Cisco MDS 9000 Family Fabric Manager Configuration Guide, Release 1.3 (from Release 1.3(1) through Release 1.3(6))
Configuring System Message Logging

Table Of Contents

Configuring System Message Logging

About System Message Logging

Configuring System Message Logging

Enabling Message Logging

Configuring Console Severity Level

Configuring Module Logging

Configuring Log Files

Configuring the Syslog Daemon

Outgoing Syslog Server Logging Facilities

Configuring Syslog Servers

Configuring Syslog Attributes

Configuring Syslog Priorities

Default Settings

About SNMP Events

Viewing the Events Log

Configuring Event Destinations

Configuring Event Security

Configuring Event Filters

About RMON Facilities

Enabling RMON Alarms by Port

Enabling RMON Alarms for VSANs

Enabling RMON Alarms for Physical Components

Configuring RMON Controls

Managing RMON Alarms

Managing RMON Event Severity Levels

Viewing the RMON Log


Configuring System Message Logging


This chapter describes how to configure system message logging on the Cisco MDS 9000 Family switches.

This chapter contains the following topics:

About System Message Logging

Configuring System Message Logging

Default Settings

About SNMP Events

About RMON Facilities

About System Message Logging

The system message logging software saves messages in a log file or directs the messages to other devices. This feature provides you with the following capabilities:

Provides logging information for monitoring and troubleshooting

Allows you to select the types of captured logging information.

Allows you to select the destination of the captured logging information.

By default, the switch logs normal but significant system messages to a log file and sends these messages to the system console. You can specify which system messages should be saved based on the type of facility and the severity level. Messages are time-stamped to enhance real-time debugging and management.

You can access logged system messages using the CLI or by saving them to a properly configured syslog server. The switch software saves syslog messages in a file that can be configured to save up to 4 MB. You can monitor system messages remotely by accessing the switch through Telnet, SSH, or the console port, or by viewing the logs on a syslog server.

When the switch first initializes, the network is not connected until initialization completes. Therefore, messages are not redirected to a syslog server for a few seconds.

Log messages are not saved across system reboots. However, a maximum of 100 log messages with a severity level of critical and below (levels 0, 1, and 2) are saved in NVRAM.

Table 28-1 describes the facilities supported by the system message logs.

Table 28-1 Facilities Supported by the System Message Logs 

Facility Keyword
Description
Standard or Cisco MDS Specific

acl

ACL manager

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

all

All facilities

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

auth

Authorization system

Standard

authpriv

Authorization (private) system

Standard

bootvar

Bootvar

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

callhome

Call Home

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

cron

Cron or at facility

Standard

daemon

System daemons

Standard

fcc

FCC

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

fcdomain

fcdomain

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

fcns

Name server

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

fcs

FCS

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

flogi

FLOGI

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

fspf

FSPF

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

ftp

File Transfer Protocol

Standard

ipconf

IP configuration

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

ipfc

IPFC

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

kernel

Kernel

Standard

local0 to local7

Locally defined messages

Standard

lpr

Line printer system

Standard

mail

Mail system

Standard

mcast

Multicast

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

module

Switching module

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

news

USENET news

Standard

ntp

NTP

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

platform

Platform manager

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

port

Port

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

port-channel

PortChannel

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

qos

QoS

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

rdl

RDL

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

rib

RIB

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

rscn

RSCN

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

securityd

Security

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

syslog

Internal syslog messages

Standard

sysmgr

System manager

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

tlport

TL port

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

user

User process

Standard

uucp

Unix-to-Unix copy system

Standard

vhbad

Virtual host base adapter daemon

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

vni

Virtual network interface

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

vrrp_cfg

VRRP configuration

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

vrrp_eng

VRRP engine

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

vsan

VSAN syslog

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

vshd

vshd

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

wwn

WWN manager

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

xbar

Xbar syslog

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific

zone

Zone server

Cisco MDS 9000 Family specific


Table 28-2 describes the severity levels supported by the system message logs.

