To effectively trace unauthorized activities within TechTonic's Windows-based server farm, the best strategy is:

Centralized Logging:

Aggregation: Collect all system logs in a centralized logging server. This ensures that all log data is stored in one place, making it easier to manage and analyze.

Correlation: Correlate logs from different sources to identify patterns and anomalies that might indicate unauthorized activities.

Pattern-Detection Algorithms:

Automated Analysis: Use algorithms to automatically detect patterns that are indicative of security breaches. This can include machine learning models trained to recognize signs of intrusion.

Real-Time Alerts: Set up real-time alerts for suspicious activities identified by the pattern-detection algorithms, enabling swift responses to potential threats.

References:

Best practices for Windows logging and monitoring:Microsoft Docs

Centralized logging solutions and their benefits: Splunk Documentation