Considering how much valuable information is available in log files, you'd think more companies would pay attention to them. Workstations, servers, firewalls, appliances, and other computer devices generate reams of event logs every day, and despite mountains of evidence showing their practical, cost-saving uses, logs often go ignored. A good log management system can help significantly with security, application troubleshooting, compliance, and systems management. If that's the case -- and it is -- why do logs and log management sometimes still get a bad rap?It's understandable on many levels. First, logs can contain towering amounts of uninteresting, hard-to-decipher events, burying more useful information. In fact, without the appropriate tools and filters, logs can be nothing but noise -- and lots of it.[ Get the full scoop on getting more value from your log files in the InfoWorld "Log Analysis Deep Dive" PDF special report. | Better manage your company's information overload with our Enterprise Data Explosion newsletter. ]