Calamaris

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Calamaris
Basic data

Maintainer Cord Beermann
Current  version 2.59
(June 7, 2004)
Current preliminary version 2.99.4.0
(March 20, 2006)
operating system independent (pearl)
category Administration tool
License GPL
calamaris.cord.de

Calamaris is an analysis program for log files created by Internet proxy servers . This evaluation is required when operating such servers in order to be able to estimate occurring loads and analyze their causes.

Evaluation of proxy log files

The Internet is often accessed via an Internet proxy server at an Internet service provider . This (proxy) server records all accesses in a log file.

Depending on the login on the respective server, this log file contains, among other things, the IP address of the client or the login of the user , the time and URL of the login and logout as well as other data.

Due to the very large amount of data contained, manual analysis by sight is not possible, which is why special programs are used that do this automatically. Since every software manufacturer uses its own format for log files, the analysis program must have a certain flexibility in order to be able to deal with the different formats. One of these programs is Calamaris .

Calamaris was written in Perl , is subject to the GPL and is able to analyze log files for the following products:

Supported log file formats

  • Squid proxy server
  • BlueCoat Proxy Server
  • NetCache proxy
  • Inktomi Traffic Server
  • Oops! proxy server
  • Novell Internet Caching System
  • Compaq Tasksmart
  • Cisco Content Engines
  • Netscape / iPlanet / SunONE Web Proxy Server
  • ELFF (extended log file format)

Calamaris statistics

The statistics resulting from the Calamaris analysis provide information on the load, maximum values ​​and performance of the proxy server. Calamaris is able to display the statistics as plain text (clear text) or as an HTML report. The following statistics are created:

  • Peak load report
    Example: 'Performance in 1 day steps'
  • Request method report (ICP_QUERY, GET, HEAD, ...)
  • Status report on incoming UDP requests
  • Status report on incoming TCP requests
  • Status report on outgoing connections
  • Status report for neighbor caches
  • Report on requested second or third level domains
  • Report on requested top-level domains
  • Protocol report (http, gopher , ftp , ...)
  • Report on requested content types
  • Report on requested file extensions
  • Report on incoming UDP requests from the host
  • Report on incoming TCP requests from the host
  • Report on the distribution of the requested objects by size
  • Report on the performance in defined time steps
  • Report on the distribution of the runtimes (only in V2.99.4.0)
  • Report on the distribution of HTTP error codes (only in V2.99.4.0)
  • Extended report about the file extensions (only in V2.99.4.0)
  • More information in all other reports (only V2.99.4.0)

These reports can be used, among other things, to track which user was logged in for how long and what they did during this time.

Extract from the man page (PRIVACY): 

      Calamaris can be (mis-)used to track what users are requesting.
      So please read the following and think about it, before using Calamaris to be the Big Brother.
      -      If you don’t trust your users than there is something more wrong than the loss of productiv-
             ity.
      -      Squid has some nice acl-mechanisms. If you think that your users donât use the net properly,
             don’t let them use it. (You can also open the net at specific times or to specific sites, if
             you want.)
      -      If you still want to use Calamaris that way, let your users know, that they’ll be moni-
             tored. (in Germany you have to let them know!)

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