[ctl] pause subcommand partially implemented

JSON is actually unfit to send structured log messages, because
date/time is not well supported. So we are using BSON, which supports
those. BSON is, among the dozen serializers available, really a random
choice and might be changed in the future.

README.md

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 A syslog daemon implementing circular buffer, in-memory storage.
 
-This is useful when you want to keep some (heavy detailed) log available, but you don't want to log too many
+This is useful when you want to keep some (heavily detailed) log available, but you don't want to log too many
-things to disk.
+things to disk. Remember: logging is useful, but can be dangerous to your users' privacy!
 
-On your "main" syslog, send some message to this one!
+On your "main" syslog, forward (part of the) messages to this one!
 
 ## Integration examples
 
@@ -27,15 +27,59 @@ and run `circologd -syslogd-socket /run/circolog-syslog.sock -query-socket /run/
 
 ## Client
 
-`curl` might be enough of a client for most uses.
+`circolog` has its own client: `circolog-tail`. It is intended to resemble `tail -f` for the most basic
+options; however, it will include filtering options that are common when you want to read logs, because that's
+very easy when you have structured logs available.
+
+However, one design point of circolog is to be usable without having a specific client: so the logs are
+offered on both HTTP and websocket. This means that you can use `curl` if you want:
 
     curl --unix-socket /run/circolog-query.sock localhost/
 
-will give you everything that circologd has in memory
+will give you everything that circologd has in memory.
 
 If you want to "follow" (as in `tail -f`) you need to use the websocket interface. However, I don't know of
 any websocket client supporting UNIX domain socket, so you have two options:
 
- 1. wait until I write a proper `circolog-tail` client implementing it all
+ 1. Use `circolog-tail`
  2. Use `circologd` with `-query-addr 127.0.0.1:9080`, add some iptables rule to prevent non-root to access that
     port, and run `ws ws://localhost:9080/ws`. You'll get all the "backlog", and will follow new log messages.
+
+### HTTP URLs and parameters
+
+When using HTTP, logs are served on `/`. Valid parameters are:
+
+ * `l`. This is the amount of lines to send. This is essentially the same as the `-n` parameter on tail
+    Using `l=-1` (the default) means "give me every log message that you have
+ * `fmt`. This selects the output format. When `fmt=json` is used, each message is returned as JSON structured
+     data. The format of those JSON messages is still unstable. `fmt=syslog`, the default, outputs messages using "syslog style" (RFC XXXXXX)
+
+To use websocket, request path `/ws`. The same parameters of `/` are recognized.
+
+## Control daemon
+
+Circologd can be controlled, on some aspects, at run-time. It has 2 mechanisms for that: the easiest, and more
+limited, is sending a signal with kill; the second, and more powerful, is a control socket, where you can give
+commands to it. This control socket is just HTTP, so again `curl` is your friend. In the future a
+`circolog-ctl` client will be developed.
+
+### Pause
+
+When circologd is paused, every new message it receives is immediately discarded. No exception. The backlog
+is, however, preserved. This means that you can trigger the event that you want to investigate, pause
+circolog, then analyze the logs.
+Pausing might be the easiest way to make circologd only run "when needed".
+
+When circologd resumes, no previous message is lost.
+
+
+To pause circologd with signals , send a `USR1` signal to the main pid. To "resume", send a `USR1` again.
+
+To pause with HTTP, send a `POST /pause/toggle` to your circologd control socket.
+
+### Clear
+
+When you clear the circologd's buffer, it will discard every message it has, but will keep collecting new
+messages.
+
+You can do that with `POST /logs/clear`

cmd/circolog-tail/main.go

@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog/formatter"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
+	"gopkg.in/mgo.v2/bson"
 )
 
 func main() {
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ func main() {
 		Path: "/ws",
 	}
 	q := u.Query()
+	q.Set("fmt", "bson")
 	if *backlogLimit >= 0 {
 		q.Set("l", strconv.Itoa(*backlogLimit))
 	}
@@ -58,12 +62,20 @@ func main() {
 	go func() {
 		defer close(done)
 		for {
-			_, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
+			_, serialized, err := c.ReadMessage()
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Println("close:", err)
 				return
 			}
-			fmt.Println(string(message))
+			var parsed format.LogParts
+			if err := bson.Unmarshal(serialized, &parsed); err != nil {
+				log.Println("invalid YAML", err)
+				continue
+			}
+			if err := formatter.WriteFormatted(os.Stdout, formatter.FormatSyslog, parsed); err != nil {
+				log.Println("error printing", err)
+			}
+			fmt.Println()
 		}
 	}()
 

