Monitoring error log


Many web servers record errors to a log file. This file is monitored by BMC PATROL for Internet Servers to provide monitoring and management information.

BMC PATROL for Internet Servers supports the W3C centralized logging feature, which is a configuration on the server that forces Microsoft IIS to create a single folder for the log files of all the websites running on the server.

Note

Microsoft IIS does not have an error log, and hence the error log features are disabled. BMC PATROL for Internet Servers only monitors an access or error log on a local web server.

Configuring the error log location

This task explains how to configure the Error Log location.

Before you begin

When initial discovery is complete, verify that application icons appear for each loaded application instance. If the icons for each specified application instance are not displayed, there may be a problem with your PATROL installation. Refer to the PATROL Installation Guide for help.

To configure the error log location

  1. Access the server instance menu commands.
  2. Select one of the following commands:
    • On Unix computers, PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
    • On Windows computers, KM Commands > PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
       The Configure dialog box is displayed for the specified server instance.
  3. Verify the path name in the Error Log text field, or type the path name in the Error Log text field.

    Note

    If the location of the Error Log is relative to the Server Root directory, type the relative path name; otherwise, specify an absolute file path.

  4. Select Accept.

    Note

    If the Error Log field is empty, Error Log analysis is disabled.

Configuring the error log statistics

This section explains how to configure the Error Log statistics by adding, deleting, and editing Error Log statistics sets.

Before you begin

When initial discovery is complete, verify that application icons appear for each loaded application instance. If the icons for each specified application instance are not displayed, there may be a problem with your PATROL installation. Refer to the PATROL Installation Guide for help.

To add an error log statistics set

  1. Access the server instance menu commands.
  2. Select one of the following commands:
    • On Unix computers, PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
    • On Windows computers, KM Commands > PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
       The Configure dialog box is displayed for the specified server instance.
  3. Select Error Log Statistics: Edit ; then Accept to display a dialog box indicating which statistic sets have been defined and activated (Utilized Statistic Sets ) and which have been defined but are inactive (Unused Statistic Sets ).
  4. Select Add.
  5. Select the statistics set that you want to add from the list of Unused Statistic Sets.
  6. Select Accept to save the entry and close the dialog box.
     A new configuration dialog box is displayed.
  7. Select a Log Event from the following menu options:
    • NONE
    • INFORMATION
    • WARNING
    • ALARM
  8. From the Select all requests which... menu, select do NOT match or match to specify whether the request should match the defined conditions.
  9. To search the Error Log for a specific expression, type the expression in the Regular Expression text field. These expressions can be text expressions or UNIX regular expressions.
  10. Select Done to close the dialog box.

To delete an error log statistics set

  1. Access the server instance menu commands.
     The application menu is displayed.
  2. Select one of the following commands:
    • On Unix computers, PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
    • On Windows computers, KM Commands > PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
       A Configure dialog box for the specified server instance is displayed.
  3. Select Error Log Statistics: Edit ; then select Accept to display a dialog box indicating which statistics sets have been defined and activated (Utilized Statistic Sets ) and which have been defined but are inactive (Unused Statistic Sets ).
  4. Select Delete.
  5. Select the statistics set that you want to remove from the list of Utilized Statistic Sets.
  6. Select Accept to display another dialog box containing information about the statistics set that will be deleted.
  7. Select Accept to confirm the deletion.
     The deleted statistics set appears in the Unused Statistic Sets list.
  8. Select Done to close the dialog box.

To modify an error log statistics set

  1. Access the server instance menu commands.
     The application menu is displayed.
  2. Select one of the following commands:
    • On Unix computers, PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
    • On Windows computers, KM Commands > PATROL Admin > Configure > Files
       A Configure dialog box for the specified server instance is displayed.
  3. Select Error Log Statistics: Edit ; then Accept to display a dialog box indicating which statistics sets have been defined and activated (Utilized Statistic Sets ) and which have been defined but are inactive (Unused Statistic Sets ).
  4. Select the statistics set you want to modify.
  5. Select Accept to display a new configuration dialog box.
  6. Complete the dialog box to reflect the necessary changes.
  7. Select Accept to save the changes and close the dialog box.
  8. To modify additional statistics sets, repeat steps 1 through 7.
  9. Select Done to close the dialog box.

Viewing the error log

This section describes how to view the error log information for a web or proxy server.

To view the error log information

  1. Access the menu commands for the server instance.
  2. Select View > Error Log.
  3. Adjust the sliding bar to select the number of lines from the end of the Error Log that you want to view.
     In the View Error Log - Last (nnn) Lines window, nnn = the specified number of lines.
  4. Click Accept to view the lines from the Error Log.

 

Tip: For faster searching, add an asterisk to the end of your partial query. Example: cert*