Managing logs for server group

You can use the AR System Server Group Administration Console to manage logs for multiple components that belong to a server group. All these components are part of Centralized Configuration and AR System Configuration Generic UI.

How logs are enabled across servers and server groups

When you enable or disable logging for any component from one of the following forms, the changes are immediately reflected in the remaining two forms:

Server Information> Log Files tab
AR System Server Group Administration> Server Group Logs Management

Centralized Configuration > AR System Configuration Generic UI

For example, if you change the setting for AR Filter Log from the Centralized Configuration > AR System Configuration Generic UI, you can view the changed setting either from the Server Information > Log Files or from the AR System Server Group Administration > Server Group Logs Management.

The Server Group Logs Management form uses only the relative paths to enable the logs.

By default, all logs (except Flashboard logs and Email Engine logs) are stored in the <installDir>/db folder. You can change it to a different location by setting the Common-Logging-Root-Path parameter in Centralized Configuration. The default value for this parameter is NULL. For more information about the Common-Logging-Root-Path parameter, see Configuration-settings-C-D.

For example, if you want to enable api log, provide the relative path as api.log. The api.log is stored in the default directory at <installDir>\db\api.log location.
If you have set the Common-Logging-Root-Path parameter, the log file is stored at <common_logging_root_path>\api.log location. For example, C:\test\api.log. Here, C:\test is the common logging root path.

Best Practice
For optimal viewing of the fields on the AR System Server Group Administration Console, we recommend that you set the screen resolution to 1600 x 1200 pixels. The fields on the AR System Server Group Administration Console are not displayed as expected if the screen is not as per the recommendation.

If you cannot see all fields, collapse the application flyout so that all the fields on the AR System Server Group Administration Console are displayed as expected.

Process for enabling logs for the components of a server group

You can perform the following activities on the AR System Server Group Administration Console:

Activity	Description
Managing a sever name list	The AR System Server Name List form allows you to create, modify or, delete the list of specific servers in a server group.
Managing Templates	The Manage Logging Templates form allows you to create, modify or, delete a template
Enabling Advanced Settings	The Advanced Settings on the Server Group Logs Management form allow you to enable additional log settings. Such as client side logging, setting the maximum log file size, creating number of backups, and setting server log filters.
Enabling logs across server and server groups	The Server Group Logs Management form allows you to enable logs across server and server groups.

Before you begin

You must be an AR System Administrator to use the Server Group Logs Management form.

(Optional) To create a server name list for applying log settings

To apply the same log settings to a group of servers, define a Server Name List that contains the list of servers. For example, if you create a server name list for a type of server, such as user-facing servers or reporting servers, you can apply log settings to those specific servers in that group.
After you create a server name list, you select this list from the Server List field on the Server Group Logs Management form. The following screenshot illustrates the AR System Server Name List form.

Perform the following steps to create a server name list:

Navigate to AR System Server Group Administration > AR System Server Name List.
Enter a new name or select an option from the Server Name List field.
Select a server from the list of available servers.
Click Apply. Repeat step 3 to add more servers.
Close the AR System Server Name List form.

To delete a server, from the Server Name List, expande the Server Name table, select a server from the Server Name List, and click Delete.

(Optional) To configure a template for server group log settings

If you want to preconfigure common log settings, use the Manage Logging Templates form to create, modify or delete a template. You will specify the template when you enable the logs for a server group.

Perform the following steps to create a new template or modify an existing template:

Navigate to Applications > AR System Server Group Administration > Server Group Logs Management.
On the Server Group Logs Management form, click the Manage Template link.
The Manage Logging Templates form opens.

(Optional) On the Manage Logging Templates form, select either Server or Template.
Select an option from the Template Name to modify the existing template or to enter a new template name.
To enable logs for a specific component, select Enable Log and switch the Apply Setting toggle to green.
Enter either the file name or the file name with the relative path where the logs are recorded.
You must enter the file name with extension.
Click Save Template and then click Close.

To delete a template, select the template from the Template Name field and click Delete.

To enable logs for server group

Navigate to Applications > AR System Server Group Administration > Server Group Logs Management.

The Server Group Logs Management form opens.
(Optional) Select either Server or Template to load the required settings.
Select either of the following options for Apply to:
- All Servers
- Server
- Server List
To enable the log for a specific component, select Enable Log and switch the Apply Setting toggle to green.
Enter either the file name or the file name with the relative path where the logs are recorded.
You must enter the file name with extension.
When you enter the relative path along with the log file name (for example, test/api.log), the log file is generated in the default log location in the folder you specified (test). However, if you enter only the log file name (api.log), the log file is created directly in the default log location.
Note
Follow these guidelines for specifying the relative path:
- The folder name cannot start with single dot (.) or double dots (..).
- (Microsoft Windows) For a folder name, use only the characters that are supported by Microsoft Windows.
- (Microsoft Windows) The relative path cannot start with forward slash (/).
- (Linux) The relative path cannot start with a backslash (\).
For Plug-in log, you must provide a file name with an absolute file path, because a relative file path does not work.
(Optional) Click the Advance Settings link. For more information, see Advanced settings.
Click Apply.

