.service }} state=stopped
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/tasks/main.yml b/roles/rsyslog/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ace3d7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+# main tasks for rsyslog config
+
+- debug: var=rsyslog
+
+- name: copy custom configs
+  template:
+    src: "{{ item }}.j2"
+    dest: /etc/rsyslog.d/{{ item }}.conf
+    owner: "{{ rsyslog.user }}"
+    group: "{{ rsyslog.group }}"
+    mode: 0644
+  with_items: "{{rsyslog.configs}}"
+  notify:
+    - restart rsyslog
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/templates/49-shiptograylog.j2 b/roles/rsyslog/templates/49-shiptograylog.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8cbc1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/templates/49-shiptograylog.j2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.* @logs.xai-corp.net:514
diff --git a/roles/rsyslog/templates/50-default.conf b/roles/rsyslog/templates/50-default.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db6bbf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/rsyslog/templates/50-default.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+#  Default rules for rsyslog.
+#
+#                       For more information see rsyslog.conf(5) and /etc/rsyslog.conf
+
+#
+# First some standard log files.  Log by facility.
+#
+auth,authpriv.*                 /var/log/auth.log
+*.*;auth,authpriv.none          -/var/log/syslog
+#cron.*                         /var/log/cron.log
+#daemon.*                       -/var/log/daemon.log
+kern.*                          -/var/log/kern.log
+#lpr.*                          -/var/log/lpr.log
+mail.*                          -/var/log/mail.log
+#user.*                         -/var/log/user.log
+
+#
+# Logging for the mail system.  Split it up so that
+# it is easy to write scripts to parse these files.
+#
+#mail.info                      -/var/log/mail.info
+#mail.warn                      -/var/log/mail.warn
+mail.err                        /var/log/mail.err
+
+#
+# Logging for INN news system.
+#
+news.crit                       /var/log/news/news.crit
+news.err                        /var/log/news/news.err
+news.notice                     -/var/log/news/news.notice
+
+#
+# Some "catch-all" log files.
+#
+#*.=debug;\
+#       auth,authpriv.none;\
+#       news.none;mail.none     -/var/log/debug
+#*.=info;*.=notice;*.=warn;\
+#       auth,authpriv.none;\
+#       cron,daemon.none;\
+#       mail,news.none          -/var/log/messages
+
+#
+# Emergencies are sent to everybody logged in.
+#
+*.emerg                                :omusrmsg:*
+
+#
+# I like to have messages displayed on the console, but only on a virtual
+# console I usually leave idle.
+#
+#daemon,mail.*;\
+#       news.=crit;news.=err;news.=notice;\
+#       *.=debug;*.=info;\
+#       *.=notice;*.=warn       /dev/tty8
+
+# The named pipe /dev/xconsole is for the `xconsole' utility.  To use it,
+# you must invoke `xconsole' with the `-file' option:
+#
+#    $ xconsole -file /dev/xconsole [...]
+#
+# NOTE: adjust the list below, or you'll go crazy if you have a reasonably
+#      busy site..
+#
+daemon.*;mail.*;\
+        news.err;\
+        *.=debug;*.=info;\
+        *.=notice;*.=warn       |/dev/xconsole