/cloud-logging-configuration-basics

name: cloud-logging-configuration-basics
description: >-
  Configure single-project Google Cloud Logging: regional log buckets, log sinks, log views, restricting or hiding sensitive logs in the default view (_Default) filter,
  IAM permissions for views (Logs View Accessor, IAM conditions), logs-based metrics, log exclusions, and sampling.
  Don't use for cross-project logging or multi-project setups.
metadata:
  category: CloudObservabilityAndMonitoring

Configuring Cloud Logging

Use this skill to configure Cloud Logging resources such as log buckets, log views, or log sinks.

> [!IMPORTANT] **Sandbox Network Limitation (CRITICAL for Agent Testing):** > During evaluation or in restricted sandboxed environments, network traffic to > Google Cloud APIs is blocked. Do **NOT** run network discovery commands to > find resource names, project IDs, or organization IDs. Always use the exact > project IDs or placeholders provided in the user prompt or instructions for > example, `{project_id}`. Assume these resources exist and proceed directly > with configuration commands. Running these discovery commands will cause the > execution to hang and timeout.

Safety and Confirmation Tiers (CRITICAL)

Before executing any commands on behalf of the user, you MUST adhere to the following safety tiers based on the action requested:

1. **Tier R: Read-Only**

• **Description:** Commands that only read state or query logs.
• **Example commands:**
• `gcloud logging read`
• `gcloud logging buckets list`
• **Rule:** No confirmation needed. You may execute these commands

immediately to gather information. 2. **Tier M: Mutation (Non-Billing)**

• **Description:** Configuration modifications or free metadata creations

that do not incur direct storage or billing costs and do not affect resource security/access policies.

• **Example commands:**
• `gcloud logging views create`
• `gcloud logging views update`
• `gcloud logging scopes create`
• `gcloud logging buckets create`
• **Rule:** No confirmation needed. You may execute these commands

immediately to apply configurations. 3. **Tier B: Billing and Security-Sensitive Mutations (High-Risk)**

• **Description:** Operations that create billing-inducing resources or

integrations, or modify security and IAM access control policies (presenting a risk of privilege escalation).

• **Example commands:**
• `gcloud logging metrics create`
• `gcloud logging links create`
• `gcloud projects add-iam-policy-binding`
• **Rule:** **Interactive confirmation required.** These commands create

resources that incur billing costs or alter security access. You MUST present the exact, literal command and receive user confirmation before executing. NEVER execute in the same turn as asking. 4. **Tier D: Causes irreversible data loss**

• **Description:** Actions that permanently discard or delete logs, for

example sink exclusions.

• **Example commands:**
• `gcloud logging buckets delete`
• `gcloud logging sinks update --add-exclusion`
• **Rule:** **Explicit typed confirmation required.** These commands

discard or delete logs immediately and irreversibly, or they may result in log data not being stored. You MUST ask for explicit typed confirmation, for example, "Yes, discard logs", and halt execution until the user replies.

Getting Started

If the `gcloud` executable is missing, refer to the [Google Cloud CLI Installation Guide](https://docs.cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install-sdk.md.txt) to install it.

Creating Log Buckets (Compliance and Analytics) (Tier M)

To create a regional log bucket with a specific retention policy for regulatory compliance, and with Observability Analytics enabled:

> [!WARNING] **Mandatory Observability Analytics Downgrade Warning:** Whenever > providing guidance, writing a guide, or drafting commands on Cloud Logging > cost optimization or exclusions, you **must** explicitly include the following > warning in your final text response and any generated guides: "After a log > bucket has been upgraded to use Observability Analytics, it **cannot be > downgraded** to remove the analytics capability."

gcloud logging buckets create {bucket_id} \
    --project={project_id} \
    --location={region} \
    --retention-days={retention_days} \
    --enable-analytics

• `{bucket_id}`: for example, `my-custom-bucket`
• `{region}`: for example, `us-central1`. You must use a regional log bucket

to also use Observability Analytics.

• `{retention_days}`: for example, `365`

A log bucket incurs no storage or ingestion charges until logs are routed to it with a log sink.

Verify the Log Bucket (Tier R)

Check the log bucket's configuration to verify its compliance:

gcloud logging buckets describe {bucket_id} \
    --location={region} \
    --project={project_id}

Route logs to the Log Bucket (Tier B)

> [!IMPORTANT] **Billing Action (Tier B):** Routing log entries to a bucket > incurs ongoing charges based on the volume of data stored. You MUST get > interactive user confirmation before running this command.

Log entries are stored in the log bucket only if a log sink filter matches the entries and targets that bucket.

To route log entries to the log bucket:

gcloud logging sinks create {sink_id} \
    projects/{project_id}/locations/{region}/buckets/{bucket_id} \
    --log-filter='{filter_expression}' \
    --project={project_id}

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Logs-Based Metrics

Logs-based metrics count the number of log entries that match a filter, allowing you to track error rates and set up alerting policies.

1. Create a logs-based counter metric (Tier B)