Operativsystemloggene

Operativsystemloggene is a conceptual framework for organizing operating system logs by treating log entries as modular units called loggenes. The name merges operativsystem, the term for operating system, with loggene to suggest gene-like composability and traceability of events within a computer system.

Definition and structure: A loggene represents a discrete event or tightly coupled sequence, carrying fields such as timestamp, event type, source component, process and thread identifiers, and a structured payload. Loggenes can reference parent loggenes to form lineage relationships, enabling a causal graph that documents how states evolve over time.

Applications and benefits: The approach aims to improve debugging, auditing, and security monitoring by supporting targeted replay, lineage queries, and reproducible analysis. It aligns with principles of event sourcing and structured logging, offering a modular alternative to flat, monolithic log files.

Implementation and challenges: Realization can occur as a kernel- or user-space abstraction layer, with a defined schema, serialization format, and indexing for graph queries. Adoption remains limited; criticisms include performance and storage overhead, privacy concerns, and the need for standardization of loggene schemas and interfaces.

See also: structured logging, event sourcing, causal graphs, Linux audit subsystem.