Every custom software solution can benefit from the use of a logging mechanism. Software logging provides a glimpse inside the software as it is running and allows the output of diagnostic information for monitoring the health of an application or analyzing the source of potential issues that may occur. Logging is simple to add to a custom application and can save valuable time later should a problem arise.
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There are a myriad of different logging solutions available to developers today. Many of these offerings allow for flexible storage of logging information for retrieval later. Some of the most popular options allow developers to specify whether they want to send logging information to text files, the system event log or even to a database (which lends itself well to powerful analysis through the use of SQL).
Enterprise Library
One of the more well-known logging solutions is made available by Microsoft and is known as the Enterprise Library. Microsoft describes the enterprise library succinctly:
The Microsoft Enterprise Library is a collection of reusable software components (application blocks) designed to assist software developers with common enterprise development cross-cutting concerns (such as logging, validation, data access, exception handling, and many others).
The Logging Application Block provides code that can quickly be integrated into a .NET solution and offers configuration declaratively or programmatically to numerous logging targets.
ELMAH
ELMAH, or Error Logging Modules and Handlers, is a tool that allows a developer to add error logging directly to an existing ASP.NET web application without the need to change a single line of code. Additionally, ELMAH adds useful tools to the application right out of the box including a web page to view errors, an RSS feed containing the latest 15 errors reported and the ability to get detailed information on each error including stack traces.
It’s good for you
At Synoptek, we are familiar with many different logging solutions. When we are beginning a new software project, logging is one of the first items to be added. It provides us valuable information to help us evaluate bugs so that we may fix them as quickly as possible while we bring your product to life. Solutions like the Enterprise Library Logging Application Block and/or ELMAH are preferable due to their ease of implementation, flexibility and power. Having these tools implemented inside of your custom solution will help us ensure that we keep your custom solution running at the top of its game into the future.