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6.6.19: Administering the product messages, logs, and traces (overview) >
6.6.19.1: Administering the product messages, logs, and traces
The Application Server product provides various levels of information,
from high-level messages in the console to more detailed server
execution logs and comprehensive tracing.
General approach to tracing a problem
You should not need to trace IBM WebSphere Application Server
unless directed to do so by IBM support personnel. In case you would
like to perform your own tracing, here is a procedure:
- Determine the activity during which the problem usually occurs.
- Configure an application server for a dump, but do not trigger the dump yet.
- Perform the activity during which the problem usually occurs.
- After the problem occurs, proceed with the dump.
- Check the dump file, which will contain only the tracing performed
between the time you specified the classes to trace
and the moment when you dumped the trace data to the file.
- Optionally, based on the dump contents, speculate which server classes
or components are involved in the problem. Repeat the procedure, this
time narrowing the scope of the trace to just those components,
isolating the problem area.
Sometimes the administrator might find it useful to dump the contents
of the ring buffer that holds trace data for an administrative
or application server.
- Display the Topology tree.
- To access the Trace Administration dialog box, right-click a running
node or application server in the Topology tree and click Trace.
- In the Trace Administration dialog box, specify the
classes to trace. Verify the dump file name.
- Now or later, click the Dump button.
To isolate the activity you are trying to trace, you might want
to delay clicking the Dump button until after the server performs the
activity. See the general trace approach
section above for more details about this strategy.
To trace an administrative server from the time that it starts,
modify its properties related to tracing:
- Open the admin.config file in the bin directory of the WebSphere
Application Server installation root.
- Set the traceString property to
specify the server classes to trace. For valid syntax,
see the trace properties help.
- Set the traceOutput property to specify the file to which
to send the trace data. For valid syntax,
see the server trace properties help.
- Save the file.
- Start the server (or stop it and start it again) for the new trace
parameters to take effect.
To trace an application server from the time that it starts,
modify its properties related to tracing:
- Display the Topology tree.
- In the tree, locate and click the application server to
display its properties on the right side of the console.
- Set the trace-related properties. Consult the
server trace properties help for syntax.
- Save the property changes.
- Start the server (or stop it and start it again) for the new trace
parameters to take effect.
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Related topics |
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| Concept help |
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Overviews |
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| Administrative procedure |
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| Administering this object type (overview) |
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| 6.6.19.1.1.1: Filtering messages |
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| 6.6.0.1: Using the Java administrative console |
Sub-topics |
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| 6.6.19.1.1: Administering messages with the Java administrative console |
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| 6.6.19.1.2: Viewing logs and messages |
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More tasks |
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| 6.6.0.1.3: Editing resource properties |
| 6.6.0.1.4: Removing resources |
| 6.6.0.1.6: Starting and stopping resources |
| 6.6.0.1.7: Pinging resources |
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Peer topics |
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| 6.6.19.0: Properties for tracing, logging, and messages |
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| 6.6.19.3: Administering server traces with the Web console |
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