Why and when to perform this task
The WebSphere Application Server message logs and trace logs are written as simple text files. These files can be viewed with a text editor or any other text browser-type utility.
It is easier to locate the cause of a problem in smaller message logs. Therefore, consider reducing the size of the message log before attempting to read it. For more information about this, see Message log: Hints and tips. Also, for information about the contents of a message log entry, see Message log entry: Description.
When reading a message log, identify the group of entries that are related to the problem or error that you want to resolve. A group of entries forms a bracket, as follows:
The start of the bracket Initial failure, which is a single entry in the log. Results of the initial failure A number of entries in the log. The end of the bracket Last result of the failure, which is a single entry in the log.
In general, when you are reading the message log, start with its last entry and then work backwards reading the previous entry, then the one before that, and so on.
To find the bracket of entries for a problem that you are diagnosing, complete the following steps:
Steps for this task