This documentation supports the 20.02 version of BMC Service Request Management.To view an earlier version, select the version from the Product version menu.

Troubleshooting functional areas of the application


The following table lists the logs you should enable to troubleshoot various areas of the product. You can use this information as a guide for the types of logging that might be required for similar problem areas.

Related topics

Functional area

Logs to enable

Using consoles:

  • Request Entry console
  • Service Request Coordinator Console
  • Business Manager Console
  •  Work Order Console
  • Submitting service requests
  • Requesting again
  • Displaying navigational categories
  • Displaying query menus
  • Processing actions
  • Processing of questions and conditions
  • Updating service requests (for example, you close a fulfillment request and the service request is not updated)
  • Creating a fulfillment request from an approved service request

Approving requests

Sending and receiving notifications

Assigning service requests

Creating an AOT, PDT,or SRD

Using Service Request Designer

Importing BMC Service Request Management objects and data (Import Export Console)

Atrium Integrator logging—The Import Export Console uses Data Management (UDM) and Atrium Integrator functionality for imports, so errors might be recorded in the Atrium Integrator Carte server and Pentaho plug-in logs. For more information, see Atrium-Integrator-logging.

Exporting BMC Service Request Management objects and data (Import Export Console)

AR Export utility logging—The Import Export Console uses the BMC Remedy AR Export utility for exports, so errors related to export might be recorded in the artools.log file. This log file is always enabled, and is located in <BMC Remedy AR System server installation>\Arserver\Db (for example, C:\Program Files\BMC Software\ARSystem\Arserver\DB). Check this log file for errors, even if no errors are displayed in the Import Export Console.

To gather logs

  1. Enable the appropriate logs, as shown in Logs to enable for various functional areas.
  2. Reproduce the issue.
  3. Zip the log files and send them to BMC Customer Support.

When gathering logs, make a note of the time zones for both the client and the server. You can use timestamps in the log files to help identify and cross-reference client-side and server-side events. Knowing the time a client action occurred and the login ID of the user also helps to identify the correct logs to search.

Enabling workflow (active link) logging

  1. Enable active link logging by setting the user's preferences as shown. For more information, seeActivating workflow logging in a browser.
    AL_logging.gif
  2. Log in again to activate the new preference settings.

    The active link log appears in a separate browser window.

Important

  • The log buffer size is limited, so copy and save the log often to avoid losing any data. To save the log record, right-click in the logging window, select all (CTRL-A), copy (CTRL-C), and paste (CTRL-V) to a text file.
  • If the user belongs to a group configured in the Client-side Logging Group server setting, then API, filter, and database logging can be enabled to capture workflow information for the user. This method only works for operations run as that user, not for operations run under other server accounts such as Remedy Application Server, AR Escalator, and so on.

Enabling mid tier logging

Enable mid tier logging as explained inConfiguring the Log Settings page, with the logging level set to Fine (most detailed), and the following Log Categories selected:

  • Field
  • Workflow
  • Qualifications and Expressions
  • Servlet
  • Internal
  • ARServer (API/FILTER/DATABASE)
  • Data Visualization Module (DVM)

The system generates several log files with the name armidtierX.log, where X is 0, 1, 2, and so on. A new file is started when the previous log file reaches the Maximum Log File Size (KB) that you specify. Use the file creation date to gather all related log files.

MT_logging.gif

Enabling server logging

Server-side logging includes API logging, filter logging, and SQL logging. Thread logging, plug-in logging, and escalation logging might also be required to troubleshoot a particular problem.

Enable server logging as explained inSetting log files options. For each log that you enable:

  • Specify the type of log as File.
  • Make sure that you have permissions to the directory you specify and that the location has adequate free space.  

For the Plug-in Log, set the Log Level to ALL (most detailed). 

Important

  • To enable plug-in logging for server plug-ins, approval chains, CAI, and so on, additional configuration is needed.
  • For server group environments, you must capture logs from all servers in the group.

Server_logging.gif

Tips

  • Specify the same directory and file name for all server logs that you enable. When you click View to view any log, the file contains all of the logs.
  • Make sure that the problem is captured in the logs before collecting data.
  • Some plug-ins perform additional processing after the user submits or modifies a record, so the server might still be processing after the service request or fulfillment request is updated on the server. Before turning off logging, make sure that server activity is complete.

Enabling Java plug-in logging (ITSM Util and CAI plug-ins)

  1. In a text editor, open the <Server Installation Directory>\ARSystem\pluginsvr\log4j_pluginsvr.xml file.
  2. Locate the ITSMUtil.jar plug-in and the CAIPlugin.jar plug-in.

    If the plug-in is not listed, add it to the file. For example, copy and paste an existing plug-in, and edit the plug-in name.
  3. Modify the following lines in the ITSMUtil.jar plug-in:

    <logger additivity="false" name="com.bmc.itsm.util">
       <level value="warn"/>
     </logger>

    to

    <logger additivity="true" name="com.bmc.itsm.util">
    <level value="debug"/>
    </logger>


  4. Modify the following lines in the CAIPlugin.jar plug-in:

    <logger additivity="false" name="com.bmc.itsm.cai.filterapi.cai">
       <level value="warn"/>
     </logger>

    to

    <logger additivity="true" name="com.bmc.itsm.cai.filterapi.cai">
    <level value="debug"/>
    </logger>
  5. Save the log4j_pluginsvr.xml file.
  6. Restart the AR System server.

For more information, seeTroubleshooting ITSM Util plug-in issues and Troubleshooting CAI plug-in issues.

Enabling approval server logging

Enable BMC Remedy Approval Server logging as explained inConfiguring server settings for BMC Remedy Approval Server logging and loopback calls,

Select Approval Debug Mode and set the Approval Debug Type to All (most detailed).

Approval_logging.gif

 

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