Using a database for program logs

• US 6,199,070 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Polo-Wood, Felipe, Volkmar, Peter Williams
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US09/099,890
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15, 714/20, 707/104, 707/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A technique, system, and computer program for using a database to store program logs. Logged information can be created, stored, displayed, and analyzed in a more usable, efficient manner. Log information is preferably stored in two or more tables, enabling reduction of redundant information through database normalization. Message text is preferably stored in computer-readable, as opposed to human-readable, format. This enables optimization of the amount of storage required, and facilitates normalizing the database tables. In addition, translation to the user'"'"'s national language is made easier, whereby a message code is stored, pointing to an entry in a table that contains message text in the chosen language. The report-generating facilities of the database manager are available for use in analyzing log entries, eliminating the need to write customized reporting software.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, computer readable code for using a database to store program logs, said computer readable code comprising:

a subprocess for generating a plurality of log entries;

a subprocess for accessing one or more program logging database tables;

a subprocess for using one or more predefined database tables, such that said one or more program logging database tables are at least partially normalized; and

a subprocess for storing said generated log entries in said one or more program logging database tables.

2. Computer readable code for using a database to store program logs according to claim 1, further comprising:

a subprocess for using facilities of a database manager to process said stored log entries.

3. Computer readable code for using a database to store program logs according to claim 2, wherein each of said generated log entries comprises a plurality of fields, and wherein one or more of said fields are stored in machine-readable format.

4. Computer readable code for using a database to store program logs according to claim 3, wherein one of said fields is a sent flag which indicates whether said generated log entry has been sent to a server, and further comprising:

a subprocess for sending selected ones of said generated log entries to said server; and

a subprocess for setting said sent flag in said selected ones of said generated log entries, responsive to operation of said subprocess for sending.

6. The system for using a database to store program logs according to claim 4, further comprising:

means for using facilities of a database manager to process said stored log entries.

7. The system for using a database to store program logs according to claim 6, wherein each of said generated log entries comprises a plurality of fields, and wherein one or more of said fields are stored in machine-readable format.

8. The system for using a database to store program logs according to claim 7, wherein one of said fields is a sent flag which indicates whether said generated log entry has been sent to a server, and further comprising:

means for sending selected ones of said generated log entries to said server; and

means for setting said sent flag in said selected ones of said generated log entries, responsive to operation of said means for sending.

5. A system for using a database to store program logs in a computing environment, said system comprising:

means for generating a plurality of log entries;

means for accessing one or more program logging database tables;

means for using one or more predefined database tables, such that said one or more program logging database tables are at least partially normalized; and

means for storing said generated log entries in said one or more program logging database tables.

9. A method for using a database to store program logs in a computing environment, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of log entries;

accessing one or more program logging database tables;

using one or more predefined database tables, such that said one or more program logging database tables are at least partially normalized; and

storing said generated log entries in said one or more program logging database tables.

10. The method for using a database to store program logs according to claim 9, further comprising the step of

using facilities of a database manager to process said stored log entries.

11. The method for using a database to store program logs according to claim 10, wherein each of said generated log entries comprises a plurality of fields, and wherein one or more of said fields are stored in machine-readable format.

12. The method for using a database to store program logs according to claim 11, wherein one of said fields is a sent flag which indicates whether said generated log entry has been sent to a server, and further comprising the steps of

sending selected ones of said generated log entries to said server;

and

setting said sent flag in said selected ones of said generated log entries, responsive to operation of said sending step.