System administrators alike find it necessary to keep track of different systems and processes. A log monitor can automate this tedious task and save many hours’ worth of labor.
The term "log monitor" is a general term referring to different programs that all perform automated monitoring of various kinds, keeping track of changes to a file or file system. This is especially useful for administrators who have to stay on top of a large network consisting of databases, file systems, and many different programs running all at once. Even for single computer users, these monitoring programs can prove useful to provide a high level of control over an operating system’s activities.
Although many programs have their own logging functions that can produce a log of a particular process, such as installation, these monitoring programs add the ability to monitor and view these logs in real time. In most cases, installers only allow users to view the log once the installation process is done, regardless of whether it failed or succeeded. This means that users can only respond to any failures after they have already happened.
Real-time log monitoring gives users the opportunity to try and prevent failures before they actually happen. Learning to interpret these logs will also let users pick up any signs of potential failure long before the actual event. For large and important systems, such a degree of control is almost required.
But the real utility of these monitoring programs does not lie in just allowing users a real-time look at various logs. Imagine a very large and very busy network. Using this type of monitor to just view various records of real-time activity, a human user can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data that needs processing. The user might not be able to keep up with the pace of all of the different streams of data that the monitoring program shows.
Hence, most of these monitors also come with built-in notification or even scripting capabilities. That is, in the case that anything remarkable is found in any of the logs that the program is currently monitoring, it could simply send off an email to the human administrator, or even perform a preprogrammed response. This saves administrators a lot of tedious labor in looking through many different logs, and frees their time for more important and complex administration tasks.
A good example of a case wherein a monitoring program can save an administrator a lot of hassle is with a large file system open to many users. Keeping track of directory changes, new files, file name changes, and so on would be nearly impossible without using a specialized program designed to do so. By setting a few basic rules, for instance, restricting file types to particular folders, or restricting access to certain directories, an administrator can keep the entire system in tip-top shape.
A good log monitor can be an immensely useful tool for any administrator or power user. By allowing the automation of the tedious task of keeping track of the changes and processes of even very large systems, it saves a ton of labor. Keeping networks and databases neat and in good working order becomes a much easier task.
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