System and method for tracking and illustrating user activity in a network environment

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes detecting actions taken by users in a computer-implemented matching system and, for each of the detected actions, storing data indicative of the detected action. The method further includes filtering the stored data in accordance with at least one filter selected by an administrator of the computer-implemented matching system and creating a user action log from the filtered stored data. The user action log includes all of the stored data that matches the selected at least one filter. The at least one filter may include log start time, log end time, type of action, user ID, target user ID, and/or site type. The detected action may include viewing another user's profile, changing the user's own profile, sending a message to another user via the computer-implemented matching system, and/or performing a matching search using the computer-implemented matching system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting actions taken by users in a computer-implemented matching system;   for each of the detected actions, storing data indicative of the detected action;   filtering the stored data in accordance with at least one filter selected by an administrator of the computer-implemented matching system; and   creating a user action log from the filtered stored data, the user action log comprising a log of all of the stored data that matches the selected at least one filter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storing comprises accumulating the data in a disk array. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising transferring the accumulated data from the disk array to an analysis cluster. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising presenting the accumulated data using a presentation type selected by the administrator of the computer-implemented matching system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the presentation type comprises one of a user action log, a pie chart, a list, and a graph. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filter comprises at least one of log start time, log end time, type of action, user ID, target user ID, and site type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detected action comprises at least one of viewing another user's profile, changing the user's own profile, sending a message to another user via the computer-implemented matching system, and performing a matching search using the computer-implemented matching system. 
     
     
         8 . One or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:
 detecting actions taken by users in a computer-implemented matching system;   for each of the detected actions, storing data indicative of the detected action;   filtering the stored data in accordance with at least one filter selected by an administrator of the computer-implemented matching system; and   creating a user action log from the filtered stored data, the user action log comprising a log of all of the stored data that matches the selected at least one filter.   
     
     
         9 . The media of  claim 8 , wherein the storing comprises accumulating the data in a disk array. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise transferring the accumulated data from the disk array to an analysis cluster. 
     
     
         11 . The media of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting the accumulated data using a presentation type selected by the administrator of the computer-implemented matching system. 
     
     
         12 . The media of  claim 11 , wherein the presentation type comprises one of a user action log, a pie chart, a list, and a graph. 
     
     
         13 . The media of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one filter comprises at least one of log start time, log end time, type of action, user ID, target user ID, and site type. 
     
     
         14 . The media of  claim 8 , wherein the detected action comprises at least one of viewing another user's profile, changing the user's own profile, sending a message to another user via the computer-implemented matching system, and performing a matching search using the computer-implemented matching system. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the apparatus is configured to:
 detect actions taken by users in a computer-implemented matching system;   for each of the detected actions, store data indicative of the detected action;   filter the stored data in accordance with at least one filter selected by an administrator of the computer-implemented matching system; and   create a user action log from the filtered stored data, the user action log comprising a log of all of the stored data that matches the selected at least one filter.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the storing comprises accumulating the data in a disk array. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising presenting the accumulated data using a presentation type selected by the administrator of the computer-implemented matching system. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the presentation type comprises one of a user action log, a pie chart, a list, and a graph. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one filter comprises at least one of log start time, log end time, type of action, user ID, target user ID, and site type. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the detected action comprises at least one of viewing another user's profile, changing the user's own profile, sending a message to another user via the computer-implemented matching system, and performing a matching search using the computer-implemented matching system.