US Patent 9619478 Method and system for compressing logs

A computer-implemented method to compress log messages is disclosed. The method starts with maintaining a log reference table having a plurality of log reference entries, each containing a string of characters to be recited repeatedly during logging of messages. In response to a request for logging a log message initiated from an application, the method creates a compressed log message entry in a compressed log file. The compressed log message entry includes: a time stamp indicating the time the log message being created; a log reference identifier identifying one of the plurality of log reference entries without reciting a corresponding string of characters of the log reference entry, where the one of the plurality of log reference entries contains one or more variable indications; and a log variable portion associated with the log message, where the log variable portion contains a part of the log message.