Which is why we recommend using dedicated software for analyzing logs. These tools collect the raw log data from your network components, analyze it for you and remove all the noise so that you are only left with actionable data that can be used to maintain a healthy system. Additionally, the intelligent Analysis engines in these software have the ability to process several logs every second and thus guarantees that you do not lose any important event. Which is very likely to happen if you are doing the analysis manually. So then, let us look at the best Log Analysis tools that are being used by professionals in the industry. One of the key objectives of analyzing data is to maintain a secure network and the SolarWinds Event and Log Manager incorporates various features to facilitate this. For instance, if the log analysis points towards a potential threat then it immediately alerts you or responds automatically to the threat through such actions as disabling the account, blocking the IP, or blocking the USB device. That last action is possible through the USB device analyzer that provides insightful information on the happenings on the system when a USB device is inserted. Additionally, the Log and Event Manager software provides an easy way for you to forward your logs to a 3rd party software for more analysis. Like all the other SolarWinds tools, their Log and Event manager can only be installed on the Windows operating system but will handle logging tasks for devices across all platforms. It collects the logs from the devices then organizes them providing important details such as the name, date, source, and severity. Splunk’s field extraction feature allows you to use just your mouse to trace the root problem in a system only in a matter of seconds or a few minutes. It is able to achieve this by following the sequence of events leading up to the problem. Splunk also allows you to create charts and graphical visualizations of your logs that help you discover trends and spot discrepancies more easily. This software allows you to turn your searches into real-time alerts and also enable email notifications that will be triggered by specific events such as changes in a particular trend and various other predefined thresholds. Splunk is available in 3 options. Splunk Light for small organizations, Splunk Enterprise for huge corporations and Splunk Cloud which is available as a service. There is also a Free Splunk but I would not really recommend it based on the limitations imposed. The logs from your network perimeter devices like the routers, switches, and firewall are analyzed to provide actionable information on various aspects like firewall security, malicious traffic, and user log on and offs while the logs from your database and servers are audited to help you identify and prevent data theft, attacks, and downtimes. This software is integrated with an IP threat database and STIX/TAXII feed processor that enables it to identify malicious traffic. When an alert is triggered, this software allows you to create tickets and assign them to the specific expert in charge of that specific system component. The ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer supports over 700 log sources from the various popular vendors and there is hence minimal chances your device is not supported. You can check here for the full list of supported sources. It also features an impressive processing speed of 25000 logs per second which means it can detect attacks quicker and alert you immediately before the problem escalates. This software comes with over 30 predefined rules that help predict attacks before they happen. The LOGalyze software allows you to view the stored logs through its GUI and incorporates an easy search method that enables you to get the results quickly. It also has an analyzer engine which allows you to create multi-dimensional statistics based on the logs which help you make better sense of the data. In case the analyzed data matches any predefined criteria then you get alerted immediately. LOGalyze is integrated with their AHR ticketing system that allows you to manage incident reports more effectively. Also worth mentioning is that this software can generate reports to show compliance with various regulatory acts like PCI-DSS. LOGalyze is a completely free software. GrayLog can also handle logs from any source regardless of their format. On top of collecting the log messages from the various sources this software allows you to add the log data yourself by channeling system reports into a file. The stored logs are presented on the software’s dashboard in form of piecharts, histograms and other visualizations that enhance better analysis. GrayLog allows you to make custom alert conditions and create scripts on how to respond to the alert conditions. For instance, you could set it to notify the responsible engineer so that they can act accordingly. The beauty of open source software is that there is so much you can do with them as long as you have great scripting skills. However, it’s also the reason why people will prefer the premium packages since most of the configuration has already been done for you.
How to Log your Network using Log AnalyzerUsing LOGGLY for log analysis & monitoringThe 5 Best Managed File Transfer (MFT) Tools and SoftwareFix: Failed to transfer logged messages to the log event with status 50
