Logging application messages and unhandled exceptions in ASP.NET MVC application

Question

Hello,

We are starting a new ASP.NET 3.5 MVC application (with Entity Framework, etc). The application will handle exceptions at method level and log them. Unhandled and Runtime exceptions should also be logged. The logging module/framework should log BOTH application error/debug/info messages and unhandled exceptions.

Options:

• EL 4.1 Logging Application Block
• ASP.NET Health Monitoring
• log4net Framework : http://logging.apache.org/log4net/index.html
• NLog
• ELMAH Framework : http://code.google.com/p/elmah/
• Custom Logging (using [HandleError] filter, OnActionExecuted event of Controller and OnError event in the Global.asax)
• OTHERS?

Please compare the frameworks.

Which will be the most suitable choice ?

Thank You.

Answer 1

You should probably provide a little more context. For instance,

1. What do you mean, "at the method level"?
2. When you say, "handle the exception" do you mean anything other than logging?
3. I don't understand your distinction between Unhandled and Runtime exceptions. Please elaborate.

Also, have you considered doing nothing at all and letting ASP.NET Health Monitoring do the work for you? Please say how that would be a problem. The problem you state will correspond to one or more requirements that you have not yet stated.

Without more detail, it's hard to determine what constitutes a suitable choice.

Answer 2

There are a lot of logging and tracing tools out there for .NET, including our very own SmartInspect tool. We've collected a list of logging tools and posted them to DotNetLogging.com. But as John already wrote, without providing more details about your application and logging needs, it's hard to recommend a specific tool or solution.

Answer 3

Thank you for your replies.

What I meant was exceptions generated by an executing program (e.g FormatException) and exceptions generated by CLR (e.g. OutOfMemoryException)

The application has very simple logging requirements namely:

• log exceptions caught in try/catch blocks in methods.
• log unhandled exceptions
• text file logging
• least performance hit