Understanding Log Analytics at Scale

The humble machine log has been with us for many technology generations. The data that makes up these logs is a collection of records generated by hardware and software that document nearly everything that happens in a computing environment.
If logging is enabled on a piece of hardware or software, almost every system process, event, or message can be captured as a timeseries element of log data. The comprehensive view of operations provided by log analytics can help administrators investigate the root cause of problems and identify opportunities for improvement.
This report examines emerging opportunities for deriving value from log data, as well as the associated challenges and some approaches for meeting those challenges. It investigates the mechanics of log analytics and places them in the context of specific use cases, before turning to the tools that enable organizations to fulfil those use cases.