Method and apparatus for monitoring and logging the operation of a distributed processing system. A method for monitoring the operation of a distributed transaction system that is operable to process one or more transactions, each of which is comprised of a plurality of discrete processes, and which transaction as a whole is operable to perform a transaction on data when transferring data from a first location on a network to a second location on the network and the transaction comprised of operating on the data at intermediate nodes in the system with one or more of the plurality of processes during the transaction. First, a determination is made as to when a transaction has been initiated from the first location and has been transferred to the one of the intermediate nodes in the network. The initiation of the transaction is then logged at a central location on the network. A determination is then made as to when the initiated transaction has been completed by transfer of the processed data to the second location on the network from the last of the intermediate nodes in the network that has operated on the data. Completion of the transaction is then logged at the central location on the network.