Understanding log entries in your web log

Last month we covered the basics of enabling web logging on a Domino server. This month we will dive into the details of the information recorded in the log files. The Domino server can log web activity to text files or a Domino database, as we discussed last month in my article, "Logging and monitoring web activity with Domino". The Domino database format will be used in our examples.

Each hit on your site (database) results in a new document in the Domino web log database (DOMLOG.NSF). Figure A demonstrates the appearance of this document.

Details

The log entry contains the following fields of information:

• Date: the date the Domino server was accessed;
• User Address: the TCP/IP address of the user that accessed the server;
• Authenticated User: the username of the user; only contains values for those sites (databases) that requires login;
• Status: the status code returned by the server (200 signals no problems);
• Content Length: the amount (size) of information sent to the client (browser);
• Content Type: the type of information sent to the client (browser);
• Request: the type of request sent by the client (browser);
• Browser Used: a string signaling the browser and operating system used to access the server;
• Error: errors, if any, encountered;
• Referring URL: the address of the web page visited before this request;
• Server Address: the address of the Internet server used to access your site, which will be the user's Internet Service Provider (such as AOL's address);
• Elapsed Time: the total time to process the request.

As you can see, the information in the log entries is very valuable. Quickly, you can see who accessed your site, when it was accessed, what they viewed, where they came from, browser used, operating system, etc.

Using the log entries, you may find that most visitors to your site use a version 4.0 browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. This information may lead to more 4.0 specific features on your site. Also, the status entry gives a quick look at any problems accessing your site. Status codes other than 200 signal errors, and they need to be researched to ensure easy access for all visitors.

If you have ever been involved with any type of web-based development, most likely you have encountered CGI environment variables. This is a group of variables that are supported by all browsers and allow web applications to access specific information regarding a user (browser) request. All entries in the Domino web log correspond to an environment variable. More information on CGI Environment Variables can be obtained from the book CGI Programming by Shishir Gundavaram, published by O'Reilly Associates.