AWS Transfer Family announces structured JSON log format

AWS Transfer Family now delivers logs in a structured JSON format across all resources – including servers, connectors, and workflows – and all protocols – including SFTP, FTPS, FTP, and AS2. The new format allows you to easily parse and query your logs using CloudWatch Log Insights, which automatically discovers JSON formatted fields. You’ll also benefit from improved monitoring with support for CloudWatch Contributor Insights, which requires a structured log format to track top users, total number of unique users, and their ongoing usage.

In addition to the new log format, you’re now able to combine log streams from multiple AWS Transfer Family servers into a single CloudWatch log group of your choosing. This allows you to create consolidated log metrics and visualizations, which can be added to CloudWatch dashboards for tracking server usage and performance.

The structured JSON log format is supported in all AWS Regions where the Transfer Family service is available, while the previous log format will continue to be supported. To learn more about how to configure your logging preferences, visit our documentation.