Log File Management via Storage Threshold Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Log files can become excessively large or numerous, leading to storage space issues on workstations, servers, and embedded systems, potentially causing system stalls and performance degradation due to limited storage capacity, especially in cost-sensitive environments like cloud storage and embedded systems.
Innovation Solution
A process that monitors free space on storage devices and executes predefined actions, such as log file deletion, rotation, or write prevention, when the available space falls below a specified threshold, using log file parameters to manage storage space effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If log files are continuously written to record system events, then the audit trail and diagnostic capability are improved, but the storage space is depleted leading to system stalls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic log file rotation and deletion mechanisms that discard old log entries when storage thresholds are approached, while preserving recent logs for diagnostic purposes. This resolves the contradiction by selectively discarding less critical historical data to maintain storage space for ongoing system monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments log files into multiple rotated files with different retention policies, allowing the system to maintain comprehensive audit trails across multiple files while deleting individual files when storage limits are approached. This segmentation enables the system to preserve diagnostic capability while managing storage consumption.
2Reliability
If log file retention period is extended to improve diagnostic capability, then the ability to diagnose historical problems is improved, but storage space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different retention qualities to different log files based on their age and importance. Recent log files are retained with higher priority for immediate diagnostics, while older files are subject to rotation and deletion. This local quality differentiation maintains diagnostic capability for recent issues while limiting long-term storage consumption.
3Reliability
If log writing is enabled to monitor system errors, then system monitoring capability is improved, but system performance degrades due to storage constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors storage space availability and dynamically adjusts log writing behavior. When storage space falls below thresholds, the system automatically reduces logging activity or rotates files, providing feedback to maintain both monitoring capability and system performance without degradation.
4Quantity of substance
If cloud storage is used to expand storage capacity for log files, then storage space is increased, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial logging strategies where only critical events are logged in full detail, while less important events are logged with reduced detail or aggregated. This partial action approach maintains adequate monitoring capability while significantly reducing the storage capacity required, thereby avoiding the need for expensive cloud storage expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
A process in a system can monitor available free storage space on a storage device, and, based on preset log file parameters, can act upon log files being stored on or written to the storage device to keep the storage device from running out of storage space due to excessive logging. The process monitors the device free space as reported by the file system to determine space utilization. A threshold of free space can be specified as a parameter. A log file action can also be specified as a parameter and is an action designed to reduce the space being used by a log file or log files. Once the process recognizes that the free space is under the threshold it will perform the configured action.