Feature Request- allow real time access to running workflow log files

[tdiroff]

Good Day

We need a way to read a workflow log file while the workflow is running .. we want to peek inside the log file to see what is happening in the workflow, especially for the  case when the workflow seems to be "hung". This would be an invaluable troubleshooting tool.

Currently these worklfow log files are locked by Windows and are inaccessible by all but unapproved 3rd part utilities .. if at all.

Often these logs disappear if the workflow needs to be deleted in order to save the environment

It is noted that the service logs do not exhibit this behavior, so the request is to

1) allow the running workflow logs to have the same behavior as the service logs

2) provide a work around to allow reading of the running workflow logs

3) ?????

Thank you for thinking about this

Tom D

[KylieF]

Hi Tom!

Thank you for your feedback! We understand how important visibility is for administrators and appreciate feedback on the topic so we can better understand how and where admin would use log files if they were present. Since this is your first idea post I'd recommend looking over our Submission Guidelines which goes into greater depth on what is needed for an idea to reach our product teams.

[revathi]

@KylieF Since the log files get deleted right after the canvas execution is complete (and is locked during canvas execution), we have no visibility into what data is captured in this log file. Possible to share more insight on what information is captured in the log? Will it contain actual data processed by the canvas? Would be great if a sample log file can be shared so we can go through that and confirm if and how that information will be useful to us -server admins.

[tdiroff]

Hi KylieF

As Revathi posted, as Sys admins we need to know what is happening inside of a running workflow on a real time basis. This information is critical to determining the health of the workflow and where trouble spots in the environment might exist.

Right now, all we know is that a workflow is running and it hasn't yet completed and what we need to to know is why it hasn't completed.. what tool is it executing? which data source is it trying to access etc etc

You  can't fix a problem if you don't know what the problem is and one way and one way of knowing the problem is being able to look into that locked log file

Tom D

[tdevrie1]

Getting access to workflows logs would be *extremely* valuable to troubleshoot issues with long running workflows.  Especially if the decision is made to delete the job.  There is no way to diagnose why a workflow took so long to run. 

[apirzad1]

Extremely helpful if we have long running workflows.

[KylieF]

Thank you for your idea!

Our product team is currently looking into the technical and time based requirements that would be necessary to implement this idea. Once we have completed this review we'll be sure to update the status of this idea to reflect our findings and if we're able to include this feature on the near future road map.