Logs

vCenter Server log file locations by services

/ johannstander / Leave a comment

Location of vCenter Server log files (KB 1021804)


vCenter Server 5.x and earlier versions on Windows XP, 2000, 2003:    %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs\
vCenter Server 5.x and earlier versions on Windows Vista, 7, 2008:    C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs\
vCenter Server Appliance 5.x:    /var/log/vmware/vpx/
vCenter Server Appliance 5.x    UI: /var/log/vmware/vami

vpxd.log: 

The main vCenter Server logs, consisting of all vSphere Client and WebServices connections, internal tasks and events, and communication with the vCenter Server Agent (vpxa) on managed ESX/ESXi hosts.
vpxd-profiler.log, profiler.log and scoreboard.log: 
Profiled metrics for operations performed in vCenter Server. Used by the VPX Operational Dashboard (VOD) accessible at https://VCHostnameOrIPAddress/vod/index.html.
vpxd-alert.log: 
Non-fatal information logged about the vpxd process.
cim-diag.log and vws.log: 
Common Information Model monitoring information, including communication between vCenter Server and managed hosts’ CIM interface.
drmdump\: 
Actions proposed and taken by VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), grouped by the DRS-enabled cluster managed by vCenter Server. These logs are compressed.
ls.log: 
Health reports for the Licensing Services extension, connectivity logs to vCenter Server.
vimtool.log: 
Dump of string used during the installation of vCenter Server with hashed information for DNS, username and output for JDBC creation.
stats.log:
 Provides information about the historical performance data collection from the ESXi/ESX hosts
sms.log: 
Health reports for the Storage Monitoring Service extension, connectivity logs to vCenter Server, the vCenter Server database and the xDB for vCenter Inventory Service.
eam.log: Health reports for the ESX Agent Monitor extension, connectivity logs to vCenter Server.
catalina..log and localhost..log: 
Connectivity information and status of the VMware Webmanagement Services.
jointool.log: 
Health status of the VMwareVCMSDS service and individual ADAM database objects, internal tasks and events, and replication logs between linked-mode vCenter Servers.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1021804


Location of vSphere Profile-Driven Storage log files (KB 2056646)


vCenter Server 5.x and earlier versions on Windows XP, 2000, 2003:    %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\Infrastructure\Profile-Driven Storage\Logs
vCenter Server 5.x and earlier versions on Windows Vista, 7, 2008:    C:\ProgramData\VMware\Infrastructure\Profile-Driven Storage\Logs
vCenter Server 5.x Linux Virtual Appliance: /var/log/vmware/vpx/sps

sps.log:

The main Profile-Driven Storage logs, consisting of all vCenter Server and Management Webservices connections, internal tasks and events, and information about the storage profile integrity.
vim-sps-install.log: 
This file consists of information about the installation of Profile-Driven Storage including computer name, operating system revision, the date of installation and the number of revisions that have been installed or upgraded on the system.
wrapper.log:   
This file provides information about the state of the Java runtime environment.


For vSphere 5.0, all the logs for the vSphere Web Client service are located at:
   Windows: C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\vSphere Web Client\DMServer\serviceability\
   Linux: /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server/serviceability/
For vSphere 5.1, all the logs for the vSphere Web Client service are located at:
   Windows: C:\ProgramData\VMware\vSphere Web Client\serviceability\
   Linux: /var/log/vmware/vsphere-client/serviceability/
For vSphere 5.5, all the logs for the vSphere Web Client service are located at:
   Windows: C:\ProgramData\VMware\vSphere Web Client\serviceability\
   Linux: /var/log/vmware/vsphere-client/

logs\vsphere_client_virgo.log:

The main vSphere Web Client log, consisting of all communication between underlying Flex endpoint connections, internal tasks and events
logs\access\localhost_access_log..txt:
Individual HTTP requests from the Web browser
logs\virgo-serverlog.log:
Information about plug-in bundle communication
eventlogs/eventlog.log
Time stamps of startup and shutdown of the vSphere Web Client service

