What process helps reduce the storage consumption of log files over time?

Log rotation is an effective process for managing log files over time, primarily by limiting the size of individual log files and archiving older entries in a systematic manner. When log rotation occurs, the system typically renames the current log file and creates a new log file for ongoing log entries. This helps in maintaining a manageable size for the logs, making it easier to review recent log information without being overwhelmed by an accumulation of historical data.

Additionally, log rotation often includes automatic mechanisms for deleting or compressing older log files after a certain period or after reaching a specific size limit. This not only reduces the storage consumption of log files but also enhances system performance and makes log management simpler.

Other processes like compression and data archiving may also assist in minimizing storage usage but are not specifically focused on the active management of log file growth as log rotation is. Compression deals with reducing file size but may not address the ongoing creation of logs effectively, while data archiving typically involves moving data to a long-term storage solution rather than the immediate management of ongoing log files. Log pruning, while it can be related to the removal of old logs, is more about deleting unwanted records rather than the structured process of managing log growth, which is what log rotation achieves.