Table 28-2 Error Message Severity Levels 

Level Keyword
Level
Description
Syslog Definition

emergencies

0

System unusable

LOG_EMERG

alerts

1

Immediate action needed

LOG_ALERT

critical

2

Critical conditions

LOG_CRIT

errors

3

Error conditions

LOG_ERR

warnings

4

Warning conditions

LOG_WARNING

notifications

5

Normal but significant condition

LOG_NOTICE

informational

6

Informational messages only

LOG_INFO

debugging

7

Debugging messages

LOG_DEBUG


Refer to the Cisco MDS 9000 Family System Messages Guide for details on the error log message format.

Configuring System Message Logging

System logging messages are sent to the console based on the default (or configured) logging facility and severity values.

Enabling Message Logging

You can disable logging to the console or enable logging to a given Telnet or SSH session.

When you disable or enable logging to a console session, that state is applied to all future console sessions. If you exit and log in again to a new session, the state is preserved.

When you enable or disable logging to a Telnet or SSH session. that state is applied only to that session. If you exit and log in again to a new session, the state is not preserved.

Configuring Console Severity Level

When logging is enabled for a console session (default), you can configure the severity levels of messages that appear on the console. The default severity for console logging is 2 (critical).


Tip The current critical (default) logging level is maintained, if the console baud speed is 9600 baud (default). All attempts to change the console logging level generates an error message. T o increase the logging level (above critical), you must change the console baud speed to 38400 baud.


Configuring Module Logging

By default, logging is enabled at Level 7 for all modules. You can enable or disable logging for each module at a specified level.

Configuring Log Files

Logging messages may be saved to a log file. You can configure the name of this file and restrict its size as required. The default log file name is messages. You can rename this file. The file name can have up to 200 characters and the file size ranges from 4096 bytes to 4194304 bytes.

The configured log file is saved in the /var/log/external directory. The location of the log file cannot be changed.

You can display the log file and copy the logfile to a different location.

Configuring the Syslog Daemon

To send log messages to a UNIX syslog server, you must configure the syslog daemon on a UNIX server. Log in as root, and perform these steps:


Step 1 Add the following line to the file /etc/syslog.conf

local1.debug /var/log/ myfile.log

Be sure to add five tab characters betweenlocal1.debug and /var/log/myfile.log. Refer to entries in the /etc/syslog.conf file for further examples.

The switch sends messages according to the specified facility types and severity levels. The local1 keyword specifies the UNIX logging facility used. The messages from the switch are generated by user processes. The debug keyword specifies the severity level of the condition being logged. You can set UNIX systems to receive all messages from the switch.

Step 2 Create the log file by entering these commands at the UNIX shell prompt:

$ touch /var/log/ myfile.log$ chmod 666 /var/log/ myfile.log

Step 3 Make sure the syslog daemon reads the new changes by entering this command:

$ kill -HUP ~cat /etc/syslog.pid~


Outgoing Syslog Server Logging Facilities

All syslog messages have a logging facility and a level. The logging facility can be thought of as where and the level can be thought of as what.

The single syslog daemon (syslogd) sends the information based on the configured facility option. If no facility is specified, local7 is the default outgoing facility.

The internal facilities are listed in Table 28-3.

Table 28-3 Internal Facilities 

Facility Keyword
Description
Standard or Cisco MDS Specific

auth

Authorization system

Standard

authpriv

Authorization (private) system

Standard

cron

Cron or at facility

Standard

daemon

System daemons

Standard

ftp

File Transfer Protocol

Standard

kernel

Kernel

Standard

local0 to local7

Locally defined messages

Standard (local7 is the default)

lpr

Line printer system

Standard

mail

Mail system

Standard

news

USENET news

Standard

syslog

Internal syslog messages

Standard

user

User process

Standard

uucp

Unix-to-Unix copy system

Standard


Configuring Syslog Servers

To configure syslog servers, follow these steps:


Step 1 Choose Events > Syslog from the Fabric Manager menu tree, and then click the Servers tab. The Information pane displays syslog information for multiple switches.

