Preserving log files in a distributed computing environment

computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, which when executed on a distributed computing system causes the distributed computing system to perform a method to preserve log files, the method comprising:

• storing, in an application repository, code corresponding to a computer program;
• running, on a first device, an archiving master program;
• receiving, on a second device, an instruction to execute the computer program;
• retrieving the code from the application repository, the application repository being separate from the second device;
• generating a first copy of the retrieved code;
• executing, on the second device, the first copy of the code, wherein an execution identifier is associated with the execution;
• generating a first log file corresponding to the execution;
• running, on the second device, a first archiving slave program to generate a metafile that is associated with the first log file, the first log file including metadata describing a file name and a type of the first log file, a path to an original location of the first log file, and at least one of a number of the first log file, a name of the computer program, a family of the computer program, a version or release of the computer program, a number of the first log file, a file name of the first log file, a path to an original location of the first log file, a type of the first log file, a network address of the first device, a host name of the first device, a request associated with the execution identifier, a response from a server associated with the archiving master program, and time information associated with the halted execution;
• halting execution of the first copy of code on the second device;
• sending the execution identifier, the first log file, and the metafile to the archiving master program after halting the execution;
• deleting, after the sending, the first copy of code, the first log file, and the metafile from the second device;
• receiving, on a third device, an instruction and the execution identifier to continue the halted execution;
• retrieving, in response to the instruction, the code from the application repository, the application repository being separate from the third device;
• generating a second copy of the retrieved code to continue the halted execution by the third device;
• generating a second log file corresponding to the continued execution;
• running, on the third device, a second archiving slave program used to send the execution identifier and the second log file to the archiving master program when the continued execution is complete, wherein the same execution identifier is associated with the halted execution and the continued execution;
• and
• deleting the second copy of code and the second log file from the third device, when the second archiving slave program completes the sending.

method of preserving log files in a distributed computing system comprising:

• storing, in an application repository, code corresponding to a computer program;
• running, on a first device, an archiving master program;
• receiving, on a second device, an instruction to execute the computer program;
• retrieving the code from the application repository, the application repository being separate from the second device;
• generating a first copy of the retrieved code;
• executing, on the second device, the first copy of the code, wherein an execution identifier is associated with the execution;
• generating a first log file corresponding to the execution;
• running, on the second device, a first archiving slave program to generate a metafile that is associated with the first log file, the first log file including metadata describing a file name and a type of the first log file, a path to an original location of the first log file, and at least one of a number of the first log file, a name of the computer program, a family of the computer program, a version or release of the computer program, a number of the first log file, a file name of the first log file, a path to an original location of the first log file, a type of the first log file, a network address of the first device, a host name of the first device, a request associated with the execution identifier, a response from a server associated with the archiving master program, and time information associated with the halted execution;
• halting execution of the first copy of code on the second device;
• sending the execution identifier, the first log file, and the metafile to the archiving master program after halting the execution;
• deleting, after the sending, the first copy of code, the first log file, and the metafile from the second device;
• receiving, on a third device, an instruction and the execution identifier to continue the halted execution;
• retrieving, in response to the instruction, the code from the application repository, the application repository being separate from the third device;
• generating a second copy of the retrieved code to continue the halted execution by the third device;
• generating a second log file corresponding to the continued execution;
• running, on the third device, a second archiving slave program used to send the execution identifier and the second log file to the archiving master program when the continued execution is complete, wherein the same execution identifier is associated with the halted execution and the continued execution;
• and
• deleting the second copy of code and the second log file from the third device, when the second archiving slave program completes the sending.