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8.8.1: Using the Log Analyzer for Advanced Edition

8.8.1: Using the Log Analyzer for Advanced Edition

The Log Analyzer takes one or more activity logs, merges all of the data, and displays the entries. Based on its "symptom database," it analyzes and interprets the error conditions in the log entries to help you debug problems. The Advanced Edition Log Analyzer has a special feature enabling it to download the latest symptom database from the IBM Web site. See "About the Log Analyzer" for details.

About the Log Analyzer

A Log Analyzer quite similar to the one available for use with IBM WebSphere Application Server is available with IBM Component Broker, part of the Enterprise Edition of IBM WebSphere Application Server.

To learn about the Component Broker Log Analyzer, see the Component Broker problem determination guide (currently, Chapter 11). You can view the document on the IBM Web site without having to obtain Enterprise Edition:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/websphere/info/appserv/v35/ee/cbprbdet.pdf

The main differences between the Log Analyzer available with WebSphere Application Server and the Component Broker Log Analyzer are the following:

  • The Log Analyzer for Advanced Edition is capable of downloading the latest symptom database (bin/symptomdb.xml) from the IBM support site. Use the file -> Update Database -> Adv Symptom Database option in the Log Analyzer interface to take advantage of this feature.
  • The functions for ORB trace formatting, minor codes, message IDs and GPF are not supported for Advanced Edition
  • The script for starting the Log Analyzer is in a different location (see below for instructions)
  • The default directory for opening logs for Advanced Edition is the logs directory. For Enterprise Edition, it is the service directory.

Obtaining the Log Analyzer

The Log Analyzer is available separately from IBM WebSphere Application Server, starting on or shortly after the release of Fix Pack 2 (Version 3.5.2) for IBM WebSphere Application Server.

To obtain the Log Analyzer, including its installation instructions, visit the IBM WebSphere Application Server Tools site:

http://www.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/tools.html

About the activity log

Recall, the Log Analyzer collects messages from various product components and places them in a shared file. The file is a binary file located at:

product_installation_root/logs/activity.log

The activity.log cannot be easily viewed using a text editor. The Log Analyzer is the tool for viewing the file.

Using the Log Analyzer

To view the activity.log using the Log Analyzer:

  1. Change directory to:
    product_installation_root/bin
    
  2. Run the waslogbr script file, which is called:
    • waslogbr.bat on Windows NT
    • waslogbr.sh on UNIX systems
    It needs to be run from the bin directory cited above.

    This will start the Log Analyzer graphical interface.

  3. In the interface:
    1. Select File-> Open.
    2. Navigate to the directory containing the activity.log file.
    3. Select the activity.log file.
    4. Select Open.

Related tasks

In the course of using the Log Analyzer, you might need to perform the following tasks.

Setting the maximum activity.log file size

The activity.log file grows to a predetermined size, then wraps. The default size is 1 Megabyte (MB).

To change the log size:

  1. Open the properties file in a text editor:
    product_installation_root/properties/logging.properties
    
  2. For the SHARED_LOG_LENGTH property, specify the value you would like, in Kilobytes (KB).

    If an invalid size is entered, the default size is used.

The size change will take effect at the next server startup.

Syntax example:

  • To change the log size to 2MB, enter in the line:
    SHARED_LOG_LENGTH=2048
    
    without any spaces in it.
Changing the port of the logging service

The logging service starts automatically at server startup. It requires the use of a dedicated port. The default port is 1707.

To change the port value:

  1. Stop all application servers and the WebSphere administrative server. (If you do not stop a server, it will not pick up the property change until it is stopped and started again).
  2. Open the properties file in a text editor:
    product_installation_root/properties/logging.properties
    
  3. For the SHARED_LOG_LOCK_PORT property, specify the value you would like.
  4. Start the application and administrative servers that you stopped.

Syntax example:

  • To change the port to 1708, specify:
    SHARED_LOG_LOCK_PORT=1708
    

If the port is in use by another application, the logging service might not be able to start or might not function correctly. The activity.log file will not be created or updated correctly. See the information about how to tell whether a port is currently allocated to another application.

To diagnose a port conflict, perform these heuristic checks:

Viewing an activity.log file in the absence of a GUI.

The Log Analyzer cannot be used to view remote files. If the operating system on which you are running WebSphere Application Server does not support the use of a graphical interface, then transfer the file in binary to the system on which you are running the WebSphere Java administrative console. Use the Log Analyzer tool there.

In cases in which transferring the file is impractical or inconvenient, an alternate tool named "showlog" is provided for viewing the activity.log file:

  1. Change directory to:
    product_installation_root/bin
    
  2. Run the showlog tool with no parameters to display the usage instructions:
    • On Windows NT, run showlog.bat
    • On UNIX systems, run showlog.sh

Syntax examples:

  • To direct the activity log contents to stdout, use the invocation:
    showlog activity.log
    
  • To dump the activity.log to a text file that can be viewed using a text editor, use the invocation:
    showlog activity.log textFileName
    
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