

Most web projects start small but can grow exponentially. Graylog has built a positive reputation among system administrators because of its ease in scalability. It is designed to be a centralized log management system that receives data streams from various servers or endpoints and allows you to browse or analyze that information quickly. Graylog started in Germany in 2011 and is now offered as either an open source tool or a commercial solution. Here are five of the best I've used, in no particular order. The free and open source software community offers log designs that work with all sorts of sites and just about any operating system. There are quite a few open source log trackers and analysis tools available today, making choosing the right resources for activity logs easier than you think. It's a reliable way to re-create the chain of events that led up to whatever problem has arisen. For this reason, it's important to regularly monitor and analyze system logs. Further, by tracking log files, DevOps teams and database administrators (DBAs) can maintain optimum database performance or find evidence of unauthorized activity in the case of a cyber attack. A transaction log file is necessary to recover a SQL server database from disaster.


Logging-both tracking and analysis-should be a fundamental process in any monitoring infrastructure. If you have a website that is viewable in the EU, you qualify. Those logs also go a long way towards keeping your company in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that applies to any entity operating within the European Union. You can also trace software installations and data transfers to identify potential issues in real time rather than after the damage is done. For one, it allows you to find and investigate suspicious logins on workstations, devices connected to networks, and servers while identifying sources of administrator abuse. Monitoring network activity can be a tedious job, but there are good reasons to do it.
