How to decrease logging cache of vCenter

[Buechen]

Hallo,

does anyone know how to either delete or decrease the logging cache of the VMware vCenter Server, like the MSSQL maintance plan, which allows you to delete files older than a specified date? It seems as if the Log Entries of the System Logs of vCenter increase endlessly. The files at C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\Logs grow accordingly and reached already the GB field.

Thank you

[WaffleSniffer]

Hi

As far as I know the log rotation feature of vCenter is automatic, and you should only have no more than 10 of each type of log in the logs folder by default.

However as this article shows in step 3, you can modify the default behaviour by editing the vpxd.cfg file.

Hope this helps 😃

Adam

[Buechen]

Strange,

when changing the vpxd.log to the following the VMware VirtualCenter Server Service doesn't start with error 1067:

The link said something of restarting the service with Server Manager. What is that?

[Buechen]

Sorry,

my fault. The part. Indeed the default log path is a little decreased.

Thanks

[WaffleSniffer]

Hi

Ahhh sorry, I actually meant to use the article as a reference to show that the log rotation can be changed from by modifying the cfg file, i didn't mean for you to enable trivia logging level as this is usually only meant for troubleshooting and can lead to very large logs, and may only lead to worse problems for you...

However, you've set the rotation to 25 logs of 10MB so it shouldn't be too bad.

Can you advise what the vpxd.cfg file was set to before you modified it, this may shed some light on the cause of your initial problems.

Regards, and sorry again if i confused the matter... 😃

Adam

[Buechen]

You do not have to feel sorry. As I can read I had to bother the logging level. So which one is recommended normally? I think the level "Information" instead of "Trivia" should be okay. So the max. Filenumber and the max. Filesize limit the max. Logging Size? Does this mean VMware logs continuously over several files? Do you know which one these exactly are? And, do you know the Server Manager mentioned in this article? Is it a special extra tool for managing the VMware services within Windows?

[WaffleSniffer · Accepted solution]

Hi

The default (and recommended level for normal operation) is 'Information' this should provide enough information for general use. This is easily configured from the vSphere client (Administration Menu > vCenter Server Settings... > Logging Options) and will configure the vpdx.cfg file appropriately.

As you say, the maxFileNum and maxFileSize control the number and size of the log files retained (once the maxFileNum is reached the oldest is deleted) and as far I know this applies to only the vpxd*.log files.

Re the Service Manager mentioned, they are refering to the default Windows Service manager tool, services.msc. Click Start > Run and type services.msc and click ok to open it, or just use the Computer management console... from here you can restart the VMware vCenter services. 😃

Hope this helps

Adam

[Buechen]

Thanks, this seems absolutely right. services.msc I knew, thought there would be another tool by VMware.

[Buechen]

...but if I change the logging level via vSphere Client it seems not to be written in vpxd.cfg immediately. I have to check if it is written at all anytime.