Web Server Log Analysis Tool

Question

Any suggestions for an accurate Web Log analysis tool to generate reports on the IIS logs? We used WebTrends, but I don\'t feel it was accurate.

Answer 1

I have had really good luck with SmarterStats, from SmarterTools.

Answer 2

There is a logging package for free from MSFT for viewing this information using SQL Reporting Services. Google it.

Answer 3

Look at XpoLog log analysis platform for web application servers and web servers log. it a log management and analysis platform that integrate to web servers logs and create reports, provide search and log viewer and also monitor for problems. XpoLog

Answer 4

To analyze weblogs, I don't think you can go wrong with Analog: http://www.analog.cx/

If you are analyzing your own logs, which are often huge files, you will want the fastest analyzer you can find. Analog is fast.

You'll want one that's been around awhile and is still supported. Analog just celebrated its 10'th birthday.

Analog claims to be the most popular logfile analyser in the world.

Multi-languages.

Did I say its free and open source?

As far as accuracy goes, no tool gives perfect results. Javascript fails often in catching hits. Trying to track individual people's paths through a website (i.e. for Analytics purposes) is fraught with problems. And even trying to differentiate hits versus visits and screening out the bots is all more of a black art than a science.

What is best is simply to have a tool that gives decent basic statistics that tell you what you need to know.

I've looked at other tools, such as Deep Log Analyzer: http://www.deep-software.com/, which attempts to do analytics from your weblogs. But speed was a problem. They claim their new version 3.5 - April 2008, which I didn't try, has improved performance. The big advantage of a program like this is the advanced reporting you can do, including custom SQL requests. You have to purchase their professional version ($200) to do most of the analytics and custom queries. If Analog is too simple for you, then try the free version of Deep Log Analyzer.

And you can also try Microsoft's own Log Parser, as was the recommended answer in: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/157677/a-good-iis-log-viewer-for-large-log-files. But you will need some extra skills to use it.

Answer 5

doing it with the logs is only a good idea if it's internal - I'd use google analytics for anyhing on teh internets

Answer 6

What are you wanting to analyze from your logs? There are a bunch of tools out there - free or paid for - that will go through the logs and spit out a great variety of figures. Some have real meaning, others are best used with a grain of salt.

What none will show you is "How many people are actually reading my wonderful web pages". Those that attempt to show "distinct site visitors" or any detailed metrics are at best a rough approximation to an indication of a vague trend...

But for what it's worth, we use Analog.