Server logs provide a detailed record of all activity on your network, including user access, system changes, errors, and performance metrics. As you might expect, this makes them incredibly important in a number of situations – and also means that they tend to get bloated with data very quickly.

Even with the right tools, reviewing server logs can take time, but it is important to know when and how to audit them properly.

But when are the best times to properly audit your logs, especially if you have not been doing it regularly until now?

Regular Maintenance

Routine audits should be a standard practice in any IT department. Performing a scheduled server log audit—weekly, monthly, or quarterly—helps maintain the overall health of the system. 

During these routine inspections, IT teams can catch small issues like system errors, performance bottlenecks, or abnormal usage patterns before they escalate into more significant problems. These might be small errors or anomalies, but they can sometimes signify huge long-term issues.

Regular audits also allow teams to track trends over time, helping to predict future problems and optimize system resources more effectively. By implementing automated tools, such as a Log Inspector, businesses can streamline these regular audits by having the tool sift through data automatically.

After a System Update or Configuration Change

Any time a server undergoes a significant update, patch, or configuration change, it is essential to perform a server log audit. Changes to a server’s configuration or software can introduce new vulnerabilities or cause unintended disruptions to normal operations.

For example, it might stop recording logins from specific users, or trigger security alerts when users are trying to access important data. An audit post-update ensures that the system is functioning as expected and that no critical errors or vulnerabilities were introduced during the process.

These audits can also verify that updates were applied correctly and that system configurations meet the necessary compliance standards. This not only ensures that the servers are functioning but also that they are secured and protected to the right legal standards.

Following a Security Incident

One of the most critical times to conduct a server log audit is after a suspected or confirmed security incident. Server logs contain a whole host of information that can help trace the origin and nature of the breach and are often a massive part of cyberattack or cybercrime investigations.

A thorough log audit will reveal details such as unauthorized access attempts, malware activity, or unusual network behavior that may have led to the compromise. Server log audits can serve as a forensic tool, offering evidence for investigations and providing insights into how the attack was carried out (or how/why the error occurred).

By analyzing the server logs, IT teams can better understand the scope of the breach, identify which systems or data were affected, and take steps to prevent future incidents. They can also look back through historical logs to see if these issues have been occurring regularly and were overlooked.

When Else?

Anything that directly alters a server – from compliance requirement changes to performance issues – can be a good time for an audit. Audits make it very easy to see if something has gone seriously wrong with the server and can highlight flaws or vulnerabilities in the system.

While this can take time, many companies with larger or frequently updated server systems will use server log audit services to have the work done for them. This provides an easy way to get audits done without having to do the work themselves and is often cheaper than arranging the audit internally.