Original Complete Article : Getting the big picture with Log Analysis

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of log analysis in understanding system states and troubleshooting issues, especially in complex distributed systems. It outlines a practical log management process, including collecting data from various sources, cataloging and indexing the data, and enabling effective searching and analysis. Key aspects covered are:

• Log Management: Implementing practices for collecting, cataloging, and indexing log data.
• Log Types: Understanding different log types like application, server, system, access, and change/deployment logs.
• Data Refinement: Creating data pipelines to refine datasets and improve system efficiency.
• Alerts and Dashboards: Setting up dashboards for historical data and alerts based on Service Level Objectives (SLOs) to avoid alert fatigue.
• Continuous Improvement: Encouraging teams to adopt log standards, involve junior resources in log analysis, and strive for a zero-error system.

The article advocates for viewing log analysis as a means to stimulate continuous improvement, enabling better system resilience and efficient problem resolution. It also highlights the necessity of a log management system and recommends centering alerts around the SLI/SLO approach.