Determining timestamps to be associated with events in machine data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- segmenting machine data stored on at least one storage device into a set of events that are searchable, each event in the set of events includes a portion of the machine data, wherein the portions of the machine data associated with at least a subset of events in the set of events includes time information;
creating a timestamp for each event in the subset of events that includes time information by;
iterating over known time stamp format patterns from a list of known time stamp format patterns to find a matching pattern in the time information, wherein each time stamp format pattern in the list represents a pattern that may occur in the time information which indicates where a time stamp may be extracted from, wherein the list is dynamically ordered and the matching pattern is moved to the front of the list;
extracting a time value from the time information using the matching pattern; and
associating the timestamp with that event using the time value;
for each event that does not contain time information in the included portion of machine data;
determining a time stamp corresponding to that event from at least one other event in the set of events; and
associating the determined time stamp with the corresponding event;
servicing time-based search queries across the set of events;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize, index, search, and present time series data based on searches. Time series data are sequences of time stamped records occurring in one or more usually continuous streams, representing some type of activity. In one embodiment, time series data is organized into discrete events with normalized time stamps and the events are indexed by time and keyword. A search is received and relevant event information is retrieved based in whole or in part on the time indexing mechanism, keyword indexing mechanism, or statistical indices calculated at the time of the search.
95 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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segmenting machine data stored on at least one storage device into a set of events that are searchable, each event in the set of events includes a portion of the machine data, wherein the portions of the machine data associated with at least a subset of events in the set of events includes time information; creating a timestamp for each event in the subset of events that includes time information by; iterating over known time stamp format patterns from a list of known time stamp format patterns to find a matching pattern in the time information, wherein each time stamp format pattern in the list represents a pattern that may occur in the time information which indicates where a time stamp may be extracted from, wherein the list is dynamically ordered and the matching pattern is moved to the front of the list; extracting a time value from the time information using the matching pattern; and associating the timestamp with that event using the time value; for each event that does not contain time information in the included portion of machine data; determining a time stamp corresponding to that event from at least one other event in the set of events; and associating the determined time stamp with the corresponding event; servicing time-based search queries across the set of events; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, an execution of which in a computer system causes the computer system to perform operations comprising:
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segmenting machine data stored on at least one storage device into a set of events that are searchable, each event in the set of events includes a portion of the machine data, wherein the portions of the machine data associated with at least a subset of events in the set of events includes time information; creating a timestamp for each event in the subset of events that includes time information by; iterating over known time stamp format patterns from a list of known time stamp format patterns to find a matching pattern in the time information, wherein each time stamp format pattern in the list represents a pattern that may occur in the time information which indicates where a time stamp may be extracted from, wherein the list is dynamically ordered and the matching pattern is moved to the front of the list; extracting a time value from the time information using the matching pattern; and associating the timestamp with that event using the time value; for each event that does not contain time information in the included portion of machine data; determining a time stamp corresponding to that event from at least one other event in the set of events; and associating the determined time stamp with the corresponding event; servicing time-based search queries across the set of events. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer system comprising:
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computer memory for storing machine data; and a processor for; segmenting machine data stored on at least one storage device into a set of events that are searchable, each event in the set of events includes a portion of the machine data, wherein the portions of the machine data associated with at least a subset of events in the set of events includes time information; creating a timestamp for each event in the subset of events that includes time information by; iterating over known time stamp format patterns from a list of known time stamp format patterns to find a matching pattern in the time information, wherein each time stamp format pattern in the list represents a pattern that may occur in the time information which indicates where a time stamp may be extracted from, wherein the list is dynamically ordered and the matching pattern is moved to the front of the list; extracting a time value from the time information using the matching pattern; and associating the timestamp with that event using the time value; for each event that does not contain time information in the included portion of machine data; determining a time stamp corresponding to that event from at least one other event in the set of events; and associating the determined time stamp with the corresponding event; servicing time-based search queries across the set of events. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification