Log file activity

Data Protection for VMware creates and modifies several log files during installation, back up, mount, and restore operations.

Data Protection for VMware log files are plain text files that use an .sf file extension.

Windows operating systems Logs are placed in the following directory:
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Tivoli\TSM\TDPVMware
The directories contain a subdirectory for each Data Protection for VMware component. For example, the Tivoli Storage Manager recovery agent subdirectory is \mount, and the Recovery Agent command-line interface subdirectory is \shell.
You can search for log files from the Windows > Start menu, by selecting Control Panel > Search and entering *.log.

Logs are placed in both of the following paths:
<user.home>/tivoli/tsm/ve/mount/log

/opt/tivoli/tsm/TDPVMware/mount/engine/var
You can search for log files by entering this command:

find /opt/tivoli/ -name "*.log"

Important: Existing log files are overwritten every time an installation is started. If you encounter an installation issue and must reinstall the product, retrieve the existing TDPVMwareInstallation.log file from the %allusersprofile% directory before you try the installation again.

Note: While the Data Protection for VMware service is running, several log files are held in an open state. As a result, some file managers do not display the current state of these files, and might report a file size of zero. Selecting or opening one of these files forces the file manager to update the file's details.

Tivoli Storage Manager recovery agent log files

The Tivoli Storage Manager recovery agent log file is TDP_FOR_VMWARE_MOUNTnnn.sf. The log file with the most recent data is stored in the log file with the 040 number (TDP_FOR_VMWARE_MOUNT040.sf). When a log file reaches the maximum size limit, a new log file is created. The log file name is the same except that the log file number decrements by one. Specifically, the data in the log file with the 040 number is copied to a log file with the 039 number. The log file with the 040 number contains the newest log file data. When 040 again reaches maximum file size, the 039 file contents move to 038 and the 040 information goes to 039 again.

Data Protection for VMware GUI log files

The Data Protection for VMware vSphere GUI or Data Protection for VMware vCloud GUI places log files in this directory:
Windows operating systems C:\IBM\tivoli\tsm\tdpvmware\webserver\usr\servers\veProfile\logs
Linux operating systems /opt/tivoli/tsm/tdpvmware/common/webserver/usr/servers/veProfile/logs
When you are collecting log files, make sure to include all subdirectories in your compressed file.

Data Protection for VMware command-line interface log files

The Data Protection for VMware command-line interface places log files in this directory:
Windows operating systems C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Tivoli\TDPVMware\VMwarePlugin\logs
Linux operating systems /opt/tivoli/tsm/tdpvmware/common/logs
When you are collecting log files, make sure to include all subdirectories in your compressed file.

Tivoli Storage Manager file restore interface log files

The Tivoli® Storage Manager file restore interface logs error messages to the fr_api.log, fr_gui.log, and messages.log files. These files are in the following default directory:
Windows operating systems C:\IBM\tivoli\tsm\tdpvmware\webserver\usr\servers\veProfile\logs
Linux operating systems /opt/tivoli/tsm/tdpvmware/common/webserver/usr/servers/veProfile/logs
You can change the name and location of the fr_api.log file by setting the API_LOG_FILE_NAME and API_LOG_FILE_LOCATION options in the file restore log activity file (FRLog.config).

File restore operations are also logged by the Tivoli Storage Manager server. You can search these messages with a server administrative command-line client.

To start an administrative client session in command-line mode, enter this command on your workstation:
```
dsmadmc -id=admin -password=admin -dataonly=yes
```
By entering the DSMADMC command with the -ID and -PASSWORD options as shown, you are not prompted for a user ID and password.
To search the SQL summary extended table to view results about file restore operations, issue the select command from the administrative command-line client:
```
select * from SUMMARY_EXTENDED where ACTIVITY_TYPE='File Restore'
```
You can narrow the search by including one or more of the following criteria in the select statement:
```
* ENTITY='DATA_MOVER_NODE_NAME'
* AS_ENTITY='DATA_CENTER_NODE_NAME'
* SUB_ENTITY='VM_HOST_NAME'
* START_TIME='yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'
```
For example:
```
select * from SUMMARY_EXTENDED where ACTIVITY_TYPE='File Restore' 
and ENTITY='LOCAL_MP_WIN' and AS_ENTITY='DC_NODE' and SUB_ENTITY='testvm' 
and START_TIME>'2015-03-11 17:30:00'
```
The START_TIME criteria supports queries with the following signs: equal (=), less than (<), or greater than (>).
To search the SQL activity log table to view events about file restore operations, issue the select command from the administrative command-line client:
```
select * from ACTLOG
```
You can narrow the search by including one or more of the following criteria in the select statement:
```
* NODENAME='DATA_CENTER_NODE_NAME'
* DATE_TIME='yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'
```
For example:
```
select * from ACTLOG where NODENAME='DC_NODE' and DATE_TIME>'2015-03-11 17:30:00'
```

Specify the DATA_MOVER_NODE_NAME and DATA_CENTER_NODE_NAME in uppercase characters.

The DATE_TIME criteria supports queries with the following signs: equal (=), less than (<), or greater than (>).