What logging format allows different appliances and software applications to send logs to a central server?

Syslog is a standardized logging format that enables various network devices, appliances, and software applications to send their logs to a centralized server, commonly referred to as a Syslog server. This format is particularly useful in security operations as it helps in aggregating logs from numerous sources into one location for easier monitoring, analysis, and incident response.

Syslog can handle different types of log messages from various devices such as routers, firewalls, and servers, allowing them to communicate with a log management system. This capability of interoperability between different vendors and systems makes Syslog a critical tool in building a comprehensive security monitoring solution.

Other options like SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) focus more on network management rather than logging, WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) is specific to Windows environments for management and monitoring, and NetFlow is a protocol used mostly for collecting IP traffic information and not for log sending. Therefore, Syslog is the preferred and correct choice for centralizing log data across diverse environments.