Building and packaging a python application for distribution

I find it messy to build a python application package that is easy to distribute . Though, python tools have come a long way.
"pip/wheel" helps in installing, managing and distributing individual packages. "virtualenv" provides an approachable way to create isolated environment and avoid the pollution of the main distribution. "zc.buildout" lets you reproduce / assemble and deploy a python application through configuration. Together, they provide a powerful framework for building and distributing python applications. However, It is not as simple as build once and distribute everywhere model of executable / jar package distribution. In all likelihood, you will be creating an isolated virtual environment, installing the dependencies and the application into it.

Centralized logging for distributed applications with pyzmq

Simpler distributed applications can take advantage of centralized logging. PyZMQ, a Python bindings for ØMQ provides log handlers for the python logging module and can be easily used for this purpose. Log handlers utilizes ØMQ Pub/Sub pattern and broadcasts log messages through a PUB socket. It is quite easy to construct the message collector and write messages to a central location.

         +-------------+
         |Machine1:App1+-------------------------
         +-------------+                        |
                                         +---------------+
         +-------------..................|Machine3:Logger|
         |Machine1:App2|                 +---------------+
         +-------------+                          |
                                                  |
                   +-------------+                |
                   |Machine2:App1|-----------------
                   +-------------+