cmd/circologctl/main.go

@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+var globalOpts struct {
+	ctlSock string
+	verbose bool
+}
+
+var ctl http.Client
+
+type commandFunc func([]string) error
+
+var cmdMap map[string]commandFunc
+
+func init() {
+	cmdMap = map[string]commandFunc{
+		// TODO: implement set and get of config at runtime
+		//"set":     setCmd,
+		//"get":     getCmd,
+		"pause":   pauseCmd,
+		"reload":  reloadCmd,
+		"restart": restartCmd,
+		"help":    helpCmd,
+	}
+}
+
+//func setCmd(ctlSock string, args []string) error {}
+
+//func getCmd(ctlSock string, args []string) error {}
+
+func parsePauseOpts(postponeTime string) (string, error) {
+	var waitTime int64
+	var err error
+	L := len(postponeTime)
+	switch unit := postponeTime[L-1]; string(unit) {
+	case "s":
+		waitTime, err = strconv.ParseInt(postponeTime[:L-2], 10, 16)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	case "m":
+		waitTime, err = strconv.ParseInt(postponeTime[:L-2], 10, 16)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		waitTime = waitTime * 60
+	case "h":
+		waitTime, err = strconv.ParseInt(postponeTime[:L-2], 10, 16)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		waitTime = waitTime * 60 * 60
+	case "d":
+		waitTime, err = strconv.ParseInt(postponeTime[:L-2], 10, 16)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		waitTime = waitTime * 60 * 60 * 24
+	case "w":
+		waitTime, err = strconv.ParseInt(postponeTime[:L-2], 10, 16)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		waitTime = waitTime * 60 * 60 * 24 * 7
+	}
+	return string(waitTime), nil
+}
+
+func pauseCmd(args []string) error {
+	var postBody string
+	var err error
+	flagset := flag.NewFlagSet(args[0], flag.ExitOnError)
+	postponeTime := flagset.String("postpone", "", "How long to wait before untoggling the state")
+	flagset.Parse(args[1:])
+	if *postponeTime != "" {
+		postBody, err = parsePauseOpts(*postponeTime)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	resp, err := ctl.Post("http://unix/pause/toggle", "application/octet-stream", strings.NewReader(postBody))
+	if globalOpts.verbose {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		bodyBytes, err2 := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		if err2 != nil {
+			return err2
+		}
+		fmt.Println(string(bodyBytes))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func reloadCmd(args []string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func restartCmd(args []string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func helpCmd(args []string) error {
+	usage(os.Stdout)
+	os.Exit(0)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func usage(w io.Writer) {
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "USAGE: %s [globalOpts] [SUBCOMMAND] [opts]\n", os.Args[0])
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "\nSUBCOMMANDS:\n\n")
+	for command := range cmdMap {
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "\t%s\n", command)
+	}
+}
+
+func parseAndRun(args []string) {
+	cmdName := args[0]
+	cmdToRun, ok := cmdMap[cmdName]
+	if !ok {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Unknown subcommand: %s\n", cmdName)
+		usage(os.Stderr)
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+	// from here: https://gist.github.com/teknoraver/5ffacb8757330715bcbcc90e6d46ac74
+	ctl = http.Client{
+		Transport: &http.Transport{
+			DialContext: func(_ context.Context, _, _ string) (net.Conn, error) {
+				return net.Dial("unix", globalOpts.ctlSock)
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	err := cmdToRun(args)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error:\n%s\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+func main() {
+	flag.StringVar(&globalOpts.ctlSock, "ctl-socket", "/tmp/circologd-ctl.sock",
+		"Path to a unix domain socket for the control server; leave empty to disable")
+	flag.BoolVar(&globalOpts.verbose, "verbose", false, "Print more output")
+	flag.Parse()
+	args := flag.Args()
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		usage(os.Stderr)
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+	parseAndRun(args)
+}

