viclient.log(s) are gigantic

[mumford]

I have just started noticing in the last week or so, that something was consuming a lot of space on my vCenter server. Upon investigation, I found it to be viclient.log(s) for certain users. The largest of the files were 25GB - 60GB, making them unreadable with Word or anything else I tried. I have searched, and am unable to find any reason for this, has this happened to anyone else?

Speaking with the users, the biggest offender has stated that he just recently started leaving his session to vCenter open, so I am guessing this is part of the reason, as the logs are not being rotated. However, 60GB still seems like an enormously large log file.

Thanks!

Ryan

[rogard]

Have a look at the "database retention policy" within vcenter settings

[mumford]

These settings are left at the defaults, unchecked. These have not been changed since install, my main question is why have the logs just started growing tremendously in size?

Thanks!

[mark_chuman]

viclient logs on the vCenter server? what directory are you looking in? i understand that the viclient stores it's logs on the computer which has the vSphere client installed, not on the vCenter server.

[mumford]

viclient logs on the vCenter server at C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\VMware\vpx

The client is launched directly from the vCenter server.

[mark_chuman]

I would move this to the vSphere client thread... It's not a vCenter issue.

Not sure why the logs are growing for the vSphere client.

Bigger pitcture solution would obviously be to get these users off the vCenter server and get the client on their PCs.

[mumford]

I would move this to the vSphere client thread, yet I do not think there is one.

Or maybe I am mistaken?

Thanks!

[mark_chuman]

Yep, I looked and it appears vSphere is the closest thread.

[mumford]

Unfortunately, VMware vSphere is not a "post-able" community, I think my discussion is currently in the most relevant community. That aside, has anyone else experienced this problem? Or, does anyone see any issues with setting limits on the size of these logs?

Thanks again!

[rogard · Accepted solution]

Sorry my bad, didnt realize you meant those logs.

Those logs are rotated everything the client is closed. I would delete them all (unless you need them) and ask the user to close viclient!

[mumford]

That answer works for me.

Thanks for the help!

[skayser]

Anyone aware of a vSphere Client command line switch to disable the massive client logging in the first place?