change statistics level in Vmware ESXi free version

[MartBze]

Hello all,

I would like to know how can I modify the statistics level on a Vmware ESXi free version.  I'm unable to use Vcenter and the host license doesn't allow me since it a free version.  Is there a cli command that can be run on the host to make the modifications?

Thank you,

Mart

Moderator edit by wila: Moved thread to vSphere Hypervisor discussions

[vbondzio]

Assuming you mean the performance metrics, without vCenter, all you have is real time, i.e. 20 sec. intervals for all available metrics, available for the past hour.

[DominikWeglarz]

You should change
config.HostAgent.log.level
It is located at manage -- system -- advanced settings.

If you cannot change over there - than go esxi terminal (i.e. by ssh) and edit file - vi is your friend ‌‌
/etc/vmware/hostd/config.xml
go to proper section and input for example <level>verbose</level> like here :

<log>
<directory>/var/log/vmware/</directory>
<maxFileNum>8</maxFileNum>
<maxFileSize>524288</maxFileSize>
<level>verbose</level>
<name>hostd</name>
<outputToConsole>false</outputToConsole>
<outputToFiles>false</outputToFiles>
<outputToSyslog>true</outputToSyslog>
<syslog>
<facility>local4</facility>
<ident>Hostd</ident>
<logHeaderFile>/var/run/vmware/hostdLogHeader.txt</logHeaderFile>
</syslog>
</log>

than restart hostd:

/etc/init.d/hostd restart

Dominik Węglarz
VCI, VCP-DCV(3-7,2020) 

[DominikWeglarz]

Sorry for my previous post MartBze - I thought you asked about log levels - my bad 😉 

Statistcs are very limited on host. 

I'm not sure if it still works - but maybe this will help you a little : https://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/esxi-extend-performance-data 

Dominik Węglarz
VCI, VCP-DCV(3-7,2020) 

[vbondzio]

Just to be very clear, changing anything WRT the statssvc is unsupported / has not been tested. If that is clear and you want to change some of the parameters, at least make sure you don't put the stats file anywhere on the ramdisk, filling that up is no bueno. Also, changing the interval _will_ break the expectation that other services might have, i.e. just because you can get the stats via API, doesn't mean other tools will be able to, vCenter definitely _does not like_ changing the interval.

I think what you are refereeing to is the number of metrics available in the ESXi host client? It is somewhat restrictive in what it shows but all metrics are available via API, e.g. Get-Stat in PowerCLI. If this is about a personal lab and not production, you might be interested in https://www.vmug.com/membership/vmug-advantage-membership. If this is commercial and you can't afford a host license, you'd have to find a 3rd party tool that can gather / display the metrics you are interested in.

[DominikWeglarz]

There is no commercial technical support provided by VMware for free ESXi as far as I know.

Title of thread has "free" word 😉

[vbondzio]

That is correct, that doesn't mean that you wouldn't like to stay withing certain guide-rails to reduce the risk of your ESXi host from failing in unpredictable ways, hence the warning.