cmd/circologd/http_ctl.go

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+
+	fractal "git.lattuga.net/blallo/gotools/formatting"
+	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
+	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
+)
+
+func setupHTTPCtl(hub circolog.Hub, verbose bool) *mux.Router {
+	m := mux.NewRouter()
+	m.HandleFunc("/pause/toggle", togglePause(hub, verbose)).Methods("POST")
+	m.HandleFunc("/logs/clear", clearQueue(hub, verbose)).Methods("POST")
+	m.HandleFunc("/help", printHelp(verbose)).Methods("GET")
+	m.HandleFunc("/echo", echo(verbose)).Methods("GET")
+	return m
+}
+
+func togglePause(hub circolog.Hub, verbose bool) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if verbose {
+			log.Printf("[%s] %s - toggled pause", r.Method, r.RemoteAddr)
+		}
+		hub.Commands <- circolog.HubFullCommand{Command: circolog.CommandPauseToggle}
+		resp := <-hub.Responses
+		active := resp.Value.(bool)
+		w.Header().Set("content-type", "application/json")
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
+		enc.Encode(map[string]interface{}{"paused": !active})
+	}
+}
+
+func clearQueue(hub circolog.Hub, verbose bool) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if verbose {
+			log.Printf("[%s] %s - cleared queue", r.Method, r.RemoteAddr)
+		}
+		hub.Commands <- circolog.HubFullCommand{Command: circolog.CommandClear}
+		resp := <-hub.Responses
+		success := resp.Value.(bool)
+		w.Header().Set("content-type", "application/json")
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
+		enc.Encode(map[string]interface{}{"success": success})
+	}
+}
+
+func printHelp(verbose bool) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if verbose {
+			log.Printf("[%s] %s - asked for help", r.Method, r.RemoteAddr)
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("content-type", "application/json")
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
+		var pathsWithDocs = map[string]string{
+			"/pause/toggle": "Toggle the server from pause state (not listening)",
+			"/logs/clear":   "Wipe the buffer from all the messages",
+			"/help":         "This help",
+			"/echo":         "Answers to heartbeat",
+		}
+		fractal.EncodeJSON(pathsWithDocs, enc)
+		if verbose {
+			errEnc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stderr)
+			fractal.EncodeJSON(pathsWithDocs, errEnc)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func echo(verbose bool) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		log.Println("Echo")
+		if verbose {
+			log.Printf("[%s] %s - asked for echo", r.Method, r.RemoteAddr)
+		}
+		w.Header().Set("content-type", "text/plain")
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "I am on!")
+	}
+}

cmd/circologd/http_log.go

@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
+	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog/formatter"
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
 )
 
-func setupHTTP(hub circolog.Hub) {
+func setupHTTP(hub circolog.Hub) *http.ServeMux {
-	http.HandleFunc("/", getHTTPHandler(hub))
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
-	http.HandleFunc("/ws", getWSHandler(hub))
+	mux.HandleFunc("/", getHTTPHandler(hub))
+	mux.HandleFunc("/ws", getWSHandler(hub))
+	return mux
 }
 
 func parseParameterL(r *http.Request) (int, error) {
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ func parseParameters(r *http.Request) (circolog.ClientOptions, error) {
 }
 
 type renderOptions struct { // those are options relevant to the rendered (that is, the HTTP side of circologd)
-	Format renderFormat
+	Format formatter.Format
 }
 
 func parseRenderParameters(r *http.Request) (renderOptions, error) {
@@ -68,11 +71,10 @@ func parseRenderParameters(r *http.Request) (renderOptions, error) {
 		if len(val) != 1 {
 			return opts, errors.New("Format repeated multiple times")
 		}
-		format, err := parseRenderFormat(val[0])
+		err := opts.Format.Set(val[0])
 		if err != nil {
 			return opts, err
 		}
-		opts.Format = format
 	}
 	return opts, nil
 }
@@ -104,13 +106,14 @@ func getHTTPHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 		hub.Register <- client
 
 		for x := range client.Messages {
-			writeFormatted(w, render_opts.Format, x)
+			if err := render_opts.Format.WriteFormatted(w, x); err == nil {
-			if render_opts.Format != formatJSON { // bleah
+				if render_opts.Format != formatter.FormatJSON { // bleah
 					w.Write([]byte("\n"))
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
+}
 
 func getWSHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 	var upgrader = websocket.Upgrader{
@@ -118,10 +121,18 @@ func getWSHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 		WriteBufferSize: 1024,
 	}
 	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		render_opts, err := parseRenderParameters(r)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Println("Error parsing:", err)
+			w.WriteHeader(400)
+			fmt.Fprintln(w, err)
+			return
+		}
 		opts, err := parseParameters(r)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Println("Error on request parameter \"l\":", err)
 			w.WriteHeader(400)
+			fmt.Fprintln(w, err)
 			return
 		}
 		opts.Nofollow = false
@@ -156,7 +167,7 @@ func getWSHandler(hub circolog.Hub) http.HandlerFunc {
 					if err != nil {
 						return
 					}
-					writeFormatted(w, formatSyslog, message)
+					render_opts.Format.WriteFormatted(w, message)
 