Server Group Logs Management form fields

This section describes the fields available on the Server Group Logs Management form. The following table describes how to set the fields in the Server Group Logs Management form:

Field name	Description
Load Setting From Server	To load the log settings, select one of the following options: Server—Select the server from where you want to fetch the log settings. When you select any server from the list, the current log settings for that particular server are fetched. Template—If you configured a template, select the template from where you want to fetch the log settings. When you select any template from the list, the current log settings for that particular template are fetched. Note: When you load settings, the settings are combined with any options that you have already set. If you want to use only the loaded settings, click the Clear All button first.
Clear All	Clears all values in the log settings on the form, except for the Apply To field.
Manage Template	Opens a configuration dialog box to create, modify, or delete a log settings template. For instructions on managing templates, see, To configure a template for server group log settings.
Apply To	Indicates the destination server where you want to apply the log settings for the following options: All Servers—Applies the settings to all the servers in a server group. Server—Applies the settings to the server that you select from the list. Server List—Applies the settings to the server name list that you select. For more information about the sever name list, see Managing a server name list.
Apply	Applies the selected settings to the specified servers.
Advanced Setting	Opens the Advanced Log Configuration Panel so you can enable additional log settings, Such as client side logging, setting the maximum log file size, creating number of backups, and setting server log filters.. For more information, see Advance settings.
Apply Setting	Specifies whether the setting is applicable to the selected component. The green toggle indicates that the setting is applied to the selected component, and the red toggle indicates that a the setting is not applied to the selected component.
Enable Log	Select to enable the logging options and clear to disable the logging options. Logs are always enabled for following options; therefore, you cannot disable the logs: Email Engine Log CMDB Engine Log CMDB Service Log Flashboard Log
Name	Enter either the file name or the file name with the relative path where the logs are recorded. For example: (Microsoft Windows) api.log or test\api.log (Linux) api.log or test/api.log
Log Level	Specifies the level of logging for the selected component.

Server Group Logs Management form— Advanced Settings

The Advance Settings Panel allows you to enable additional log settings. The following screenshot illustrates the Advance Settings Panel:

The following table describes how to set the fields in the Advanced Settings Panel:

Field	Description
Common Server Log Settings	Enables and updates the common server log settings.
Log File Create	Defines how logs are created based one of the following options: Create Backup—Creates new log files, and the contents of the previous log files are written to logName.bak files. Append to Existing—Log files and their contents are preserved, and new information is appended to them.
Client Side Logging Group	Defines the group that can use logging options in AR System clients. Logging options are disabled for users who are not members of this group. For more information about client logging, see Enabling-logs.
Maximum Log file Size in Bytes	Defines the maximum size (in bytes) for the log file. A value of 0 (the default) specifies no limit. Except for 0, the log file size cannot be set to less than 4096. When the log file reaches the maximum, new information wraps to the top of the file, overwriting the old information. If you do not specify a maximum size limit, you run the risk of running out of disk space on your system. Note: Applicable for server logs in Server Information form.
Maximum Backups	Defines the maximum number of backup (.bak) log files allowed. A new backup log files is created when the current log file reaches the Maximum Log-File Size value. By default, the number of backup log files allowed is 1, and the maximum number of backup log files allowed is 999. Note: Applicable for server logs in Server Information form.
Buffer Logged Lines	Buffers logged lines instead of having them immediately written to disk. Selecting this option decreases the impact to AR System performance when logging is enabled. See Buffering log output.
Logs per thread	Creates per-thread log files. Selecting this option decreases the impact to AR System performance when logging is enabled. For more information about thread, see Thread-log.
Server Log Filters	Enables and updates the server log filters.
Users	Restricts logs to a list of user names. Separate the user names with a semicolon. For example, Allen;Mike
Client type	Restricts logs to the specified client types (or IDs if the client type is not known). Separate the client types or IDs with a semicolon. For example, Mid-tier;Developer Studio;Remedy Administrator Note: Ensure that you use valid values for the Client Type. If you enter an incorrect value, the restriction is not applied.
RPC Queues	Restricts the specified RPC Queues to the API, SQL, and Filter logs. Separate the list of RPC Queue IDs with a semicolon. For example, 390600;390680;390620
Maximum Log file Size (MB)	Defines the maximum size (in megabytes) for the non-server components, such as Assignment Engine, Java Plug-in, Email Engine, CMDB, and Flashboard . Note: The Advanced Setting link on the Server Group Log Management form shows the maximum log file size in megabytes. The maximum log file size for the Java plugin Log and for the Email Engine Log is shown in byes; whereas, the maximum log file size for Flashboard Log is shown in kilobytes. These values are displayed on the respective admin consoles. In the Server Group Log Management form and on the AR System Configuration Generic UI, if the maximum log file size is less than 1 MB, the log file size is displayed as 0 for the following logs: Java plugin Log Email Engine Log Flashboard Log
Number of Backup Files	Defines the number of backup files for the non server components.