Skip to main content

Audit logs vs Information schema

There are two ways to monitor BigQuery jobs:

  • Using the BigQuery audit logs
  • Using the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.JOBS table

dbt-bigquery-monitoring supports both methods and goes further by providing a unified way to monitor both by offering a configuration that will combine the two sources. See should_combine_audit_logs_and_information_schema in the configuration if you want to combine the two sources.

What's in there?​

Each of the solution has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is a comparison table to help you choose the right one for your use case:

FeatureAudit logsINFORMATION_SCHEMA
Max retentionUser defined6 months
Detailed User information✅❌
BI Engine❌✅
Jobs insights❌✅

Audit logs​

Audit logs were introduced in 2021 as an alternative to the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.JOBS table. They provide more detailed information about the user who ran the query and can have more historical data.

Information schema​

The INFORMATION_SCHEMA.JOBS table is a system table that contains information about the jobs that have been run in BigQuery. It provides a lot of information about the job such BI engine and insights.