DaysToKeepLogAudits – System Parameter
Maintain secure and compliant audit trails with the DaysToKeepLogAudits system parameter in Nodinite. This setting controls how long user activity and data access logs are retained, balancing compliance requirements with storage efficiency.
What you'll achieve with this parameter:
- Control audit trail retention for compliance and security
- Track user access to sensitive business data
- Balance regulatory requirements with storage costs
- Automated cleanup during maintenance cycles
The DaysToKeepLogAudits System Parameter defines the retention period (in days) for audit records in the active Log Database. Log Audits track user access to Log Events and message data, providing an essential security and compliance trail for your integration platform.
| System Parameter Name | Data Type | Values/Example | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaysToKeepLogAudits | integer | 90 |
Default = 90 days. Audit records are deleted during cleanup cycles. |
The Logging Service automatically deletes audit records older than the configured retention period during its maintenance cycle, controlled by the CleanUpTimerInterval parameter. This ensures a balance between maintaining compliance audit trails and managing storage growth.
Note
Changes to this parameter are detected automatically by the Logging Service on the next cleanup cycle. You do NOT need to restart the service for the new value to take effect.
What Are Log Audits?
Nodinite creates audit records whenever users access sensitive data through the Web Client. This includes:
- Viewing Log Events - Who accessed which business transactions and when
- Reading Message Payloads - Tracking access to potentially sensitive message data
- Accessing Context Properties - Monitoring access to message metadata
- Downloading or Exporting Data - Recording data extraction activities
These audit trails are critical for:
✅ Regulatory Compliance - Meeting GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and other data protection requirements
✅ Security Monitoring - Detecting unauthorized or suspicious access patterns
✅ Incident Investigation - Tracking who accessed what data during security incidents
✅ Access Accountability - Ensuring users are accountable for their data access
Compliance & Best Practices
The default 90-day retention period aligns with common compliance frameworks that require audit trails for:
- Financial transactions (SOX, PCI-DSS)
- Healthcare data (HIPAA)
- Personal data (GDPR)
- Industry-specific regulations
Important
Consult your organization's compliance and legal teams to ensure the retention period meets your specific regulatory requirements. Some industries may require longer retention periods (e.g., 6 months, 1 year, or longer).
Balancing Compliance & Performance
While longer retention periods provide more comprehensive audit trails, they also:
- Increase database size and storage costs
- May impact query performance on audit tables
- Require more resources during cleanup operations
Best Practice: Set the retention period to the minimum required by your compliance obligations to optimize performance and storage while meeting regulatory requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find more solutions and answers in the Nodinite System Parameters FAQ, as well as the Troubleshooting user guide.
How do I change the value?
Changing a value for the pre-defined System Parameters is described in the generic 'How do I change the System Parameters' article.
Do I need to restart anything?
No! The Logging Service uses IOptionsMonitor to detect configuration changes dynamically. When you change this value, the service will pick up the new setting on the next cleanup cycle without requiring a restart.
Can I retrieve deleted audit records?
No. Once audit records are deleted during the cleanup cycle, they cannot be recovered. Ensure your retention period meets all compliance and business requirements before reducing the value.
When are audit records actually deleted?
The Logging Service deletes audit records during its maintenance cycle, which runs at the interval specified by CleanUpTimerInterval (default: 1 hour). Records older than the configured number of days are removed during each cycle.
How do I view audit records?
Audit records are typically accessed through:
- The Web Client by administrators for security monitoring
- Direct database queries for compliance reporting
- Custom reports using the Web API
What if I need different retention for different types of audits?
Currently, Nodinite uses a single retention period for all log audit records. If you have specific requirements for different audit types, consider exporting audit data to a separate archive system before deletion.
Next Step
Logging Service
CleanUpTimerInterval
Security
Administration