A proposal for a new generation of logfiles with regard to new challenges posed by autonomic computing is presented. While a variety of techniques are being developed on the way to autonomic computing, the problem of a system?s logfiles remains to be critical.

Several recommendations for logfile design are introduced: (a) Event type and source of events have to be distinguishably incorporated into the design. (b) Logfiles should incorporate hierarchical numbering schemes. (c) Information contained in logfiles should be categorized into classes. (d) Logfiles have to easily lend themselves to automatic analysis. (e) Information density of logfiles should be considered in the design of logging functionality. A metric to measure information entropy of logfiles is proposed.

The type of information to be included in logfiles in order to support various aspects of autonomic computing as originally defined by IBM?s eight elements is specified.