RFC for log settings in the GUI for stats

Question

We've used a variety of stats packages for the virtual hosts we support. A few customers prefer this service, and some want to have their own stats available (the majority don't care). So this is a question about log management. We try to let the GUI in 10.5 manage as much as possible (for in-house admin needs, as well as the expectation that Apple's GUI needs to be tested to tell the Server Group where the hiccups are and missing features ought to be.
What would you recommend as a default setting for access and error logs? Dump all into the default common logs, and roll them every 7/14/30 days? Let the stats packages process and divide out for sharing with clients when those cron jobs kick in?
or always split out the logs separately into each VH home, and process separately?
What workflow functions best in your opinion?
Message was edited by: Paul Vail
Message was edited by: Paul Vail

Answer 1

This brings to mind another question (don't they all?)... and why I'm hoping for more documentation on the manner in which logs are managed and rolled in the SA interface.
If all logs were stored in the one monster log file set (access/error), and subsequently were set to be rolled at 7 days, when is this actually triggered? Is there a hard-coded time, or just whenever each setting was changed as the starting point. (One wonders if the log rolling occurs precisely at the point in which the command was invoked or is it at 2 a.m. for the appropriate day in question?)
And if all logs were not split out, is there a mechanism by which the default access/error logs could be rolled. Our stats package can split out VH entries properly. so that wouldn't be a problem.
I can easily see where a log policy needs to be established early on to preclude such issues, but knowing the behavior of the log rolling and cron jobs invoked by the SA would be really helpful.