Definition: Log Management enables logging and management of online transactions (e.g. online daily payment transactions) registered by information systems owned by public organisations.
Source: NIST
Source reference: https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-92/final
Additional information: Log management is a crucial component within the context of IT interoperability, particularly in the digital public service provided by the European Commission. It involves the systematic collection, storage, analysis, and monitoring of log data generated by various systems, applications, and devices across the IT infrastructure.
In this context, log data refers to the recorded events, activities, and transactions that occur within the digital ecosystem. These logs contain valuable information such as user actions, system events, security incidents, errors, and performance metrics. Log management aims to centralize and organize these logs to facilitate efficient analysis, troubleshooting, and compliance auditing.
The European Commission's log management system is designed to handle a vast amount of log data generated by numerous interconnected systems and applications. It employs advanced technologies and methodologies to ensure the secure and reliable collection of logs from diverse sources, including servers, network devices, databases, and applications.
The first step in log management is the collection of logs from various sources. This involves implementing agents or collectors that gather log data in real-time or at regular intervals. These agents securely transmit the logs to a centralized log repository, which may be located on-premises or in the cloud.
Once the logs are collected, they undergo a process of normalization and parsing. This involves extracting relevant information from the raw log data and converting it into a standardized format. Normalization ensures consistency and uniformity across different log sources, making it easier to analyze and correlate events.
The normalized logs are then stored in a secure and scalable log storage infrastructure. This infrastructure is designed to handle the high volume, velocity, and variety of log data generated within the European Commission's digital public service. It may utilize distributed storage systems, such as Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) or cloud-based storage solutions, to ensure data durability and availability.
To enable efficient log analysis and monitoring, the log management system incorporates powerful search and indexing capabilities. This allows authorized personnel to quickly search and retrieve specific log entries based on various criteria, such as time, source, event type, or user. Additionally, indexing enables the correlation of logs from different sources to identify patterns, anomalies, and potential security incidents.
The log management system also includes advanced analytics and reporting functionalities. These capabilities enable the detection of trends, anomalies, and potential security threats by analyzing log data over time. It may employ machine learning algorithms and statistical models to identify patterns and outliers that may indicate security breaches or performance issues.
Furthermore, the log management system plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and standards. It enables the European Commission to demonstrate accountability and transparency by providing auditors with access to comprehensive and tamper-proof log records. Compliance reports can be generated, detailing specific events, actions, and system states to meet regulatory obligations.
In summary, log management within the context of IT interoperability in the European Commission's digital public service involves the systematic collection, storage, analysis, and monitoring of log data generated by various systems and applications. It aims to centralize and organize logs to facilitate efficient analysis, troubleshooting, compliance auditing, and security incident detection.
Example: Log management is crucial in ensuring the smooth functioning and interoperability of IT systems within a digital public service in the European Commission. Here are some examples of its application:
1. Troubleshooting and Issue Resolution: Log management allows IT teams to collect and analyze logs from various systems and applications. In case of interoperability issues, logs can help identify the root cause of problems, such as failed data exchanges or communication errors between different systems. This information assists in troubleshooting and resolving issues promptly.
2. Performance Monitoring: Logs provide valuable insights into the performance of IT systems and their interoperability. By monitoring logs, IT teams can identify bottlenecks, resource constraints, or latency issues that may affect the overall performance of the digital public service. This enables proactive measures to optimize system performance and ensure seamless interoperability.
3. Security and Compliance: Log management plays a vital role in maintaining the security and compliance of digital public services. Logs can capture and record security-related events, such as unauthorized access attempts, system breaches, or suspicious activities. Analyzing these logs helps detect and respond to security incidents promptly, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive data. Additionally, logs aid in meeting regulatory compliance requirements by providing an audit trail of system activities.
4. Integration and Data Exchange Monitoring: In an interoperable environment, different systems and applications exchange data seamlessly. Log management allows IT teams to monitor data exchanges between systems, ensuring the successful transmission and reception of information. Logs can help identify any data integration issues, such as data format mismatches or data loss during transmission, enabling timely resolution and ensuring smooth interoperability.
5. System Health and Availability: Logs provide valuable information about the health and availability of IT systems. By monitoring logs, IT teams can proactively identify system errors, crashes, or performance degradation that may impact the availability of the digital public service. This allows for timely interventions, minimizing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted service delivery.
In summary, log management within the context of IT interoperability in a digital public service at the European Commission helps troubleshoot issues, monitor performance, ensure security and compliance, monitor data exchanges, and maintain system health and availability.
LOST view: OV-Functional Architecture Principles
Identifier: http://data.europa.eu/dr8/egovera/LogManagementBusinessService
EIRA traceability: eira:DigitalPublicBusinessService
ABB name: egovera:LogManagementBusinessService
EIRA concept: eira:ArchitectureBuildingBlock
Last modification: 2023-07-04
dct:identifier: http://data.europa.eu/dr8/egovera/LogManagementBusinessService
dct:title: Log Management Digital Public Service