Do you know about Log Analysis? Log analysis is used for monitoring network activity and understanding the recorded data. These computer-generated records are also known as log recorder audit trail records. The whole process of creating a computer-generated network is known as data logging. Some of the important reasons to perform log analysis are compliance with audits, system troubleshooting, compliance with security policies, and understanding online user behavior. However, monitoring the recorded data is a difficult and complicated job. We all know that technology is advancing at a very rapid pace. Everyone is connected to the network constantly throughout the day and for every smaller thing is recorded.
Log analysis allows you to understand the pattern in an activity, it helps in getting better efficiency and productivity. You can spot errors easily and quickly with the help of log analysis. It provides more security from cyberattacks. With log analysis, you can monitor traffic volume, customer navigation on a website, conversion errors, spotting errors, etc. Log analysis tools help in simplifying the process of monitoring and analysis of recorded data.
What are the Benefits of Log Analysis Software?
Log analysis software offers a number of benefits. It provides effective tools to optimize the log data generated by IT resources. It can assist in real-time monitoring with a quick search. Log management software is used to improve resource availability and infrastructure costs. It may be used to resolve performance issues. It may also help with the analysis of event logs and server logs with a user-friendly dashboard.
Best Log Analysis Tools & Software
There are numerous log analysis tools currently available in the market. Different log analysis tools come with different set of features that allows you to analyze the recorded data. Here, we have mentioned some of the best tools that make your job of monitoring the recorded data easier.
1. LOGalyze – Best Tool to Analyze Log Files:
LoGalyze is a free and open-source tool for monitoring and analyzing recorded data. It allows you to manage all the recorded data in one place. LOGalyze supports windows hosts, network devices, and LINUX/UNIX servers. After collecting the recorded data, you can analyze it with the help of the LOGalyze search feature in order to acquire the information you need. Users can define their own events and alerts. You can see the built-in scheduled reports that give you an idea of the network. The reports are compliant with various regulatory acts like PCI-DSS, SOX, HIPAA, etc. LOGalyze allows you to monitor custom business application logs. You can transport log data to other LOGalyze engines securely and you can export reports in various formats like CSV, XLS, PDF, etc.
LoGalyze Features:
- Centralized log collection and storage:
- Real-time analysis
- Customized dashboards and reports
- Search and filtering
LoGalye Pros:
- Feature-rich
- Real-time Monitoring
- Customization
- Open Source
LoGalye Cons:
- Limited Official Support
- Updates and Maintenance
- Integration Challenges
LoGalye Pricing:
- Free
2. Fluentd – Log Analyzer Online:
It is also an open-source tool that allows you to collect the data and monitor it for better understanding. Fluentd is compatible with various technologies. With Fluentd you get more than 300 plugins to connect to a multitude of data resources. Fluentd is based on JSON data format and it allows you to filter, buffer, and route the logs to the appropriate systems. It is written in a combination of C language and Ruby language. Fluentd is used by some large companies like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Amazon AWS.
Fluentd Features:
- Log data collection:
- Plugin system
- Integrations
Fluentd Pros:
- Real-time Log Analysis:
- Customization:
- Community Support
- Cost-effective
Fluentd Cons:
- Learning Curve
- Resource Intensive
- Security Concerns
- Limited Features
Fluentd Pricing:
- Free
3. Papertrail – Best Cloud-Hosted Log Management Tool:
It automatically scans through the log data and you can select specific information that you want the scan results to display. Papertrail allows you to filter log events by origin, time, or any custom field. You can update the safety records from anywhere with the help of mobile devices. Some of the important features of Papertrail are automatic backup of records, creating records quickly and easily, restricted access to users, reminders and notifications, offline operations, training record management, etc. Some of the big companies that use Papertrail are GitHub, Product Hunt, Instacart, and DNSimple. Different plans are available that you can check from the official website and apart from that there is also an option of creating a customized plan depending on your requirements.
Papertrail Feature:
- Cloud-based
- Log collection and management
- Data analyze
Papertrail Pros:
- Multiple machines per host
- Customization to group and direct filter logs
- Fast log searching
Papertrail Cons:
- Very expensive per GB
Pricing: Papertrail Pricing
4. Loggly – Best Cloud-Based Log Monitoring Tool:
Loggly is a cloud-based log monitoring tool. You can monitor traffic, activities, metrics, etc. from different applications. Some of the benefits of using Loggly are proactive cloud-based monitoring, speedy troubleshooting, better teamwork, and detailed insights. Loggly has an interactive dashboard and provides one-click access to source codes. It can easily manage records from different sources. The other features of Loggly are one-click sync, anomaly detection, surround search, command center view, sharable reports, etc. Some of the big companies that use Loggly are Atlassian, EA, Autodesk, SendGrid, and Sony Pictures. There is a total of four plans offered by Loggly. All these plans come with different features and are mentioned below. For more detailed features of the plans, you can check the official website.
