# Logging buckets in non-production environments storing info logs Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/logging-buckets-in-non-production-environments-storing-info-logs-1edcf Non-production environments frequently generate INFO-level logs that capture expected system behavior or routine API calls. By: Yuval Goldstein [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) # Logging Buckets in Non-Production Environments Storing Info Logs The short version Non-production environments frequently generate INFO-level logs that capture expected system behavior or routine API calls. Yuval Goldstein GCP service [GCP Cloud Logging](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/gcp-cloud-logging) Category [Other](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/other) Reference CER-0245 Type Excessive Ingestion or Processing ## Explanation Why the waste happens and who it affects. While useful for troubleshooting in development, they rarely need to be retained. Allowing all INFO logs to be ingested and stored in Logging buckets across dev or staging environments can lead to disproportionate ingestion and storage costs. This inefficiency often persists because log routing and severity filters are not differentiated between production and non-production projects. ## Billing model The pricing dimensions that drive this cost. Cloud Logging charges for data ingestion and retained storage beyond the free tier. INFO-level logs can represent the majority of log volume, and in non-production environments - where they rarely drive operational decisions - these costs provide little return on value. ## How to detect 4 checks to find it in your estate. - Identify non-production projects with Logging buckets configured to capture all log severities, including INFO - Review ingestion volume by log severity to quantify the share of INFO-level logs - Assess whether INFO logs are ever queried or analyzed in non-production environments - Determine if sink filters or routing policies apply uniform rules across production and non-production projects ## How to fix 4 ways to remove the waste. - Adjust sink filters to exclude INFO-level logs in non-production environments - Establish environment-specific logging policies that retain only WARNING and ERROR logs in dev and staging projects - Route necessary INFO logs temporarily to low-cost storage (e.g., Cloud Storage with limited retention) for debugging purposes - Periodically review ingestion patterns to ensure filters remain aligned with operational needs and cost targets ## Documentation Vendor references for pricing and configuration. - [Cloud Logging Exclusions and Filters cloud.google.com](https://cloud.google.com/logging/docs/exclusions) - [Cloud Logging Pricing cloud.google.com](https://cloud.google.com/stackdriver/pricing) ## Related inefficiencies [Browse the library](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) - GCP Cloud Logging CER-0253 ### [Resources Generating Excessive INFO Logs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/resources-generating-excessive-info-logs-6c920) Some GCP services and workloads generate INFO-level logs at very high frequencies - for example, load balancers logging every HTTP request or GKE nodes logging system health messages. While valuable for debugging, these logs can flood... Other - GCP Cloud Logging CER-0494 ### [Broadly Enabled Data Access Audit Logs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/broadly-enabled-data-access-audit-logs) Cloud Audit Logs Data Access logs record API calls that read metadata (ADMIN\_READ) and read or write user data (DATA\_READ and DATA\_WRITE). They are disabled by default for all services except some BigQuery services, and Google warns that... Other - GCP Cloud Logging CER-0262 ### [Suboptimal Storage for Logs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/suboptimal-storage-for-logs-fd1d9) Many organizations retain all logs in Cloud Logging's standard storage, even when the data is rarely queried or required only for audit or compliance. Log bucket cost comes mainly from the per-GiB storage charge applied when logs are... Other --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.