THE LIFECYCLE OF AN APPLICATION LOG
Managing application logs effectively means applying the right technique at the right time. There are three primary strategies you should use in sequence: Avoidance, Deletion, and Archiving.
1. AVOIDANCE: PREVENTING UNNECESSARY LOGS
The most effective way to manage log data is to prevent its creation if it's not needed. Many processes, such as the distribution of material master data, allow you to control the level of logging via Customizing.
For example, in transaction OMTO, you can switch off the creation of application logs for material master distribution. The best practice is to switch logging on during the initial go-live phase for troubleshooting, but then deactivate it for mature processes that are running smoothly to prevent unnecessary data growth.
Special Consideration for S/4HANA with AIF
For systems with Application Interface Framework (AIF), the behavior of deletion reports can change. Be sure to review SAP Note 2685460 for details on how logs related to AIF are handled.
2. DELETION: THE PRIMARY HOUSEKEEPING TOOL
Most application logs do not need to be retained for long-term audit purposes. They are temporary, technical data. The primary tool for managing them is regular deletion.
- Tool: Transaction
SLG2or programSBAL_DELETE. - Strategy: Schedule a daily background job to delete logs that have passed their expiry date. A typical retention period for technical logs is between 7 and 30 days. You can configure the expiry date when the logs are created or specify it in the deletion variant.
3. DATA AGING & ARCHIVING: FOR LONG-TERM RETENTION
In some specific cases, application logs may need to be retained for a longer period for auditability. For this data, you can use more advanced techniques.
- Data Aging (S/4HANA): For systems on HANA, you can use the data aging object
BC_SBAL. This moves older log data from expensive in-memory storage to the disk-based "cold" area, reducing memory costs while keeping the data online. - Archiving: For logs that must be retained for many years, you can use the archiving object
BC_SBAL. This moves the log data out of the primary database entirely and into a long-term archive store.
By implementing a tiered strategy—avoiding what you don't need, deleting what you only need short-term, and archiving what you must keep long-term—you can maintain complete control over your application log data.