About the project

We want to address the log management needs of SaaS providers, cloud infrastructure companies, and organizations with significant cloud-based operations. The primary goal is to develop a robust, scalable, and efficient log management system using ECK.

Challenges

Businesses operating in the cloud services sector faced several challenges, including:

Inefficient log collection and aggregation from various cloud services and applications.
High storage costs and suboptimal index performance due to unorganized log data.
Difficulty in analyzing logs due to inconsistent formatting and unnecessary noise in log entries.
The need for a scalable solution to handle increasing volumes of log data.

Solution

We designed a comprehensive log management solution by leveraging Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK), custom curator implementations, and Lua scripting.

Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK): The deployment of ECK across Kubernetes clusters facilitates centralized log collection, ensuring efficient aggregation of logs from diverse cloud applications. The solution is designed to scale, capable of handling large volumes of log data as business needs expand. ECK was seamlessly integrated with existing cloud services for smooth log ingestion, ensuring that all log data was collected and processed efficiently.

Custom Curator Implementation: To automate the deletion of old indices, optimize index performance, and manage storage efficiently, we developed a custom curator solution. This automation ensured that the system remained high-performing and minimized storage costs. Tailored retention policies were implemented to preserve critical log data while purging obsolete data, further optimizing storage use and costs.

Lua Scripting for Log Formatting: Lua scripts were used to standardize log entries, ensuring consistent formatting across different sources. This standardization made logs easier to read and analyze. Logs were cleaned by removing unnecessary noise and normalizing log data, enhancing their readability and usability. The log formatting process was automated to minimize manual intervention and reduce errors, ensuring that logs were consistently formatted and ready for analysis.

Technologies used

Elastic Cloud on Kubernetes (ECK)

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Lua Scripting

Results

The expected outcomes of the project include:

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined log management processes reduce administrative overhead.
Data-Driven Insights: Better log analysis capabilities support strategic business decisions.
Cost Savings: Efficient index management and storage optimization lower operational costs.
Compliance and Security: Enhanced log visibility aids in compliance monitoring and security incident detection.

Perspective

This project delivers a comprehensive, scalable, and efficient log management solution tailored for the cloud market. By leveraging ECK, custom curator implementations, and Lua scripting, businesses can achieve significant improvements in log handling, ultimately leading to enhanced operational efficiency and strategic insights.