Collecting diagnostics in a zip file

The Log Zipper utility, which is a part of the BMC Remedy AR System Maintenance Tool,  collects log files and diagnostic information into one or more zip files. You can submit these files to BMC Customer Support, who use them to help you debug your system.

The Log Zipper utility includes the following additional features:

  • Allows you to set the maximum size limit for the zip file. 
  • Zips the *.log.n files from the default folder (/db) or from the folder that you have set by setting the Common-Logging-Root-Path parameter. 
    For more information about the Common-Logging-Root-Path parameter, see Configuration-settings-C-D.
  • Exports and collects the Centralized Configuration data and the mapping between form names and schema IDs from the arschema table.

Important

  • The Log Zipper utility includes a schemaIDMapping.csv file that contains the mappings between the form names and the schema IDs. The Log Zipper utility also exports the entire Centralized Configuration into a CentralConfigData.csv file.
  • The Log Zipper utility collects all logs in the database folder. If you have a lot of older logs, make sure you delete the old ones so that only the relevant logs are zipped.

To set the maximum size limit for the zip file 

You can set the maximum size limit for the zip file using the Max Zip Size (in MB) field of the BMC Remedy AR System Maintenance Tool. This action creates multiple zip files and makes it easier to send the zip files to BMC Customer Support.

When you specify the maximum zip size (in megabytes), each zip file is created with the specified size and is serially numbered as 1, 2, 3 and so on. 

For example, when you set the Max Zip Size (in MB) to 10 MB, each zip file is created (maximum size 10 MB) and is numbered as ARSuiteKitLogs.z01,  ARSuiteKitLogs.z02, and so on.

  • By default, the Max Zip Size (in MB) field is populated with 1024 MB. You can change this value. 
  • If you enter zero in the Max Zip Size (in MB) field, a single zip file is created instead of multiple zip files.
  • Do not use the decimal values while entering the maximum size.

To run the Log Zipper using the Maintenance Tool

  1. Start the Maintenance Tool.
  2. Click the Logs tab.
  3. Click Zip Logs. 
    The Zip Logs button collects logs only for the specified product. For example, logs for BMC Remedy AR System are collected when you click the Zip Logs button on the BMC Remedy AR System Maintenance Tool.
  4. Send the single zip file (.zip) or multiple zip files (.zip) and part files (.z01, .z02,...z0n) to BMC Customer Support.

To run the All Log Zipper using the Maintenance Tool

  1. Start the Maintenance Tool.
  2. Click the Logs tab.
  3. Click Zip All Logs.
    The Zip All Logs button collects logs for all the BMC products installed on your system. For example, if you have BMC Remedy AR System, BMC Remedy IT Service Management, and BMC Atrium Core installed on your system and you click the Zip All Logs button on the BMC Remedy AR System Maintenance Tool, logs for all these products are collected.
  4. Send the zip file (.zip) to BMC Customer Support.

To run the Log Zipper by using the command-line interface

  1. In a command-line window, change to the <ARSystemServerInstallDir>\arsystem folder (where the Maintenance Tool is located).
  2. Enter one of the following commands:
    • (Windows) ARSystemMaintenanceTool.cmd -silent -logs -zip_logs "-output_file=%TEMP%\<product>.zip" –max_zip_size=1000

    • (UNIX) ./ARSystemMaintenanceTool.sh -silent -logs -zip_logs -output_file=/var/tmp/<product>.zip* -max_zip_size=1000

      Note

      If you do not specify the -max_zip_size parameter in the command, the system uses the default value (1024 MB). If you do not want to create multiple zips, enter 0 as the –max_zip_size parameter value. 


  3. Send the single zip file (.zip) or multiple zip files (.zip) and part files (.z01, .z02,...z0n) to BMC Customer Support.

Sending the zip files to BMC Customer Support

When an issue occurs, the administrator can send the logs to BMC Customer Support. Copy all the generated log files that includes .zip files.
The Log Zipper utility create part files such as .z01, z02 along with the zip files. You must send all these files to BMC Customer Support. 

Note

The unzip process fails if any of the generated zip files is misplaced or deleted during the copy or transfer process. In this case, you must run the Log Zipper utility again to collect the logs.

To troubleshoot issues with log files

  1. Start the Maintenance Tool.
  2. Click the Logs tab.
  3. Click Zip Logsand wait for the process to be completed.
  4. Click Configuration Log to view the configuration log in the log viewer.
    Errors encountered by the Maintenance Tool are written in the configuration log.
  5.  Choose Edit > Filter to filter on Details that contain Adding file.
  6. In the filtered log entries, look for the last file or directory Log Zipper attempted to add to see if an error was encountered.

Related topic

BMC-Remedy-AR-System-Maintenance-tool