From the Device Manager, choose Events > Syslog, and then click the Servers tab. The Syslog dialog box with the Servers tab selected displays syslog information for a single switch.

Step 2 Configure the server attributes for the syslog.

Step 3 To add a syslog server, click Create. You see the Create Syslog Server dialog box.

Step 4 Complete the fields on this dialog box and click OK.


Configuring Syslog Attributes

To configure syslog attributes, follow these steps:


Step 1 From the Fabric Manager, choose Events > Syslog on the menu tree and click the General tab. The Information pane displays syslog information for multiple switches.

From the Device Manager, choose Events > Syslog and click the General tab. The General tab of the Syslog dialog box displays syslog information for a single switch.

Step 2 Configure the general attributes for the syslog.


Configuring Syslog Priorities

To configure syslog priorities, follow these steps:


Step 1 From the Fabric Manager, choose Events > Syslog on the menu tree, and then click the Priorities tab. The Information pane displays syslog information for multiple switches.

From the Device Manager, choose Events > Syslog, and then click the Priorities tab. The Syslog dialog box with the Servers tab selected displays syslog information for a single switch.

Step 2 Configure the priorities for the syslog.


Default Settings

Table 28-4 lists the default settings for system message logging.

Table 28-4 Default System Message Log Setting 

Parameters
Default

System message logging to the console

Enabled for messages at the critical severity level.

System message logging to Telnet sessions

Disabled.

Logging file size

4194304.

Log file name

message (can be changed to any name with up to 200 characters).

Logging server

Disabled.

Syslog server IP address

Non configured.

No. of servers

3 servers.

Server facility

Local 7.


About SNMP Events

SNMP is an application layer protocol that facilitates the exchange of management information between network devices. Cisco MDS 9000 Family switches, like other SNMP-enabled devices, send events (traps and informs) to configurable destinations, called trap receivers in SNMPv2.

Viewing the Events Log

To view the events log from the Device Manager, choose SNMP Log from the Events menu. The Events Log dialog box displays a log of events for a single switch

To manage the SNMP log, choose SNMP Log from the Events menu and click the Controls tab. The Controls tab provides summary statistics about the SNMP log and allows you to change the default settings for the log.


Caution Changing these values from different Fabric Manager workstations at the same time may cause unpredictable results.

Configuring Event Destinations

To configure event destinations, follow these steps:


Step 1 Choose Events > Notifications/Traps from the Fabric Manager the menu tree and click the Destinations tab, or choose Events > Destinations from the Device Manager.

The Fabric Manager Information pane from the Fabric Manager shows event destination information for multiple switches. The Device Manager dialog shows event destinations for a single switch.

Step 2 To create an event destination, click Create in the Device Manager dialog box or click the Create Row icon on the Fabric Manager toolbar. You see the Create Event Destinations dialog box. (The dialog box from the Fabric Manager allows you to choose a switch.)

Step 3 Complete the fields and click Apply to create the event destination, or click OK to create the destination and close the dialog box.


Configuring Event Security


Caution This is an advanced function that should only be used by administrators having experience with SNMPv3.

To configure event security from the Fabric Manager, choose Events > Notifications/Traps on the menu tree, and click the Security tab.

To configure event security from the Device Manager, choose Destinations from the Events menu and click the Security tab.

The Information pane from the Fabric Manager displays event security information for multiple switches. The dialog box from Device Manager displays event security for a single switch.

Configuring Event Filters

To configure event filters from the Fabric Manager, choose Events > Filters on the menu tree, and click the FC or Other tab.

To configure event filters from the Device Manager, choose Filters from the Events menu.

The Event Filters dialog box displays event filters for a single switch. The Information pane in Fabric Manager displays two different views, which list the same event filters for multiple switches, in different order.

