Have raw logs available regardless

I've just been informed by DASP that even if we opted for the new LiveStats product, we will not be able to access our raw log files. Its one or the other.

It would add so much more value if we can have both. My previous ISP offered both. So I can still use LiveStats (which was free I might add!) as well as a IISLogs directory which stores the last 30 days' IIS log files so I can do further analysis if I had to.

 

Honestly, Kelvin is right. It should not be a choice of 1 of 4 options. Raw logs should be ftp-able even if someone purchases Livestats or uses the free Analog. What if I make a change that requires a Livestats re-import? Then I only get to re-import whatever logs are still on the server? Since Livestats keeps a year of data and DASP keeps a month this means I can lose 11 months of data with a re-import. Not cool.

Please improve this.

To your point about algorithyms in different log parsers - it doesn't matter. Anyone looking at web stats, regardless of the package, needs to know that many of the numbers are interpretations - not facts.

quote:Originally posted by bruce

We decided against doing this because it caused us too much problem.

In general, different stats program do not generate report exactly the same with the same data (different algorithm). For example, livestats may say you have 150 page view and webtrend may say you only have 140.

Many users do not understand that there's nothing wrong with this behavior and keep coming back to us for explaination.



quote:Originally posted by kelvin

I've just been informed by DASP that even if we opted for the new LiveStats product, we will not be able to access our raw log files. Its one or the other.

It would add so much more value if we can have both. My previous ISP offered both. So I can still use LiveStats (which was free I might add!) as well as a IISLogs directory which stores the last 30 days' IIS log files so I can do further analysis if I had to.
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I would like raw logs to always be available as well...

 

Add my vote in here also.

Perhaps a note regarding the possible discrepancy in results would short cut any questions raised. We recently had a problem with our site, but had to wait over a day to get the raw logs to get turned on, then we had to wait for the problem to occur again - just so we could analyse the problem in the raw logs.

We then, of course, lost our stats.

 

Add me too ... I am evaluating and comparing log issues and have now started and stopped LiveStats (so that I could get to the raw logs) and may have to go back to Livestats again, etc.

Always having access to raw logs is better. Make the user post an "I understand what is happening here statement".

David

 

Yes, I agree that raw logs should always be availble.


In response to your point about people getting confused, I think it is unlikely that someonewould know what to do with the raw logs yet still wouldn't understand how their could be a descrepancy between the logs and one of the stats applications. I think most of your customers would still be fine with choosing only one graphicalstats application other than the raw logs.

 

I agree with JerSchneidlogic.

 

I'd like to put my vote in on this one as well, but for a different reason. My supervisor enjoys the trust and ease of looking at the Analog generated statistics that you guys produce as opposed to any statistics that I would generate. Being the in-the-thick-of-it developer, I would like to be able to do more detailed analysis of the logs so that I can better design the pages for our audience. Since the boss makes the decisions, I'm currently working with less-than-satasfactory analysis.

Thanks --

-r