Linux Session Recording: Use Cases, Comparisons and Guides
shellz records terminal sessions on the Linux server itself, so direct logins, remote commands and docker exec are captured however someone got in. Start with what you need to record, or find the tool you use today and see where shellz fills a gap and where that tool is the better pick.
What you can record
- AI agent session recording for Linux serversRecord AI agent SSH sessions on Linux servers at the host: remote commands, SFTP and docker exec, with replay and tamper alerts. Plus where a gateway fits.
- SOC 2 evidence for SSH access on Linux serversWhat SOC 2 auditors ask for on SSH and root access, which Trust Services Criteria apply, and how recorded Linux sessions with integrity checks answer them.
- Recording contractor and vendor sessions on Linux serversSee exactly what a contractor or agency did on your Linux servers, or prove what your agency did on a client's. Replayable, tamper-evident session records.
- Trace a command on a production Linux server to the person who ran itBash history and auth.log can't tell you who ran a command on a Linux server, or what it printed. Find the session, replay it and attach it to the postmortem.
- Recording docker exec sessions on Linux hostsDocker logs that an exec ran, but not who ran it or what they did inside. Record docker exec sessions on the host, tied to the SSH user who opened them.
- Recording break-glass access to Linux serversEmergency root keys and console logins skip your access gateway. Record break-glass sessions on the Linux host where they happen, then review them afterwards.
Looking for a replacement
- HashiCorp Boundary alternatives after the Community Edition archiveBoundary CE was archived on Oct 8, 2026. Seven HashiCorp Boundary alternatives (HCP Boundary, Teleport, Warpgate, JumpServer, shellz) and how to migrate off CE.
- StrongDM alternatives now that StrongDM is part of DelineaStrongDM is now Delinea and its public pricing is gone. Compare per-seat costs of 7 StrongDM alternatives, with a worked example for a 15-person team.
- Tailscale SSH session recording alternatives now that tsrecorder is deprecatedtsrecorder is deprecated and support ends in August 2027. Compare Tailscale SSH session recording alternatives: Tailscale PAM, shellz, Warpgate, ShellHub.
- sudo I/O logging alternatives after sudo-rsUbuntu 26.04 swapped sudo for sudo-rs, which can't log sessions or run sudoreplay. How to get sudo logging back, and tools that record the whole login.
Head to head
- Teleport vs shellz for SSH session recordingTeleport is a full access platform. shellz records every Linux terminal on the server, even logins that skip a gateway. Coverage, root, pricing, and fit.
- AWS Session Manager session recording vs shellzAWS Session Manager keeps a text log and skips SSH tunnels. shellz records replayable Linux sessions on the server. Coverage gaps, 2026 pricing, using both.
- Azure Bastion session recording vs shellzAzure Bastion records sessions only on Premium, at $0.45 an hour per host, as video. SSH from a local client isn't recorded. Costs and coverage gaps vs shellz.
- Syteca (Ekran System) vs shellz for Linux session recordingSyteca (formerly Ekran System) vs shellz for Linux session evidence: who can decrypt recordings, whether root can remove the agent, docker exec, and pricing.
- tlog session recording vs shellztlog gives RHEL free session recording, but Red Hat says root can bypass it and an in-memory journal loses it on reboot. When tlog fits and when shellz does.
- pam_tty_audit and auditd vs session recordingpam_tty_audit logs keystrokes but never what appeared on screen, so there's nothing to replay. How auditd and session recording fit together for SSH forensics.