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Logging for Distributed Systems

Logging for Distributed Systems

Learn how logging helps and differs in distributed systems and what are some common issues and solutions.

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Logging for distributed systems

Logging in distributed systems presents unique challenges and considerations compared to traditional monolithic applications. The format of logs must balance human readability and automated processing. Distributed systems need robust log forwarding mechanisms to ensure log messages are not lost during network disruptions or component failures. With the huge amount of logs generated, the cost of storage, storage management software, and staff to maintain this infrastructure becomes a significant concern. In this lesson, we'll touch upon these topics and discuss options to deal with them.

Log format

The choice of log format plays a crucial role in the efficiency, usability, and effectiveness of log management. Some of the common log formats used in distributed systems are plaintext, JSON, and binary. Each format has its advantages and drawbacks. The choice depends on various factors, including ease of parsing, human readability, and the need for additional metadata.

Log Format Options

Log Format

Advantages

Disadvantages

Plaintext Logs

  • Human-readable
  • Easy to generate
  • Lack standardized structure
  • Complicate automated parsing

JSON Logs

  • Key-value pairs enable rich metadata and context inclusion
  • Structured and standardized format for easy automated parsing and analysis
  • More compact than plaintext logs, reducing storage costs
  • Overhead of encoding and decoding JSON can increase computational load
  • Can be challenging for humans to read and interpret directly

Binary Logs

  • Most efficient in terms of storage and parsing
  • Designed for machine consumption.
  • Ideal for high-performance logging in systems like low-latency systems
  • Not human-readable
  • Unsuitable for debugging and manual inspection
  • Requires careful handling and versioning to ensure compatibility between producers and consumers.

Plaintext logs are the most common and, as seen below, are readily understandable:

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import logging
import datetime
# Set up logging configuration
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='[%(asctime)s] %(levelname)s: %(message)s')
# Define a function to log events
def log_event(message):
    logging.info(message)
if __name__ == "__main__":
    log_event("Performing distributed operation...")
    log_event("Distributed operation completed.")

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