Overview
LogCentral automatically archives older logs to long-term storage, helping you maintain compliance requirements and access historical data while optimizing your storage costs.
This article explains how the log archiving system works.
Understanding Log Archiving
What is Log Archiving?
Log archiving is the process of moving older logs from active storage (hot storage) to long-term storage (cold storage).
This system allows you to:
Maintain compliance with data retention requirements
Access historical data when needed for audits or investigations
Optimize storage costs by using different storage tiers
Keep your active logs fast by reducing the volume of data in hot storage
How Automatic Archiving Works
LogCentral handles log archiving automatically based on retention policies. Logs move through different storage tiers as they age:
Hot Storage: Recent logs that are actively searchable and quickly accessible
Cold Storage: Archived logs stored for long-term retention
The system manages this transition automatically, so you don't need to manually move logs between storage tiers.
Viewing Storage Statistics
Location Storage Analytics
You can view storage statistics and usage patterns for each location in your organization. Navigate to the location details page to access:
Current storage usage across your locations
Storage trends showing how your log volume changes over time
Storage predictions to help you plan for future capacity needs
The storage chart provides visual insights into your log retention patterns and helps you understand how your storage is being utilized.
Understanding Storage Metrics
When reviewing your storage analytics, you'll see information about:
Total storage used by the location
Storage growth patterns
Last log received timestamp
Active platforms sending logs
This data helps you make informed decisions about retention policies and storage optimization.
Accessing Archived Logs
Cold Search for Historical Data
When you need to search archived logs, you'll use the cold search functionality. Cold search is specifically designed to query logs in long-term storage.
Note: For detailed information about searching archived logs, refer to the Cold Search article. For searching recent logs in hot storage, see the Hot Search article.
When to Use Cold Search
Use cold search when you need to:
Investigate incidents that occurred outside your hot storage retention period
Perform compliance audits requiring historical data
Analyze long-term trends and patterns
Retrieve logs for legal or regulatory purposes
Keep in mind that cold search may take longer than hot search since archived logs are stored in a different tier optimized for cost rather than speed.
Storage Cost Optimization
Best Practices
To optimize your storage costs while maintaining necessary retention:
Review your retention requirements regularly: Ensure you're not keeping logs longer than necessary
Monitor storage trends: Use the storage analytics to identify unexpected growth
Configure appropriate filters : Balance compliance needs with cost considerations
Clean up unused locations: Disable or delete locations that are no longer sending logs
Storage Predictions
The storage chart includes prediction capabilities that help you:
Anticipate future storage needs
Plan for capacity increases
Budget for storage costs
Identify potential storage issues before they occur
Compliance and Data Retention
Audit Trail
The system maintains audit logs of administrative actions, which can be valuable for:
Compliance audits
Security investigations
Change tracking
Accountability
Access audit logs through your organization's administrative interface to review historical actions and changes.
Managing Multiple Locations
Organization-Wide Storage
When managing multiple locations across your organization:
View aggregate statistics: See total storage across all locations
Compare location usage: Identify which locations generate the most logs
Standardize policies: Consider consistent retention policies across similar locations
Monitor individually: Each location can be managed independently
Location Operations
For each location, you can:
View detailed storage statistics
Monitor live log streaming
Configure location-specific settings
Enable or disable log collection
Delete locations when no longer needed
Navigate to the location details page to access these management capabilities.
Getting Help
If you need assistance with:
Configuring retention policies: Contact your organization administrator
Understanding storage costs: Review your subscription plan details
Compliance requirements: Consult with your compliance team
Technical issues: Reach out to LogCentral support
Remember that proper log retention and archiving are essential for both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. Regular review of your storage analytics and retention policies helps ensure you're maintaining the right balance for your organization's needs.