ConSol CM Logging and Log Files

Introduction

Log files are the main information source for the administrator about the activities of the system and potential problems of the system. The administrator should have a look at the log files on a regular basis. There may be problems that do not appear on the user interface, but are reported in the log file.

Log Files

The location of the log files and the logging behavior can be configured in the respective .xml files:

• log4j.xml
  (in WebLogic, where Log4J is used as logging framework)
• cm6.xml and/or cm6-cmrf.xml
  (in JBoss 7 standalone, where the built-in logging module of JBoss 7 is used)
• domain.xml, tag <subsystem xmlns="urn:jboss:domain:logging:1.3">
  (in JBoss 7 in domain mode, where the built-in logging module of JBoss 7 is used)

Log File Types

The following log files are used:

• access.log
  Access to and usage of the Web Client is logged. In the current configuration, a separate access.log file is written every day.

  Config info: How to activate the access.log

  In a default installation, the following lines in the configuration file, cm6.xml or cm6-cmrf.xml, are commented out. By commenting them in, you can start access logging in your ConSol CM system.

  <subsystem xmlns="urn:jboss:domain:web:1.5" default-virtualserver="default-host" native="false">

  <connector name="http" protocol="HTTP/1.1" scheme="http" socketbinding="http"/>

  <virtual-server name="default-host" enable-welcome-root="false">

  <alias name="localhost"/>

  <!--<access-log pattern='%h %l %u %t %r %s %b %{Referer}i %{User-Agent}i %S %T'>-->

  <!--<directory path="./" relative-to="jboss.server.log.dir"/>-->

  <!--</access-log>-->

  </virtual-server>

  </subsystem>

• boot.log
  Messages pertaining to system start-up (e.g., the Java version is indicated). JBoss 5 only, application server specific.
• cmrf.log
  Messages pertaining to CMRF (ConSol CM Reporting Framework), i.e., messages regarding the data transfer operations from the ConSol CM database to the CMRF database (DWH). This is done using JMS (Java Messaging Service).
• cmweb.log
  Messages pertaining to the ConSol CM Web Client.
• ctx.log
  Contains messages from the Spring Framework.
• errors.log
  Contains only messages that have at least the log level ERROR.
• esb.log
  Contains messages from the Mule Framework (Mule is the internal ESB that is used for the processing of incoming emails).
• index.log
  Messages pertaining to the Indexer.
• mail.log
  Contains log messages from the email subsystem.
• operationtimes.log
  Only used when it has been enabled. Contains timing information for requests in order to identify possible performance bottlenecks.

  Config info: How to produce good output in operationtimes.log
  In order to produce concise and informative output in this log file, the respective ConSol CM module has to be run in DEBUG mode. Please see configuration examples in the following code snippets.

  JBoss 7 configuration:

  <!-- JBoss7, add these parts to your cm6.xml or cm6-cmrf.xml file -->

  <size-rotating-file-handler name="OPERATION_TIMES" autoflush="true">

  <file relative-to="jboss.server.log.dir" path="operationtimes.log"/>

  <append value="true"/>

  <rotate-size value="300m"/>

  <max-backup-index value="6"/>

  <formatter>

  <pattern-formatter pattern="%d %-5.5p [%30.-30c] [%X{username}-%X{sessionId}] %m%n"/>

  </formatter>

  </size-rotating-file-handler>

   

  <logger category="com.consol.cmweb.client.webapp.timemeasure.log.Log4jOperationLogger">

  <level name="DEBUG"/>

  <handlers>

  <handler name="OPERATION_TIMES"/>

  </handlers>

  </logger>

  Oracle Weblogic Server configuration: 

  <!-- Oracle WLS -->

  <appender name="OPERATION_TIMES" class=" org.apache.log4j.RollingFileAppender">

  <errorHandler class=" org.apache.log4j.helpers.OnlyOnceErrorHandler"/>

  <param name="File" value=" @DOMAIN_HOME/cm-logs/operationtimes.log"/>

  <param name="Append" value="true"/> <param name="MaxFileSize" value="500MB"/>

  <param name="MaxBackupIndex" value="6"/>

  <layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout">

  <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%m\n"/>

  </layout>

  </appender>

   

  <logger name="com.consol.cmweb.client.webapp.timemeasure.log.Log4jOperationLogger">

  <level value="DEBUG"/> <appender-ref ref="OPERATION_TIMES"/>

  </logger>

• server.log
  The general log file that contains all messages, by default, with at least log level INFO. It is recommended to use the DailyRollingFileAppender in order to prevent the file system from filling up.
• session.log
  Contains messages about logins (session starts) and session timeouts of ConSol CM users.
• sql.log
  Contains log entries about SQL statements coming from hibernate if it is set to DEBUG level (by default it is set to INFO).
• support_libs_errors.log
  Contains errors which are thrown by support libs but are properly handled by the ConSol CM application (this method keeps the server.log clean).
• timer-manager.log
  Contains additional log messages written in log level DEBUG when workflow timers are activated or deactivated. Information about the escalation date is logged, too.
• tx.log
  Contains Spring Framework transactions related log messages.
• workflow.log
  Information about activated/reinitialized/deactivated timers is logged with level INFO and all debug output related to the workflow engine is written to this dedicated file.

Admin Tool-Specific Log Files

Two log files report information which are specific for the Admin Tool. The CM logging configuration might have to be adapted during a system update from a CM version lower than 6.11 to 6.11.

• audit.log
  Available in ConSol CM versions 6.11 and up. In new 6.11 installations, the log file will be present automatically. If a system is updated from a CM version lower than 6.11, the respective configuration for the logger has to be entered into the configuration file (cm6.xml or cm6-cmrf.xml). Please see config info #1.
  • Reports login/logout operation and all operations which have been made using the Admin Tool:
    • configuration changes
    • creation of new objects
    • deletion of objects
    • reopening of tickets
  • Reports login/logout operation and operations which have been performed using the Process Designer, e.g.,
    • deployment of a workflow
• transfer.log
  Available in ConSol CM versions 6.11 and up. In new 6.11 installations, the log file will be present automatically. If a system is updated from a CM version lower than 6.11, the respective configuration for the logger has to be entered into the configuration file (cm6.xml or cm6-cmrf.xml). Please see config info #2.
  • Reports information about export / import of scenarios.

Log File Structure

In the default configuration, log file entries have the following syntax:

Date Timestamp Loglevel [Logger] Message

Example for a log file entry (successful start of ConSol CM in JBoss):

2012-11-06 14:22:12,685 INFO [e.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol] Starting Coyote HTTP/1.1 on http-0.0.0.0-8080

The components of the message:

• Date:
  November 6th, 2012
• Timestamp:
  14:22:12
• Loglevel:
  INFO
• Logger:
  e.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol
  Name of a Java class, not complete (only last 30 characters), the real name would be org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol.
• Message:
  Starting Coyote HTTP/1.1 on http-0.0.0.0-8080

Simple messages, and those reporting a successful operation, often have only one line.

When errors are reported (log level ERROR), you might find stack traces in the logs. Please contact one of our ConSol CM consultants or our ConSol CM support team for help.