Patent Publication Number: US-2003225872-A1

Title: Consolidated management of remot and local application logs

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Statement of the Technical Field  
       [0002] The present invention relates to an application log viewer, and more particularly to the management of multiple application logs within a single viewer.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] During the execution of software applications, a wide variety of information can be written to corresponding application logs. Administrators can view each application log for a number of purposes including troubleshooting application execution problems, conducting performance evaluations, and managing system and network operations. Typically, each application log can be viewed in a window which is separate both from the application and other application logs. In that regard, it is a well-known standard practice to launch separate display windows for each application log through which the application information can be displayed. Frequently, the display windows can be text editors in which the application logs can be edited using standard editing functions, such as cut, copy and paste.  
       [0005] While troubleshooting or checking system operations, it can be helpful for application administrators to view multiple display logs simultaneously, each display log corresponding to differing applications. For instance, examining system performance or troubleshooting application problems typically can require the concurrent comparing of application execution information across multiple application logs. Specifically, an application administrator might view all of the application logs for a system having several applications installed. Moreover, the administrator might view all of the application logs, side by side to determine events that were occurring at a particular time across the installed applications. To accomplish concurrent viewing, however, application administrators first must open multiple windows in multiple log viewers for each application to view all of the logs associated with the applications.  
       [0006] Importantly, in a distributed environment, to view remote application logs of applications executing remotely, application administrators first must log into each remote system. Managing remote logins while arranging multiple display windows through which individual application logs of corresponding applications can be a tedious task. Moreover, managing the application information in each application log can become more complex as the number of concurrently executing applications increases beyond more than a few applications. In consequence, application administrators cannot easily open, view and compare the logs of the remote applications within a single work space.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] The present invention overcomes the limitations of conventional log viewers and provides a novel and non-obvious log management system through which both local and remote logs can be viewed and managed concurrently. In one aspect of the invention, a consolidated log manager can include concurrently displayable log windows, each log window displaying log text from different logs in a distributed system. The system further can include a log loader configured to locate the different logs in the distributed system and to load log text from the located different logs in the log windows.  
       [0008] In the consolidated log manager of the present invention, each log window can include a log text editor configured to edit log text loaded in the log window. Additionally, the distributed system can include at least one application server configured to serve application content from origin servers disposed about a computer communications network. Finally, the different logs can include logs remotely disposed from the consolidated log manager about a computer communications network, as well as logs which are local to the consolidated log manager.  
       [0009] A method for concurrently managing application component logs in a consolidated log manager can include the steps of selecting at least two application components; locating and retrieving component logs which correspond to the selected application components; providing a user interface through which the retrieved component logs can be viewed and managed; and, concurrently displaying the retrieved component logs in the user interface. Notably, the locating step can include the step of identifying the component logs in a network directory. Likewise, the retrieving step can include retrieving the component logs over the computer communications network.  
       [0010] The method of the invention further can include selecting one of the displayed component logs and copying the displayed component log to a new display window. Similarly, the method can include selecting one of the displayed component logs; activating an administrative console for displaying references to the application components; and, highlighting an application component which corresponds to the selected component logs. The method yet further can include assembling a list of all displayed component logs; presenting the list in a dialog box; and, activating the selected component logs present in the list. Finally, the method can further include prompting for at least one keyword; searching the displayed component logs for the keyword; and, if the keyword can be found in the displayed component logs, activating the displayed component log in which the keyword can be found and highlighting the keyword in the activated displayed component log.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011] There are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a distributed system in which the consolidated log manager of the present invention can be deployed;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a screen shot of a distributed application administration console for use in managing distributed application components and system services in the distributed system of FIG. 1;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 is a screen shot of an exemplary configuration of the consolidated log manager of FIG. 1;  
     [0015]FIG. 4 is a screen shot of exemplary log management features in the consolidated log manager of FIG. 3; and,  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a dialog box for selectively managing particular ones of the application logs in the consolidated log manager of FIG. 3.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0017] The present invention is a system and method for managing multiple remote and local logs within a consolidated log manager. In particular, in accordance with the present invention, application component logs can be viewed and managed concurrently within a consolidated log manager. Notably, the logs can be viewed and managed in the consolidated log manager, whether individual ones of the logs are remote or local to the consolidated log manager. In consequence, unlike the prior art single log display windows solution, in the present invention log management operations can be performed on all, some or individual ones of the logs.  
     [0018]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a distributed system in which the consolidated log manager of the present invention can be deployed. In accordance with the present invention, the consolidated log manager  300  can be deployed along with an administrative console  200  in an administrative server  110  within a distributed system. The distributed system itself can include one or more administrative servers  110  and one or more remote application servers  140 , each communicatively linked over the computer communications network  130 .  
     [0019] Notably, as one skilled in the art will recognize, the schematic illustration of FIG. 1 merely represents one exemplary configuration of a suitable distributed system. In fact, other configurations can be equally suitable including but not limited to configurations which include local application servers, and configurations where the administrative server is included with the application server in the same computing device. Moreover, multiple administrative servers can be provided both locally and remotely in which various administrative applications can be deployed, including but not limited to the administrative console  200  and the consolidated log manager  300 .  
     [0020] Application components deployed in the application servers  140  can produce component logs  150  as is well known in the art. Additionally, where local application components are deployed in a local application server, such as the case where the local application server has been combined with the administrative server  110 , local component logs can be produced, as well. Importantly, the logs  150  are not strictly limited to application component logs. Rather, the logs  150  also can be produced in the course of operating system services in the distributed system of FIG. 1.  
