8.4 Configuring Message Logger Settings

The following sections provide information on configuring the settings of the Message Logger component of Novell ZENworks 11.

8.4.1 Configuring the Message Logger Settings at the Zone Level

The following sections contain information to help you configure the settings in the Management Zone to enable message logging:

Local Device Logging

In ZENworks Control Center, the Local Device Logging page lets you configure the message logging to a local drive and the system log file of the managed device.

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Configuration.

  2. In the Management Zone Settings panel, click Device Management, then click Local Device Logging.

  3. Configure the following options in the Local File panel:

    Log Message to a Local File if Severity Is: Choose from one of the following:

    • Error: Stores messages with a severity of Error.

    • Warning and Above: Stores messages with a severity of Warning and Error.

    • Information and Above: Stores messages with a severity of Information, Warning, and Error.

    • Debug and Above: Stores messages with a severity of Debug, Information, Warning, and Error.

    If you need to troubleshoot a ZENworks Adaptive Agent issue on an individual device, you can change the severity setting so that additional information is logged. On the device, double-click the System Tray (Blue Z) icon icon in the notification area, click Logging in the left navigation pane, then select an option from the Log Messages if Severity Is drop-down list.

    Rolling Based on Size: Closes the current log file and starts a new file based on the file size:

    • Limit File Size to: Specify the maximum size of the log file, in either kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB). The log file is closed after the size of the file reaches the specified limit and a new file is started.

    • Number of Backup Files: Specify the number of closed files to be backed up. The maximum number of backup files is 13.

    Rolling Based on Date: Closes the current log file and starts a new file based on the following schedules:

    • Daily Pattern: Starts a new file daily.

    • Monthly Pattern: Starts a new file monthly.

    On a Windows managed device, the local files include the following:

    • zmd-messages.log located in \novell\zenworks\logs\localstore

    • loader-messages.log located in \novell\zenworks\logs

    • services-messages.log located in \novell\zenworks\logs

    On a Linux managed device, the local files include the following:

    • loader-messages.log located in /var/opt/novell/log/zenworks

    • services-messages.log located in /var/opt/novell/log/zenworks

  4. Configure the following options in the System Log panel.

    • Error: Stores messages with severity of Error.

    • Warning and Above: Stores messages with a severity of Warning and Error.

    • Information and Above: Stores messages with a severity of Information, Warning, and Error.

    This setting lets you determine the message types that are added to the local system log. The local system log is the \var\log\messages directory on Linux devices and the zenworks/logs/centralstore directory on Windows devices.

    Messages added to this system log directory are sent to the ZENworks Server for viewing in ZENworks Control Center on the Configuration > System Information page or by viewing the Summary page for the server or workstation.

Centralized Message Logging

In ZENworks Control Center, the Centralized Message Logging page lets you configure the settings related to message logging performed by the Primary Server.

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Configuration.

  2. In the Management Zone Settings panel, click Event and Messaging, then click Centralized Message Logging.

  3. In the Automatic Message Cleanup panel, configure the settings to automatically acknowledge or remove the logged messages from the ZENworks server:

    Preferred Maintenance Server: Specify the IP address of the preferred server on which the Message Cleanup actions runs to acknowledge or delete the logged messages from database.

    Information: Allows you to configure the following settings for the informational messages:

    • Auto acknowledge when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically acknowledge the logged informational messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the informational messages logged before 30 days from the current date are acknowledged when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then the informational messages dated until today are acknowledged. By default, all the informational messages older than 60 days are automatically acknowledged.

    • Auto delete when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically delete the logged informational messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the informational messages logged before 30 days from the current date are deleted when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then the informational messages dated until today are deleted. By default, all the informational messages older than 60 days are automatically deleted.

    If you want to specify both the auto-acknowledge and auto-delete days, then the number of auto-acknowledge days should always be less than the number for auto-delete days.

    Warnings: Allows you to configure the following settings for the warning messages:

    • Auto acknowledge when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically acknowledge the logged warning messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the warning messages logged before 30 days from the current date are acknowledged when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then the warning messages dated until today are acknowledged. By default, all the warning messages older than 60 days are automatically acknowledged.

    • Auto delete when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically delete the logged warning messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the warning messages logged before 30 days from the current date are deleted when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then the warning messages dated until today are deleted. By default, all the warning messages older than 60 days are automatically deleted.

