Cloud Logging overview in GCP - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Cloud Logging overview

Application or Service

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Generate Logs

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Send Logs to Cloud Logging

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Cloud Logging Storage

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View & Analyze Logs in Console

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Set Alerts or Export Logs

Logs are created by apps or services, sent to Cloud Logging, stored, then viewed or used for alerts.

Execution Sample

GCP

gcloud logging write my-log "User login successful" --severity=INFO

# View recent logs
gcloud logging read "resource.type=gae_app" --limit=5

Write a log entry and then read recent logs from a Google App Engine app.

Process Table

Step	Action	Command/Process	Result/Output
1	Write log entry	gcloud logging write my-log "User login successful" --severity=INFO	Log entry 'User login successful' saved to 'my-log' with INFO severity
2	Send log to Cloud Logging	Automatic by gcloud command	Log stored in Cloud Logging backend
3	Read recent logs	gcloud logging read "resource.type=gae_app" --limit=5	Displays up to 5 recent logs from App Engine
4	Exit	No more commands	End of log write and read process

💡 No more commands to execute; logs written and read successfully.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 3	Final
Log Entry Content	None	"User login successful"	"User login successful"	"User login successful"
Log Storage Status	Empty	Stored in Cloud Logging	Stored in Cloud Logging	Stored in Cloud Logging
Logs Retrieved	None	None	Up to 5 recent logs shown	Up to 5 recent logs shown

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we not see the log immediately after writing it?

Logs may take a short moment to appear in Cloud Logging after writing, but the execution_table shows the write command completes before reading logs.

What does the severity level mean in the log write command?

Severity indicates the importance of the log (INFO here means normal operation). See Step 1 in execution_table where severity=INFO is set.

Can we read logs from any service with the same command?

No, the filter in Step 3 limits logs to App Engine (resource.type=gae_app). To read other logs, change the filter accordingly.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the result of Step 1?

A Logs displayed on screen

B Log entry saved with INFO severity

C Log entry deleted

D No action taken

💡 Hint

Check the 'Result/Output' column for Step 1 in execution_table

At which step do logs get stored in Cloud Logging?

A Step 2

B Step 1

C Step 3

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Action' and 'Result/Output' columns for Step 2 in execution_table

If you want to see logs from Compute Engine instead of App Engine, what changes in Step 3?

A Increase limit to 10

B Change severity to ERROR

C Change filter to resource.type=compute_instance

D No change needed

💡 Hint

See the filter used in Step 3's command in execution_table

Concept Snapshot

Cloud Logging collects logs from apps/services.
Use 'gcloud logging write' to add logs.
Logs stored centrally in Cloud Logging.
Use 'gcloud logging read' with filters to view logs.
Severity levels mark log importance.
Logs can trigger alerts or exports.

Full Transcript

Cloud Logging overview shows how logs are created by applications or services and sent to Cloud Logging for storage. Using the gcloud command line, you can write a log entry with a message and severity level. The log is then stored in Cloud Logging automatically. Later, you can read recent logs by filtering on resource types like App Engine. This process helps monitor and analyze system behavior. Severity levels help classify logs by importance. Filters let you focus on logs from specific services. Logs can also be used to trigger alerts or be exported for further analysis.