Common Log File System

Purpose

The Common Log File System (CLFS) API provides a high-performance, general-purpose log file subsystem that dedicated client applications can use and multiple clients can share to optimize log access.

Any user-mode application that needs logging or recovery support can use CLFS.

Where applicable

You can use CLFS for data and event management and to develop server and enterprise applications.

For data management, you can use CLFS with the following:

  • Database systems
  • Messaging, such as store-and-forward systems
  • Online transactional processing (OLTP) systems
  • Other kinds of transactional systems

For event management, you can use CLFS for the following:

  • Network event logging for firewall, sniffer, and tripwire events
  • Threat analysis, including threat event logging and threat data-stream collection
  • Audit logging, including compliance logs

Developer audience

The CLFS API is for programmers familiar with C and C++ languages.

Run-time requirements

Applications that use CLFS are supported starting with Windows Server 2003 R2.

In this section

Topic Description
Common Log File System API
Provides high-performance persistent log services to user-mode and kernel-mode applications.
Common Log File System Management API
Handles low-level log management for user-mode and kernel-mode applications.

 

CLFS Windows DDK documentation

Kernel Transaction Manager

Transactional NTFS