 					if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
 						return

cmd/circologd/main.go

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"git.lattuga.net/boyska/circolog"
 	syslog "gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2"
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 func cleanSocket(socket string) {
 	if err := os.Remove(socket); err != nil {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, socket, ":", err)
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error cleaning", socket, ":", err)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -26,13 +28,16 @@ func main() {
 	syslogAddr := flag.String("syslog-addr", "127.0.0.1:9514", "Address:port where to listen for syslog messages")
 	queryAddr := flag.String("query-addr", "127.0.0.1:9080", "Address:port where to bind the query service")
 	querySocket := flag.String("query-socket", "", "Path to a unix domain socket for the HTTP server; recommended for security reasons!")
+	ctlSocket := flag.String("ctl-socket", "/tmp/circologd-ctl.sock", "Path to a unix domain socket for the control server; leave empty to disable")
+	verbose := flag.Bool("verbose", false, "Print more output executing the daemon")
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	interrupt := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
-	signal.Notify(interrupt, os.Interrupt)
+	signal.Notify(interrupt, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGUSR1, syscall.SIGUSR2, syscall.SIGTERM)
 
 	hub := circolog.NewHub(*bufsize)
 	handler := syslog.NewChannelHandler(hub.LogMessages)
+	go hub.Run()
 
 	server := syslog.NewServer()
 	server.SetFormat(syslog.RFC5424)
@@ -55,31 +60,82 @@ func main() {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "argh", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	go hub.Run()
 
-	setupHTTP(hub)
+	httpQueryServer := http.Server{Handler: setupHTTP(hub)}
 	if *querySocket != "" {
 		fmt.Printf("Binding address `%s` [http]\n", *querySocket)
 		unixListener, err := net.Listen("unix", *querySocket)
 		if err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error binding HTTP unix domain socket", err)
+			return
 		}
-		go http.Serve(unixListener, nil)
+		defer cleanSocket(*querySocket)
+		go func() {
+			if err := httpQueryServer.Serve(unixListener); err != nil && err != http.ErrServerClosed {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "error binding", *querySocket, ":", err)
+			}
+		}()
 	} else {
+		httpQueryServer.Addr = *queryAddr
 		fmt.Printf("Binding address `%s` [http]\n", *queryAddr)
-		go http.ListenAndServe(*queryAddr, nil)
+		go func() {
+			err := httpQueryServer.ListenAndServe()
+			if err != nil && err != http.ErrServerClosed {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "error binding", *queryAddr, ":", err)
 			}
+		}()
+	}
+
+	httpCtlServer := http.Server{Handler: setupHTTPCtl(hub, *verbose)}
+	if *ctlSocket != "" {
+		fmt.Printf("Binding address `%s` [http]\n", *ctlSocket)
+		unixListener, err := net.Listen("unix", *ctlSocket)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error binding HTTP unix domain socket", err)
+			return
+		}
+		defer cleanSocket(*ctlSocket)
+		go func() {
+			if err := httpCtlServer.Serve(unixListener); err != nil && err != http.ErrServerClosed {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "error binding:", err)
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+
+	// TODO: now we are ready
 
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-interrupt:
+		case sig := <-interrupt:
+			if sig == syscall.SIGUSR1 {
+				hub.Commands <- circolog.HubFullCommand{Command: circolog.CommandPauseToggle}
+				resp := <-hub.Responses
+				if resp.Value.(bool) {
+					log.Println("resumed")
+				} else {
+					log.Println("paused")
+				}
+			}
+			if sig == syscall.SIGUSR2 {
+				hub.Commands <- circolog.HubFullCommand{Command: circolog.CommandClear}
+				resp := <-hub.Responses
+				if resp.Value.(bool) {
+					log.Println("buffer cleaned")
+				} else {
+					log.Println("buffer NOT cleaned")
+				}
+			}
+			if sig == syscall.SIGTERM || sig == syscall.SIGINT {
+				log.Println("Quitting because of signal", sig)
 				server.Kill()
-			//server.Wait()
+				if err := httpQueryServer.Shutdown(nil); err != nil {
-			if *syslogSocketPath != "" {
+					fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error closing http server:", err)
-
+				}
+				if err := httpCtlServer.Shutdown(nil); err != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error closing control server:", err)
 				}
 				return
-		default:
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }

formatter/format.go

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package main
+package formatter
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"gopkg.in/mcuadros/go-syslog.v2/format"
+	"gopkg.in/mgo.v2/bson"
 )
 
