An education in log files

[B&T]

In looking at my log files . . .

It appears that activity is being recorded in access_log during the day and at around mid-night a new file is started and access_log becomes access_log.1 - now with yesterday's history.

And it appears that there are 8 days of rotating backups. Each day file access_log.1 becomes access_log.2 and so on through access_log.8 (which would always contain the 8th day back).

And all data over 8 days old is gone.

Is that correct?

And I assume that if I turn off webstats in OPS that these files will still be created as they are generated by apache? And also if I turn off webstats I assume I can safely delete the webstats directory?

[Crawdaddy79]

Yes. The access_logs are it's own entity. Turning off your webstats will not affect their creation/development.

And the rest of what you said is correct... At least correct to my understanding of how these things work.

...Though in the beginning of October they didn't cycle like they did the month before, but instead went an entire week adding to the same access log. Then after that it was back on it's daily schedule. I kind of rather the weekly thing.. but I'm one in a few. :(

[B&T]

Thanks for the reply.

I am planning to have cron kick off a copy of access_log.1 every night (about 2 am so I can assume the logs have been rotated). I will keep a copy for each day (as a part of the copy I will name the files with the date).

Then I will use a PC based web log analyzer to look at those backed up log files. There are many good PC based programs out there . . . and this will get me out of these webalizer/webstats scripts altogether.

As long as Powweb produces the new access_log.1 file every night . . . that should work great. The key thing is not whether the file rotation it is daily or weekly . . . but that they always do it the same so you don't have double counts or missing days.

[Nino]

Originally posted by B&T
Then I will use a PC based web log analyzer to look at those backed up log files. There are many good PC based programs out there . . .

Name some of those PC based programs . . .?

[B&T]

Originally posted by Nino
Name some of those PC based programs . . .?

I picked this one http://www.weblogexpert.com/ - the free version does all I need, and more than webstats did. You can pay for one that does more.

[symo]

A lot of folks also like AWStats:

http://awstats.sourceforge.net/

Hope this helps.

symo