logtypes

Logtypes is a term used in information technology to describe the categories into which log entries are organized. Logtypes help operators and analysts filter, search, and interpret events across diverse systems, applications, and devices. While the exact taxonomy varies by platform, common logtypes include operational logs, security and audit logs, access logs, application logs, and transaction or event logs. Operational logs record system and service health, resource usage, and performance metrics. Security and audit logs capture authentication attempts, authorization decisions, policy changes, and other security-relevant events. Access logs document client requests and responses, such as web server access entries. Application logs record events generated by software components, including errors, state changes, and business events. Transaction or event logs focus on business transactions or domain-specific events, often in financial or e-commerce contexts.

Severity levels are often used in logtypes to indicate urgency: error, critical, warning, informational, debug, and trace. Some systems also categorize by source or subsystem, such as kernel, database, or network. Log entries may be formatted as human-readable text, or in structured formats such as JSON, XML, or key-value pairs, enabling machine parsing and automated alerts. Standards and conventions used to standardize logtypes include syslog with severity levels, Windows Event Log with event IDs, and data models like the Common Event Format (CEF) or Lightweight Information Exchange Format (LEEF).

In practice, logtypes are defined by the logging framework or platform and may be extended with custom types. Effective use includes consistent naming, including metadata such as timestamps, host identifiers, and severity, and implementing appropriate retention, privacy, and rotation policies.