First failure data capture (FFDC)

When a failure occurs during product runtime processing, the FFDC feature instantly collects information about the events and errors that lead up to the failure. The captured data can then be used to analyze the problem. After a maximum number of days, these files are automatically deleted from your system.

After the information is collected, and saved in a log file, FFDC returns control to the affected engines.

After the information, which is uniquely identified for the servant region that produced the exception, is collected, and saved in a log file, FFDC returns control to the affected engines.

By default, a FFDC log file is automatically purged seven days it is created. You can configure the amount of days between purges if you are concerned about the amount of space that the FFDC log files are using.

Two FFDC implementations are provided in the product:
Both of these FFDC implementations support the OnDirProvider type functionality that is configurable using the com.ibm.ffdc.log [Updated in June 2013] Java virtual machine (JVM) [Updated in June 2013]
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environment variable. The OnDirProvider functionality includes a built-in provider that stores incidents as separate files in a directory, along with a separate summary file. The com.ibm.ffdc.log [Updated in June 2013] JVM [Updated in June 2013]
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environment variable can be set to the following values: [Updated in June 2013] For additional information about specifying the com.ibm.ffdc.log JVM environment variable in the administrative console, see topic, "Java virtual machine custom properties". [Updated in June 2013]
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Specifying a value for the com.ibm.ffdc.log [Updated in June 2013] JVM [Updated in June 2013]

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environment variable is the only configuration change that you need to make to exploit the OnDirProvider functionality. The new FFDC also provides mechanisms to overly choose this provider or to use your own WebSphere provider.

The com.ibm.ffdc.log variable can also be used to redirect the FFDC incidents and summary created in the product. If you want to use the com.ibm.ffdc.log variable for this purpose, you must specify a directory as the variable value. Therefore, it is recommended that, if this variable is used in a WebSphere Application Server environment, the specification of this variable end in a file separator (/ or \\) to avoid conflicts.

Avoid trouble Avoid trouble: If the default setting for automatic purging of FFDC information is too long for your environment, see the topic Configuring first failure data capture log file purges for a description of how you can modify the length of time that the FFDC information is retained on your system.gotcha



Related tasks
Configuring first failure data capture log file purges
[Updated in June 2013] Java virtual machine custom properties [Updated in June 2013]
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