Loggly Features:
- Cloud-based
- Log consolidator
- Log storage space
Loggly Pros:
- Cloud-Based Scalability
- Easy Setup Process
- Integration
- Instant Availability of Log Data for Review
Loggly Cons:
- Would like to see a longer 30-day trial
Loggly Pricing:
- Lite – Free
- Standard – $48 per month
- Pro – $96 per month
- Enterprise – $168 per month
5. GoAccess – Best Log Analysis Tool:
It is a free and open-source log analyzer tool that quickly views the webserver statistics without accessing the web browser. You get real-time data with the help of GoAccess. It allows you to track application response time and process logs incrementally. You can know the number of visitors, bandwidth, metrics, and hits with the help of GoAccess. Other major features of GoAccess are support for HTTP/2 and IPv6, the ability to output JSON and CSV, support for large datasets, and a customizable color scheme.
GoAccess Features:
- Completely Real Time
- Visitors
- Color Scheme Customizable
GoAccess Pros:
- Real-Time Analysis
- Multiple Output Formats
- Performance
GoAccess Cons:
- Learning Curve
- Lack of Advanced Analytics
- Limited Support
GoAccess Pricing:
- Free
6. Graylog – Best Log Visualization Tool Open Source:
It is a free and open-source platform for log management. With the help of a Graylog, you can manage a large number of log data every day. It allows you to analyze the data quickly and you can trace the error easily with the help of its powerful analysis. Some of the other features of Graylog are activity monitoring, event management, advanced analytics, tracking trends, multi-system monitoring, alerts, etc. The open-source version is completely free and apart from the open-source, there is another version that is known as an enterprise. In the enterprise version, you are charged on the basis of a license on a server.
Graylog Features:
- Open-source log management
- Data collection
- Security
Graylog Pros:
- Easy to integrate with third-party tools and platforms
- Open-source
Graylog Cons:
- Cost of ownership can be expensive
Graylog Pricing: Check Graylog Pricing
7. Splunk – Log Observer:
It is the most widely used platform that monitors and analyzes the log data in real time. You can easily find any specific information that you need with the help of search suggestions. Splunk also allows you to set alerts that can be used to trigger emails and RSS feeds. You can easily install Splunk on Windows, LINUX, and Mac OS. With the help of Splunk, you can access various data formats like JSON, XML, etc. Splunk offers a total of three platforms and that is Splunk free, Splunk Enterprise, and Splunk Cloud. For more details on these plans, you can check the official website.
Splunk Features:
- Data Indexing and Search
- Data Visualization
- Data Integration
Splunk Pros:
- Comprehensive Log Analysis
- User-Friendly Interface
- Customization
Splunk Cons:
- Cost
- Complexity
- Vendor Lock-In
Splunk Pricing:
- Free
8. Logmatic.io – Best Log Management Software:
It is easy to handle log analysis software. Logmatic.io allows you to filter out real-time data. You can create parsing rules that allow you to automatically recognize patterns. It supports events from Nginx, Apache, Syslogs, JSON events, etc. It is an easy-to-use tool that provides data in various formats like pie charts, averages, graphs, flow charts, geo-maps, etc. Logmatic.io offers numerous plans with different features. You can know about all the plans in detail along with the pricing from its official website.
Logmatic Features:
- Data Parsing and Indexing
- Visualization Tools
- Alerting and Notification
Logmatic Pros:
- Ease of Deployment
- Automatic Log Parsing
- Community and Support
Logmatic Cons:
- Limited Features
- Integration Complexity
- Cost
Logmatic Pricing:
- Free
- Pro: $15/month
- Enterprise:$23/month
9. Netsurion – Log File Analysis Software:
Netsurion keeps the systems safe from cyber threats as it is backed by smart algorithms. It can monitor and analyze data on Windows, W3C/IIS, and Syslog server log files. You get a real-time alerting feature and it also allows you to create a customized alert. The reports comply with various regulatory acts like HIPAA, Sarbanes, OXLEY, PCI-DSS, FISMA, etc. Some of the other features of Netsurion are network scanning and monitoring, Attack prevention, Built-in response rules, behavior analysis, etc. EventTracker is easy to use tool and you also get a free trial period.
Netsurion Features:
- Incident Response
- User Behavior Analytics
Netsurion Pros:
- Security Monitoring
- Automated Threat Detection
- Compliance Support
Netsurion Cons:
- High Cost
- Resource Requirements
- Maintenance Overhead
Netsurion Pricing:
- Available free trial
10. Mezmo – Log Monitoring Tool:
It is a log analysis tool that allows you to monitor data in real time. It has powerful exclusion rules that allow you to keep the log volume under control. You can connect Mezmo with various applications for data collection easily. The amazing features of Mezmo are powerful Log handling tools, Cost-effective log management, multiple search views, automated parsing, compliant and secure solution, enterprise-level authentication, etc. These are some of the best log analysis tools that are currently available in the market. These log analysis tools make data analysis easier and simple.
Mezmo Features:
- Log analysis
- Telemetry pipeline
Mezmo Pros:
- Simple and easy to implement
- Quick searching and filtering
- Thorough documentation
Mezmo Cons:
- No recent reviews online
- Cost per GB
Mezmo Pricing:
- Birch – $1.50/GB per month
- Maple – $2/GB per month
- Oak – $3/GB per month
FAQ’s:
Event log correlation refers to the technique of monitoring patterns of events occurring on computer networks and within the IT environment.
Web log analysis is a kind of technique for tracking website analytics in order to find out trends and patterns. It parses a server log file from the server. It is also used to analyze how many numbers of visits visit your website.
Splunk is mainly used for log monitoring and platform analysis available in free and paid versions.