Generating performance metrics from events derived from user interface logs

1. A Computer-implemented

method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of log data items from a log data queue;

filtering the plurality of log data items to obtain relevant log data items;

comparing selected relevant log data items to one or more event definitions;

when a selected relevant log data item matches an event definition, storing an event in an events table and one or more dimensions of the event in a dimensions table,

wherein an event comprises at least a portion of a log data item matching an event definition;

aggregating a plurality of performance metric definitions into a single expression;

selecting a metric from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

selecting a dimension for the metric;

collecting events with an attribute matching the selected dimension;

generating a metric value for the selected metric using the collected events;

repeating the selecting the metric, selecting the dimension, collecting, and generating forall metrics from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

aggregating the generated metric values according to a unit time hierarchy; and

changing one or more operating characteristics based on the aggregated generated metric values.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the events represent user interactions with a user interface of an application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of performance metrics comprises search relevance metrics.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising updating the plurality of performance metric definitions by adding an aggregation expression to a list of performance metrics.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising updating the event definition by a system administrator prior to parsing the log data items.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the log data items and events to identify one or more dimensions of the events.

7. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

obtain a plurality of log data items from a log data queue;

filter the plurality of log data items to obtain relevant log data items;

compare selected relevant log data items to one or more event definitions;

when a selected relevant log data item matches an event definition, store an event in an events table and one or more dimensions of the event in a dimensions table,

wherein an event comprises at least a portion of a log data item matching an event definition;

aggregate a plurality of performance metric definitions into a single expression;

select a metric from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

select a dimension for the metric;

collect events with an attribute matching the selected dimension;

generate a metric value for the selected metric using the collected events;

repeat the selecting the metric, selecting the dimension, collecting, and generating forall metrics from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

aggregate the generated metric values according to a unit time hierarchy; and

change one or more operating characteristics based on the aggregated generated metric values.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the events represent user interactions with a user interface of an application.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of performance metrics comprises search relevance metrics.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , comprising instructions to analyze the log data items and events to identify one or more dimensions of the events.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the processor being configurable to:

obtain a plurality of log data items from a log data queue;

filter the plurality of log data items to obtain relevant log data items;

compare selected relevant log data items to one or more event definitions;

when a selected relevant log data item matches an event definition, store an event in an events table and one or more dimensions of the event in a dimensions table, wherein an event comprises at least a portion of a log data item matching an event definition;

aggregate a plurality of performance metric definitions into a single expression;

select a metric from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

select a dimension for the metric;

collect events with an attribute matching the selected dimension;

generate a metric value for the selected metric using the collected events;

repeat the selecting the metric, selecting the dimension, collecting, and generating forall metrics from the plurality of performance metrics definitions;

aggregate the generated metric values according to a unit time hierarchy; and

change one or more operating characteristics based on the aggregated generated metric values.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the events represent user interactions with a user interface of an application.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of performance metrics comprises search relevance metrics.

14. The system of claim 11 , comprising the events generator to analyze the log data items and events to identify one or more dimensions of the events.