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Table Of Contents
Operating System Logs
The operating system event log can identify external factors that might cause problems..You can detect
simple problems by reviewing the security and application logs. Common errors include authentication
problems:
Report Server (MSSQLSERVER) cannot connect to the report server database.
However, any message that occurs during the time frame surrounding the undesired behavior is suspect,
especially if the same error or warning always accompanies the behavior.
Hardware
Errors and behaviors caused by hardware problems are among the most erratic. You might see a series of
seemingly unrelated errors in sequence, or you might see the same error at random times. You might also
see VCM operation degrade over time. This sort of irregular evidence might indicate a need for system
hardware diagnostics.
Checking VCM Logs
During normal operation, VCM writes files with the .dbe extension to various locations, which store
debug information about VCM.
The Collector writes additional debug information to the VCM database whenever jobs are running in the
VCM Console.
The Collector log is vital because it records all primary functions of VCM, and when VMware Technical
Support engineers mention the debug log in the singular, they mean this Collector log.
Debug logs are a common troubleshooting tool for VMware Technical Support, so if you have called for
assistance before, you might already be familiar with the process of gathering them. You might even
recognize certain messages that appear in the logs. Even if that is the case, be aware that the debug logs
were not designed for the average user. The messages were written to help engineers understand why
VCM is operating the way that it is. You are free to review the logs yourself, but usually you forward the
logs in their entirety to VMware Technical Support for analysis.
While it is not necessary to know every message that a debug log might contain, it is helpful to know
about the types of messages.
Info Messages
Although VCM is not configured to save them by default, info messages are the most common message
category. VCM usually discards info messagesto reduce debug file size, but you temporarily enable the
saving of info messages to help you are look for clues related to a problem.
After enabling info messages, nearly every action that VCM performs is recorded in debug logs. Even
though the messages are only informational, they provide a context for error behavior and can be
important in solving a troubleshooting problem.
Warning Messages
Warnings indicate an unexpected situation but do not necessarily indicate a permanent problem. Many
common situations such as network timeouts or authentication failures produce warnings.
Warning messages usually do not prevent VCM from normal operation. They are intended to alert
engineers about a possible problem.
Troubleshooting Overview
VMware, Inc.
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