Garbage collection processing in a distributed shared log system includes a client identifying obsoleted log entries for a shared data object. The client sends information associated with the identified obsoleted log entries to a shared log server. The shared log server receives information associated with obsoleted log entries from all clients in the distributed shared log system and uses the information to delete the obsoleted log entries. The shared log server can update a snapshot mark to indicate the earliest time that a snapshot of the shared log can be taken. The snapshot mark can be updated based on the information associated with obsoleted log entries.