Logs

Overview

The Logs functionality within the Autofix module is the platform's central hub for auditing and transparency. It allows for viewing, monitoring, and auditing all executed automated actions, providing full traceability of changes made to cloud resources. The focus is to ensure that automation is accompanied by rigorous governance and total operational control.

Business Objective

In dynamic infrastructures, automation without visibility can lead to uncertainty. The Logs module was designed to immediately answer critical operational and compliance questions:

Traceability: Which resource was impacted and which rule triggered the action?
Timing: Exactly when did the automation occur?
Effectiveness: Was the execution successful or was there a technical failure?
Transparency: How to ensure that cost and tagging policies are being applied as planned?

Scope and Recorded Data

The system automatically records all activities originating from Autofix functionalities, including:

Monitored Services: Smart Stop, Scheduled Scaling, Auto Tags, and Tag Manager.
Detailed Information:
- Type of action executed (e.g., Stop, Start, Tagging, Scaling).
- Resource identification (ID, Name), AWS/Azure Account, and Region.
- Precise date and time stamp (Timestamp).
- Execution status (Success or detailed error).

How It Works

1. Automatic Recording (Native Logging)

No manual configuration is required to activate auditing. Whenever an Autofix rule is executed, the event is captured natively, and technical information is securely stored for future consultation.

2. Querying and Filters

In the Autofix → Logs panel, administrators can browse the history using smart filters to:

Isolate events from a specific automation (e.g., view only Smart Stop logs).
Identify specific resources affected within a timeframe.
Analyze execution failures for rapid troubleshooting.

Impact on FinOps and Governance

The Logs functionality is the pillar that sustains trust in automation within the FinOps culture:

Operational Security: Validates whether shutdowns and capacity adjustments occurred according to maintenance windows.
Compliance and Audit: Facilitates accountability for internal and external audits regarding resource management.
Organizational Trust: Reduces engineering team resistance to the use of automation by proving the consistency of performed actions.

Best Practices

Error Monitoring: Periodically review logs for recurring failures, which may indicate insufficient IAM permissions or protected resources.
Incident Support: Use the log history as the primary source of consultation if there is any doubt about a resource's state (whether it was shut down manually or via automation).
Impact Review: After changing a scaling or tagging policy, use the logs to validate if the actual behavior aligns with the new configuration.

For use and access in the Pier platform:

In the Logs functionality, it is possible to have traceability of the actions performed. Allowing to view everything, both what was successful and what failed.