To configure event filters, check the check box next to the appropriate filter name.

About RMON Facilities

Remote Monitoring (RMON) allows you to specify thresholds and monitor alarms on SNMP variables.

Enabling RMON Alarms by Port

To enable alarm notifications by port from the Device Manager, choose Events > Threshold Manager and click the Ports tab.

To configure an RMON alarm for one or more ports, follow these steps:


Step 1 Click the Selected radio button.

Step 2 Click the button to the right of the Selected field to display all ports.

Step 3 Choose the ports you want to monitor.

Step 4 Click OK to accept the selection.

Alternatively, click the appropriate radio button to select ports by type (All ports, xE ports, or Fx port).

Step 5 Check the check box for each variable that you want to monitor.

Step 6 Enter the threshold value in the Value column.

Step 7 Enter the sampling period in seconds.

Step 8 Choose one of the following severity levels to assign to the alarm:

Fatal

Warning

Critical

Error

Information

Step 9 Click Create.

Step 10 Confirm the operation to define an alarm and a log event when the system prompts you to define a severity event.

If you do not confirm the operation, the system only defines a log event.


Enabling RMON Alarms for VSANs

To manage RMON alarm service attributes for selected VSANs from the Device Manager, choose Events > Threshold Manager and click the Services tab. You see the Threshold Manager dialog box with the Services tab selected.

To enable an RMON alarm for one or more VSANs, follow these steps:


Step 1 Enter one or more VSANs to monitor in the VSAN Id(s) field.

Step 2 Check the check box for each variable that you want to monitor.

Step 3 Enter the threshold value in the Value column.

Step 4 Enter the sampling period in seconds.

Step 5 Select a severity level to assign to the alarm:

Step 6 Click Create.

Step 7 Confirm the operation to define an alarm and a log event when the system prompts you to define a severity event.

If you do not confirm the operation, the system only defines a log event.


Enabling RMON Alarms for Physical Components

To configure RMON alarm physical attributes from the Device Manager, choose Events > Threshold Manager and click the Physical tab. You see the Create RMON Alarms dialog box with the Physical tab selected.

To configure an RMON alarm for a physical component, follow these steps:


Step 1 Check the check box for each variable that you want to monitor.

Step 2 Enter the threshold value in the Value column.

Step 3 Enter the sampling period in seconds.

Step 4 Select one of the following severity levels to assign to the alarm:

Fatal

Warning

Critical

Error

Information

Step 5 Click Create.

Step 6 Confirm the operation to define an alarm and a log event when the system prompts you to define a severity event.

If you do not confirm the operation, the system only defines a log event.


Configuring RMON Controls

To change the default controls for RMON alarms, choose Threshold Manager from the Device Manager menu. You see the Threshold Manager window.

Click More on the Threshold Manager window. You see the second Threshold Manager dialog box.

Managing RMON Alarms

To view the alarms that have already been enabled, follow these steps:


Step 1 Choose Events > Threshold Manager, and then click More in the Threshold Manager dialog box.

Step 2 Click the Alarms tab. You see the RMON Alarms dialog box.

Step 3 To create a customized threshold entry, click Create. You see the Create RMON Alarms dialog box.


Managing RMON Event Severity Levels

To define customized RMON event severity levels, follow these steps:


Step 1 Choose Event s> Threshold Manager, and then click More in the Threshold Manager dialog box.

Step 2 Click the Events tab on the RMON Thresholds dialog box. You see the RMON Events dialog box.

Step 3 To create a new threshold entry, click Create. You see the Create Threshold Entry dialog box.

Step 4 Configure the RMON event threshold attributes.


Viewing the RMON Log

To view the RMON log from the Device Manager, follow these steps:


Step 1 Choose Events > Threshold Manager, and then click More in the Threshold Manager dialog box.

Step 2 Click the Log tab on the RMON Thresholds dialog box. You see the RMON Log dialog box.