     [0021] In accordance with the present invention, a system administrator of the distributed system can access the administrative console  200  disposed in the administrative server  110  through a computing device  120 , such as a desktop PC or workstation. The administrative console  200  can provide a user interface through which the system administrator can monitor and manage selected computing devices, application components and system services. Significantly, in one aspect of the present invention, a consolidated log manager  300  can be accessed through the administrative console  200 .  
     [0022] The consolidated log manager  300  can provide a display window through which a selected set of logs  160  can be viewed and managed. The selected set of logs  160  can include individual ones of the application component and system services logs  150  distributed about the system of FIG. 1. Advantageously, the consolidated manager  300  can provide a user interface for managing the set of logs  160 , regardless of the location of each individual log  150  in the set  160 . In fact, from the perspective of the systems administrator, each log  150  in the set  160  can be presented concurrently within the consolidated log manager  300  regardless of which each log  150  is located remotely from or locally to the administrative server  110  hosting the consolidated log manager  300 .  
     [0023] In operation, a systems administrator can access the consolidated log manager  300  directly or through another systems management component in the administrative server  110 . For example, in a preferred aspect of the invention, the consolidated log manager  300  can be accessed through the administration console  200 . FIG. 2 is a screen shot of the distributed application administration console  200  of FIG. 1. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, a distributed application administration console can be used to manage distributed application components and system services in a distributed system.  
     [0024] For example, International Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, N.Y. has manufactured the WebSphere® Everyplace Server® suite of application deployment tools in which an administration console is provided through which individual computing devices, computing services and application components can be managed. As shown in FIG. 2, the administration console  200  can include a window  260  through which a graphical representation  220  of individual servers  230 , and computing services and applications components  240  deployed in the distributed system can be provided. Optionally, a status window  250  can be provided through which the status of selected ones of the individual servers  230  and computing services and application components  240  can be displayed.  
     [0025] In any case, in accordance with the preferred aspect of the present invention, the consolidated log manager  300  of the present invention can be accessed through a drop down menu  210  within the administration console  200  by selecting a displayed server  230  or computing service or application component  240  and requesting to view the individual log associated with the selection. Alternatively, the systems administrator can select a “View All Logs” option. Notably, upon the systems administrator selecting the “View All Logs” option, the consolidated log manager  300  can locate and open the default log for each component installed in the system. By comparison, where the systems administrator selects to view only the logs of an individual server  230 , computing service or application component  240 , a list of all logs for the selection can be presented and one or more of the selections can be located and opened.  
     [0026] Some application components  240  can include multiple log files. For example, where a Web server has both an error log and an access log. Also, some application components  240  can maintain older log files. For instance, an application component  240  can cycle associated log files periodically, maintaining each log file for a fixed period of days. Reviewing older log files, of course, can be useful in isolating particular application problems. As multiple logs can be managed for a single application component  240 , in the case of a multiple logs, the multiple logs can be accessed from drop down menu  210 .  
     [0027] As will be recognized by one skilled in the art, mechanically, selected logs can be located and loaded in the consolidated log manager  300  in a manner which remains transparent to the systems administrator. Specifically, the identity and location of a selected log can be determined and subsequently, if the log is located remotely from the administrative server  110  hosting the consolidated log manager  300 , the remote log can be retrieved over the computer communications network  130 . Many methodologies can be applied to locate and download the selected logs, including directory look-up services and direct network requests to the server hosting the selected service or application component.  
     [0028]FIG. 3 is a screen shot of an exemplary configuration of the consolidated log manager  300  of FIG. 1. From FIG. 3, one skilled in the art will recognize the immediate advantage of the present invention in which the logs of differing application components can be displayed and managed concurrently within a single log manager, in this case the consolidated log manager  300 . The consolidated log manager  300  can include multiple log windows  320  for each application component or system service selected by the systems administrator for log management. In accordance with well known file viewing and editing technologies, the text  310  within the logs not only can be displayed in the log windows  320 , but also the text  310  can be displayed and managed in the same manner as text can be managed in any other document through a conventional text editor. In that regard, the log windows  320  can be tiled, cascaded or manually positioned. Likewise, conventional clipboard operations such as Cut/Copy/Paste can be provided.  
     [0029]FIG. 4 is a screen shot of exemplary log management features for a log window  320  in the consolidated log manager  300  of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the log window  320  can include a view menu  410 . Exemplary view menu options can include “Clone”, “Synchronize” and “Refresh”. While the Clone option can cause the consolidated log manager  300  to copy the text  310  of the log to a new log window  320 , the Synchronize option can link the systems administrator to the selected server  230 , application component or systems service  240  within the administration console  200  which corresponds to the log in the log window  320 . The Refresh option, by comparison, can update the view of the log in the log window  320 .  
     [0030]FIG. 5 is a screen shot of a dialog box for selectively managing particular ones of the application logs in the consolidated log manager  300  of FIG. 3. Specifically, where multiple log windows  530  have been opened in the consolidated log manager  300 , it can become difficult to locate and peruse the contents of any one log. In consequence, a log list dialog box  510  can be provided in which a log list  520  of log windows  530  can be provided. The systems administrator can use the log list  520  to select those log windows  530  which ought to be restored and/or activated. Additionally, a find option can be provided for locating by keyword either individual log windows  530 , or text within the individual log windows  530 .  
     [0031] The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. An implementation of the method and system of the present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system, or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein, is suited to perform the functions described herein.  
     [0032] A typical combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein. The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which, when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods.  
     [0033] Computer program or application in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form. Significantly, this invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and accordingly, reference should be had to the following claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.