WatchWise.Net -- Nine Reasons Not To Use Web Server Log Analyzers

Nine Reasons Not To Use Web Server Log Analyzers

So you opened the door to your home on the Internet and now you want to know who's visiting it, who's downloading files, and who's clicking on your advertisement located anywhere on the Internet ?

The following are differences between Server logfile-based and Browser-based measurements.

1. Inaccuracy.

Because of browser- and proxy-caching, up to 40% of visitors to your web site are never logged by web server logs. Proxy servers are used within networks to reduce traffic load. They hold copies of popular files so that users receive files from the fastest, most efficient source. Popular web pages may be cached on literally thousands of proxy servers around the world. Any web page that is requested from a proxy server is not recorded on the server log file. Some ISPs cache up to 80% of their most popular file requests!
Popular web browsers such as Netscape and Microsoft store pages on a PC’s hard disk. If a user requests a particular web page, the browser first checks the ‘PC cache’ to see if a copy is on hand. If so, the browser delivers the page from the hard drive, rather than via the Internet. This speeds up the loading of the page, and reduces network congestion. Obviously this request is not recorded on the publisher’s server log file, as the request never made it onto the Internet. Depending on the amount of time a user spends on the Internet, pages may stay in the PC cache for many weeks.

2. Access to Web Server Logs.

You must have access to your web server logs to use a web server log analyzer. If you're using free web space, you may not have this option.

3. Time to Downloading Web Server Logs.

In most of cases, web server logs should be downloaded to your computer. Web server logs are big and you are spending a lot of time for downloading (not to mention the wasted disk space).

4. Processing Time.

Since web server log analyzers have to filter through server logs to generate specific reports, these can be very time consuming processes.

5. Platform Dependent.

Web server log analyzers are platform dependent. Although most analyzers support most web server log formats, very few analyzers are able to run on multiple client computer platforms.

6. High Up-Front Cost.

You have to pay a high one time price up-front to obtain most web server log analyzer software. (Unlike with paid tracking services with comparatively low recurring fees spread over a period of time, e.g. WatchWise tracking services)

7. Restricted Archiving

In most of cases the server logs are archived for several months only. You may miss some information unless you're able to download web server logs daily.

8. Incompleting

Web server logs are incomplete. They can´t log: activity on mirror web sites, content that appears on other´s web sites (e.g. your advertising banners), and how people found your web site.

9. Inconsistency

Web server logs are inconsistent. Many web server logs are either missing information (no referer or browser fields), or force you to download and collate three separate logs. And, chances are, when you move your site to another web server your new web server logs will be completely different from your previous server´s logs, making the transition more difficult.