Centralized Logging
Quick Reference
What & Why
Definition
>= 90% of services send structured logs to centralized platform (ELK, Loki, CloudWatch) with retention >= 30 days.
Business Value
Reduces mean time to detection (MTTD) from 4 hours to 15 minutes and enables proactive issue resolution for 60% of incidents before user impact Achieving >= 90% services send structured logs is a key milestone toward this goal.
Context
This capability is part of the Foundation milestone's focus on establish baseline practices (testable, releasable, monitorable). Essential for teams targeting MTTR, CFR improvements.
Success Criteria
>= 90% services send structured logs
Measurement
Service inventory vs log ingestion count
Evidence
- Log aggregation config
- Sample structured logs
- Log retention policy
In Practice
Real-World Implementation
Teams use structured logging (JSON), send to Loki/ELK, include trace_id, user_id, severity, message.
Concrete Example
Implementation Guide
Implementation Steps
Follow the measurement approach: Service inventory vs log ingestion count
For detailed step-by-step guidance, refer to the Observability & Monitoring Foundations Implementation Kit.
Resources
Implementation Kit
Observability & Monitoring Foundations KitTemplates
Browse all templatesRelated Resources
View learning pathsRelated Capabilities
Enables
What this unlocks
Complementary
Often adopted together, from the Observability & Monitoring Foundations epic
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Common Issues
Issue: Target metric not improving
Solution: Verify measurement is accurate, check if prerequisites are fully implemented, review evidence artifacts for completeness
Issue: Team resistance to adoption
Solution: Start with pilot team, demonstrate value with metrics, provide training and support during transition
Issue: Inconsistent implementation across teams
Solution: Create shared templates and guidelines, establish regular sync meetings, use automation to enforce standards
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we implement this before completing prerequisites?
While possible, it's not recommended. Prerequisites ensure foundational practices are in place, making this capability more effective and easier to adopt.
How long does implementation typically take?
Most capabilities can be implemented within 90 days when tackled as part of the Foundation milestone. Individual timelines vary based on team size and existing practices.