Performance comparison of compression algorithms for log data in compliance with Turkish Law No. 5651

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of various lossless compression algorithms for storing log data in compliance with Turkish Law No. 5651. Methods: In the study, compression and decompression processes were performed on 100 MB and 1 GB of FortiGate log data that was generated synthetically from sample data using the Zstandard, Brotli, GZIP, LZ4, and Snappy algorithms. The algorithms were evaluated based on the amount of data compressed, compression ratio, time, speed, decompression time, and speed. Results: The experimental studies reveal that the Zstd algorithm provides a balanced performance between compression ratio and speed. While the Brotli algorithm provides the highest compression ratio, it has the longest compression time and the slowest compression speed. The LZ4 and Snappy algorithms, on the other hand, have provided the best results in terms of compression speed and time, but their compression rates have lagged behind those of other algorithms. Conclusion: The study results show that compression algorithms reveal significant differences in terms of performance and efficiency in large-scale log systems. The selection of the appropriate algorithm should be determined based on criteria such as the system's speed, storage requirements, and processing time. The findings obtained reveal that compression strategies play a critical role in fulfilling legal log retention obligations.