Objective 6.1 – Configure, Manage and Analyze vSphere Log Files

Knowledge

• Identify vCenter Server log file names and locations
• Identify ESX/ESXi log files names and locations
• Identify tools used to view vSphere log files

Skills and Abilities

• Generate vCenter Server and ESX/ESXi log bundles
• Use vicfg-syslog to configure centralized logging on ESX/ESXi Hosts
• Test centralized logging configuration
• Configure the vMA appliance as a log host
• Use vilogger to enable/disable log collection on the vMA appliance
• Use vilogger to configure log rotation and retention
• Analyze log entries to obtain configuration information
• Analyze log entries to identify and resolve issues

Tools

• vSphere Management Assistant Guide
• vSphere Command-Line Interface Installation and Scripting Guide
• vSphere Datacenter Administration Guide
• Product Documentation
• vSphere Client
• vicfg-syslog
• vilogger

Notes

Identify vCenter Server log file names and locations

• http://www.vmwarewolf.com/which-virtual-center-log-file/

Generate vCenter Server and ESX/ESXi log bundles

• vCenter Server http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011641
• ESX/ESXi http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010705

Use vicfg-syslog to configure centralized logging on ESX/ESXi Host

• vicfg-syslog <conn_options> -i
  Displays the syslog server configuration.
• vicfg-syslog <conn_options> -s mysyslogserver
  Makes mysyslogserver the syslog server for the server specified in <conn_options>.
• vicfg-syslog <conn_options> -p <port>
  Sets the port number used by the syslog server.
• From the GUI http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1016621

Configure the vMA appliance as a log host

Great blog on setting up for AD authentication and connecting http://geeksilver.wordpress.com/2010/07/22/how-to-use-vma-4-1-installation-configuration/

Great blog on setting up your vMA appliance as a log host http://www.simonlong.co.uk/blog/2010/05/28/using-vma-as-your-esxi-syslog-server/

Use vilogger to enable/disable log collection on the vMA appliance

• See the vSphere Management Assistant Guide

Use vilogger to configure log rotation and retention

• See the vSphere Management Assistant Guide

Analyze log entries to obtain configuration information
Analyze log entries to identify and resolve issues

Very good blog entry on logs here http://www.simonlong.co.uk/blog/2010/06/03/vmware-esxi-4-log-files/

ESX logs

• under /var/log
  • vmkernel – VMKernel Messages
  • vmkwarning – VMKernel Warnings
  • messages – Service Console Log
• Under /var/log/vmware
  • hostd – ESX Service Log
  • aam – HA Log
• Under /var/log/vpx
  • vpxa – vCenter Agent log

ESXi logs

• under /var/log
  • hostd – ESXi Service log
  • messages – Syslog (vmkernel/hostd)
  • vxpa – vCenter Agent Log