Vcap-Dca, Objective 6.1 - Commands And Steps

Front 1

Viewing vCenter Server logs

Back 1

Can be viewed from the vSphere Client connected to vCenter Server:

Home-> Administration -> System Logs

From the vSphere web client

Home-> Log Browser

Click Select Object now, choose an ESXi host of vCenter Server object and click OK.

Front 2

Viewing ESXi logs

Back 2

You can view logs by connecting via SSH to an ESXi host.

Log and configuration files can also be found by going to the following URL: https://IPorHostNameof ESXiHost/host

You can also access logs via the DCUI

Front 3

Generate vCenter Server and ESXi Log Bundles: GUI

Back 3

1. Click on the vCenter name.
2. Click File->Export
3. Click Export System Logs.
4. Select at which level you want to export logs.
5. Select Next.
6. Select which logs you want to export.
7. Click Next.
8. Click the Browse button to select a location to save the log bundle to.
8. Click Next.
9. Click Finish.

Front 4

Generate vCenter Server and ESXi Log Bundles: CLI

Back 4

To export logs you need to use the vm-support command. You can export information based on a list of groups or certain 'manifests' or you can export information on a particular virtual machine.

You can also set a log level with the -loglevel option, values are 0-50 with 0 being the most verbose.

Generate a generic log bundle by executing vm-support and it will generate a log bundle in a .gz format and by default place it in the /var/tmp directory.

Use the -w option to change the working directory of where the bundle will be saved.

Front 5

Generate vCenter Server and ESXi Log Bundles: Using Export log utility

Back 5

New in ESXi you can also invoke the export log utility via https:

https://username:password@ESXiHostnameOrIPAddress/cgi-bin/vm-support.cgi

Front 6

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: initial steps

Back 6

Before you go to the effort to configure your hosts for syslog, take a look at the current configuration from the command line using the following command:

esxcli system syslog config get

You can also use the following command to list out the same details, but for each individual log (which will also tell you what all of the log files are):

esxcli system syslog config logger list

Front 7

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: check ESXi firewall from GUI

Back 7

Ensure that the ESXi firewall has the syslog ports open:

1. Log into the vSphere client.
2. From the Inventory tree, click the ESXi host that you have configured, or are configuring remote syslog for.
3. Click the Configuration tab.
4. Under the Software pane, click the Security profile link.
5. In the right pane, to the right of Firewall, click the Properties link.
6. Find the syslog service located under the Ungrouped services.
7. If the checkbox next to syslog isn't checked, check it.
8. Click OK

Front 8

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: change the default rotation size

Back 8

Command Line Interface Solutions and Examples Guide, P 134

esxcli system syslog config set --default-size=<size>

Front 9

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: change the default rotation number

Back 9

Command Line Interface Solutions and Examples Guide, P 134


esxcli system syslog config set --default-rotate=<number>

Front 10

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: set the host to send logs to a remote syslog server

Back 10

Command Line Interface Solutions and Examples Guide, P 134


esxcli system syslog config set --loghost <IP or hostname of syslog server>

Front 11

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: load the changes into runtime

Back 11

Command Line Interface Solutions and Examples Guide, P 134


esxcli system syslog reload

Front 12

Use esxcli system syslog to configure centralized logging on ESXi hosts: verify changes

Back 12

Command Line Interface Solutions and Examples Guide, P 134


esxcli system syslog config get

Front 13

Test centralized logging

Back 13

Testing your centralized logging can be done via a command in the esxcli system syslog namespace that allows you to send a message to all your logs at the same time. You can use this to send a message, and then check the log on your remote syslog system and see if it shows up.


esxcli system syslog mark --message="Test message."

Front 14

Install and configure VMware syslog Collector

Back 14

1. Login to the server you plan on installing syslog collector.
2. Run the vCenter installer.
3. Under vCenter Support Tools, click VMware Syslog Collector.
4. Click the Install button.
5. You can accept all defaults, or change the installation directory and log rotation size and frequency.