    If you want to specify both the auto-acknowledge and auto-delete days, then the number of auto-acknowledge days should always be less than the number for auto-delete days.

    Errors: Allows you to configure the following settings for the error messages:

    • Auto acknowledge when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically acknowledge the logged error messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the error messages logged before 30 days from the current date are acknowledged when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then the error messages dated until today are acknowledged. By default, all the error messages older than 60 days are automatically acknowledged.

    • Auto delete when older than [ ] days: Allows you to automatically delete the logged error messages that are older than the number of days you specify. For example, if you specify 30 days, then all the error messages logged before 30 days from the current date are deleted when the Message Cleanup activity is scheduled to run. If you specify zero, then error messages dated until today are deleted. By default, all the error messages older than 60 days are automatically deleted.

    If you want to specify both the auto-acknowledge and auto-delete days, then the number of auto-acknowledge days should always be less than the number for auto-delete days.

    Select the Days of the Week and the Time to Perform the Message Cleanup: Allows you to specify the time and the days of the week to run the Message Cleanup action. The administrator can set a daily schedule for Message Cleanup action.

    Use Coordinated Universal Time: Allows you to convert the specified time to UTC (GMT) time. By default, this option is selected.

  4. In the E-mail Notification panel, configure the settings to send the error messages to the administrators through e-mail:

    Send Log Message via E-mail if Severity Is: Allows you to select the severity of the message to trigger sending the log messages through e-mail.

    From: Specify the sender's e-mail address.

    To: Specify the e-mail address of the recipients. You can specify more than one e-mail address by separating them with commas.

    Subject: Specify the subject to be included while sending the e-mail from the Primary Server. You can customize the Subject field with macro values. For more information on customizing the subject field, see E-Mail Format.

  5. In the SNMP Traps panel, configure the SNMP traps on the ZENworks Server to send log messages:

    Send as SNMP Trap if Severity Is: Sends an SNMP trap if the logged message's severity is Error.

    Trap Target: Specify the IP address or DNS name of the SNMP server.

    Port: Specify the port number of the SNMP server configured for this operation. By default, the port number is 162.

    Community String: Specify the community string of the SNMP trap that is to be sent.

  6. In the UDP Forwarder panel, configure the settings to send logged messages through the UDP services. The following table contains information on the options available:

    Send Message via UDP: Sends messages to the UDP destinations if the logged message's severity is Error.

    UDP Destinations: You can perform the following tasks with the Add, Edit, and Remove options:

    • Add a Server  

      1. Click Add to display the Add UDP Destination Address dialog box.

      2. Specify the server name and the UDP port number configured for this operation.

      3. Click OK.

    • Remove a Server  

      1. Select the check box next to the server (or servers).

      2. Click Remove.

    • Edit Server Details  

      1. Select the check box next to the server.

      2. Click Edit to display the Edit UDP Destination dialog box.

      3. Modify the settings as desired, then click OK.

8.4.2 Configuring the Message Logger Settings at the Folder Level

By default, the Message Logger settings configured at the zone level are applied to all the managed devices. However, you can modify the Local Device Logging settings for all the devices within a folder:

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Devices.

  2. Click the Folder (Details) option for which you want to configure the Message Logger settings.

  3. Click Settings, then click Device Management > Local Device Logging.

  4. Click Override.

  5. Edit the logging settings as required.

  6. To apply the changes, click Apply.

    or

    To revert to the Local Device Logging settings configured at the zone level, click Revert.

  7. Click OK.

8.4.3 Configuring the Message Logger Settings at the Device Level

By default, the Message Logger settings configured at the zone level are applied to all the managed devices. However, you can modify the Local Device Logging settings for the managed device:

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Devices.

  2. Click Servers or Workstations to display the list of managed devices.

  3. Click the device for which you want to configure the Message Logger settings.

  4. Click Settings, then click Device Management > Local Device Logging.

  5. Click Override.

  6. Edit the logging settings as required.

  7. To apply the changes click Apply.

    or

    To revert to the Local Device Logging settings configured at the zone level, click Revert.

  8. Click OK.

8.4.4 Turning on the Debug Messages

To turn on the logging of debug messages for all components:

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Configuration.

  2. In the Management Zone Settings panel, click Device Management, then click Local Device Logging.

  3. In the local file panel, select the Log message to a local file if severity is option, then select the severity as Debug and above.

  4. Click Apply, then click OK.