Understanding large amounts of data, not to mention how to use it, are two issues that many business managers and owners face. There are multiple options for storage, and the decision to even store logged data at all comes into play. Carefully consider your options when choosing data storage and logging solutions.
Web-Based Systems
When working with a web-based system, you’re using an online application to store your entire database. Many e-commerce companies use these systems to connect various systems and customer management software solutions such as Magento or Shopify with the CRMs. However, if you’re not exclusively an e-commerce business, you might not consider a web-based system as your best bet. These systems scale up quickly because of the massive amount of data they collect.
Additionally, not all web-based systems are made equal. Some of the more high-end options will store data securely and in a way that makes it easy to access log data or analytics. Other options can make either of those basic tasks nearly impossible. The struggle is that a web-based storage system often seems like the easiest solution because it doesn’t require a lot of technical knowledge until you want to review and analyze your data.
JSON Logging
JSON logging isn’t necessarily new, but it provides a readable and compact version of the standard format for the data structure. That means that it’s structured exactly the same way that nearly all other data is, but the text is readable, and you can query within the database. This can save time when it comes to extracting data from storage and running it through Crystal or another SQL database option. Many people are quickly jumping onto the JSON log viewer bandwagon as it uses a universal format, allows you to edit, and works with various environments such as Ruby, Node.js, and even Nginx.
Working with a log may seem like a daunting task to someone without a lot of IT experience. With YouTube, a few online courses, and getting involved in key online communities, you can learn a lot in a short time frame. Ultimately, however, you might want to call in a pro who can work in certain windows to go through and help you aggregate the data and use for powerful reporting and business insights.
Storing Log Data
There are many different data storage solutions. It simply isn’t good enough just to store your log’s events, but you need to categorically organize that data so that your team can quickly access it safely and using as little storage space as possible. Many people opt for cloud-based solutions to store segmented or parceled data in actual servers scattered across the nation or world. That way, the data is safe, secure, and accessible.
Keeping Data Clean
The step that brings data handling full-circle is the cleanliness and maintenance of data management. Even if you’re relying on generally automated logs and have people in place to input data correctly and review, there is still room for error. Data mishandling and dirty data can lead to many issues. Customers, business partners, collaborators, and employees may receive inaccurate or incomplete information so it’s a priority to ensure data systems are audited and those who interact with your data to make sure that everything is secure and accurate.