 // Formatter is an interface, so that multiple implementations can exist
@@ -33,32 +34,67 @@ func init() {
 	))
 }
 
-type renderFormat int
+type Format int
 
-func parseRenderFormat(s string) (renderFormat, error) {
+func (rf *Format) Set(v string) error {
+	newvalue, err := parseFormat(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*rf = newvalue
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (rf Format) String() string {
+	switch rf {
+	case FormatJSON:
+		return "json"
+	case FormatSyslog:
+		return "syslog"
+	case FormatBSON:
+		return "bson"
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (rf Format) WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, msg format.LogParts) error {
+	return WriteFormatted(w, rf, msg)
+}
+
+func parseFormat(s string) (Format, error) {
 	switch s {
 	case "json":
-		return formatJSON, nil
+		return FormatJSON, nil
 	case "syslog":
-		return formatSyslog, nil
+		return FormatSyslog, nil
+	case "bson":
+		return FormatBSON, nil
 	default:
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("Undefined format `%s`", s)
 	}
 }
 
 const (
-	formatSyslog = iota // 0
+	FormatSyslog = iota // 0
-	formatJSON   = iota
+	FormatJSON   = iota
+	FormatBSON   = iota
 )
 
-func writeFormatted(w io.Writer, f renderFormat, msg format.LogParts) error {
+func WriteFormatted(w io.Writer, f Format, msg format.LogParts) error {
 	switch f {
-	case formatSyslog:
+	case FormatSyslog:
 		return syslogTmpl.Execute(w, msg)
-	case formatJSON:
+	case FormatJSON:
 		enc := json.NewEncoder(w)
 		enc.SetIndent("", "  ")
 		return enc.Encode(msg)
+	case FormatBSON:
+		enc, err := bson.Marshal(msg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		_, err = w.Write(enc)
+		return err
 	}
 	return nil
 }

hub.go

@@ -24,10 +24,29 @@ type ClientOptions struct {
 // The channel "register" and "unregister" can be seen as "command"
 // keep in mind that "registering" is what you do also to get messages in a one-time fashion. In fact, Client
 // has "options", such as Nofollow, to explain the Hub what should be given
+
+// An HubCommand is an "enum" of different commands
+type HubCommand int
+
+const (
+	CommandClear       = iota
+	CommandPauseToggle = iota
+)
+
+// An HubFullCommand is a Command, complete with arguments
+type HubFullCommand struct {
+	Command HubCommand
+}
+type CommandResponse struct {
+	Value interface{}
+}
+
 type Hub struct {
 	Register    chan Client
 	Unregister  chan Client
 	LogMessages chan format.LogParts
+	Commands    chan HubFullCommand
+	Responses   chan CommandResponse
 
 	clients map[Client]bool
 	circbuf *ring.Ring
@@ -39,6 +58,8 @@ func NewHub(ringBufSize int) Hub {
 		Register:    make(chan Client),
 		Unregister:  make(chan Client),
 		LogMessages: make(chan format.LogParts),
+		Commands:    make(chan HubFullCommand),
+		Responses:   make(chan CommandResponse),
 		circbuf:     ring.New(ringBufSize),
 	}
 }
@@ -77,6 +98,7 @@ func (h *Hub) register(cl Client) {
 
 // Run is hub main loop; keeps everything going
 func (h *Hub) Run() {
+	active := true
 	for {
 		select {
 		case cl := <-h.Register:
@@ -88,6 +110,7 @@ func (h *Hub) Run() {
 				delete(h.clients, cl)
 			}
 		case msg := <-h.LogMessages:
+			if active == true {
 				h.circbuf.Value = msg
 				h.circbuf = h.circbuf.Next()
 				for client := range h.clients {
@@ -99,5 +122,24 @@ func (h *Hub) Run() {
 					}
 				}
 			}
+		case cmd := <-h.Commands:
+			if cmd.Command == CommandClear {
+				h.clear()
+				h.Responses <- CommandResponse{Value: true}
+			}
+			if cmd.Command == CommandPauseToggle {
+				active = !active
+				h.Responses <- CommandResponse{Value: active}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Clear removes all elements from the buffer
+func (h *Hub) clear() {
+	buf := h.circbuf
+	for i := 0; i < buf.Len(); i++ {
+		buf.Value = nil
+		buf = buf.Next()
 	}
 }