Web service Logging | Tech Off

Blkbam
Bam, Bam! Bam, Bam Bam!

We're working on a new web service here at my job and still in the early stages. Due to the requirments I can't run it and test it on my dev box, it has to be tested from a specific IP. Since this is the case we have to log our attempts in some manner so we can read them and see what went wrong/right.

Which brings me to the question, How should we log? I suggested the EventLog since it's structured already and easy to read. Of course one response I got back was it could crash the server if it got full. I've never actually seen this happen. Many programs and apps use the Eventlog with no problems what so ever.

Another suggestion was the good old flat file in some semi-structured way. I hate reading those logs because of the structure, ease of use and opening and searching 5MB text file is a pain, so I'm not really for that idea but it could happen.

Already out is the database and xml format due to reliablilty so I ask you guys, how do you log Web/Windows Services?

Raj Tripathi
Respect My Authority!

Hi, check out log4net.

log4net is a tool to help the programmer output log statements to a variety of output targets. log4net is a port of the excellent log4j framework to the .NET runtime.

I use it in all my "layers" including the Web Service. It's great.

csharp1171

Have you considered using the Enterprise Library? It is excellent for logging and you can easily configure it to log to different sources if the requirements should change.

BlackTigerX

writing to the Windows built-in event log of course!

and I can't think of a reason why you can't test on your own machine, any program should always be generic/configurable enough that you an take it from one place to another, change the configuration and be good to go

Yggdrasil
Pour me a cab, 'cause I can't drink no more.

The event log can be configured in three different ways to react to being full - recycle by size, recycle by date and don't recycle at all.
If you set it to recycle by size, and give it a decent enough size (10MB should be plenty) you can have event logs going back quite a while, without worrying about the server.

Blkbam
Bam, Bam! Bam, Bam Bam!

BlackTigerX wrote:
and I can't think of a reason why you can't test on your own machine, any program should always be generic/configurable enough that you an take it from one place to another, change the configuration and be good to go

We're talking to another 3rd party web service and our requests must come from a specific IP for security reasons.

I've used the EventLog in the past but the people against it seem to alway say the same "it could crash the machine" excuse but I can't seem to find a rhyme or reason for it besides this but that involves the security log. Can any one provide evidence or proof that a machine can be crashed by the event log?

mrichman
Mark A. Richman

Raj Tripathi wrote:
Hi, check out log4net.

log4net is a tool to help the programmer output log statements to a variety of output targets. log4net is a port of the excellent log4j framework to the .NET runtime.

I use it in all my "layers" including the Web Service. It's great.

Same here...works like a champ!