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2004090

Location of vCenter Single Sign-On log files for vCenter Server 5.1 and 5.5 (KB 2033430)


vSphere 5.1 using vCenter Single Sign-On 5.1:
   vCenter Server 5.1.x on Windows Server 2003 – C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\SSOServer\logs\
vCenter Server 5.1.x on Windows Server 2008/2012 – C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\SSOServer\logs\
vCenter Server Virtual Appliance 5.1.x – /var/log/vmware/sso/
vSphere 5.5 using vCenter Single Sign-On 5.5:
   vCenter Server 5.5.x on 2003 – %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\CIS\
vCenter Server 5.5.x and 2008, 2012 – C:\ProgramData\VMware\CIS\
vCenter Server Virtual Appliance 5.5.x – /var/log/vmware/sso/

vminst.log

 SSO installer log
vim-sso-msi.log 
MSI installer verbose logs for SSO installation
vim_ssoreg.log 
SSO Service log
exported_sso.properties 
Endpoint information about each of the SSO Solution Users and identity sources extracted from previous vCenter Single Sign On 5.1.0 instance
vim-openssl-msi.log 
MSI installer verbose log for OpenSSL installation
vim-python-msi.log 
MSI installer verbose log for Python installation
vim-kfw-msi.log 
MSI installer verbose log for MIT Kerberos installation
SSO logs grouped by component and purpose include:
logs\vmdird\vdcpromo.log
Promotion and demotion operation information for the SSO instance when joined or removed from a linked configurations
logs\vmdird\vdcsetupIdu.log
 VMware Directory Service setup post-installation log containing information about the localhost name
logs\vmdird\vmdir.log 
Health reports for the VMware Directory Service (VMDir) service and the VMDir database
logs\vmkdcd\vmkdcd.log 
Key Distribution Center (kdc) run-time log, reports ports conflicts preventing the service from starting
logs\vmware-sso\vmware-sts-idmd.log 
VMware Identity Management service run-time logs, time-stamped records of user attempts when accessing SSO for administrative purposes
logs\vmware-sso\vmware-sts.ldmd-perf.log 
VMware Identity Management service performance counter logs
logs\vmware-sso\VMwareIdentityMgmtService. date.log 
Commons Daemon log once the Identity Management Service has started
runtime\VMwareSTS\logs\ssoAdminserver.log 
SSO admin server
runtime\VMwareSTS\logs\lookupServer.log 
Lookup server log
runtime\VMwareSTS\logs\catalina. date.log 
Standard Tomcat logs
runtime\VMwareSTS\logs\vmware-identity-sts.log 
VMware Security Token Service service run-time logs, time-stamped records of issuing, validating, and renewal of security tokens.
runtime\VMwareSTS\logs\vmware-identity-sts.log 
VMware Security Token Service performance counter logs.

How to retrieve a VM log file through vSphere Web client

/ johannstander / Leave a comment

In the web client there is an easier way instead or using outside methods for instance:
SSH into host and upload log files to ftp site
GUI interface apps like WinSCP.

These normally have issues with copying of files due to file being locked while VM is powered on.

Firstly need to note the folder file name for VM:

  1. Select VM
  2. Select Summary tab
  3. On VM hardware window and select “settings”
  4. Expand the Hard disks and note the Disk File name provided.

To retrieve the log files following these instructions:

  1. Select VM
  2. Select Related Objects tab
  3. Select Datastores
  4. Right click on databastore and select “Browse files”
  5. Double click the folder associated to VM which was retrieved in beginning.
  6. Highlight each vmware*.log file individually
  7. Right click and select “Download from datastore”
  8. Select local folder location
  9. done!
If your server is unresponsive or crashed you can also export all the log files.  However beware this option will suspend or crash your VM so please use with caution!(KB 1007802)
  1. Select VM
  2. Right click VM and select “all vCenter Actions”
  3. Select “export system logs”
  4. Select system logs to export
  5. Select finish
  6. done