Troubleshoot ISE 3.3 Monitoring Database File Corruption Causing Log Visualization Failure

Issue

After a system restart on Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) 3.3, log visualization functionality became unavailable from the Primary Administration Node (PAN). The issue manifested as an inability to view logs and RADIUS Live Logs through the ISE web interface. The problem persisted even after upgrading from ISE 3.3 Patch 8 to Patch 10 due to a suspected bug. Attempts to reset the monitoring database using the application configure ise command option 4 failed due to database lock errors, preventing the restoration of log visibility functionality.

Environment

• Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) version 3.3

• Initially running ISE 3.3 Patch 8, later upgraded to Patch 10

• Multi-node ISE deployment with Primary Administration Node (PAN) and Secondary Administration Node (SAN)

• Issue occurred after a system restart.

• Monitoring and Troubleshooting (MnT) database functionality impacted.

Resolution

The resolution involved copying the monitoring configuration file from the functional SAN node to the corrupted PAN node, followed by a controlled restart to restore log visualization functionality.

Step 1: File Analysis and Comparison

Through diagnostic analysis, it was identified that the mnt.properties file located at /opt/CSCOcpm/mnt/config/mnt.properties contained inconsistent information between the PAN and SAN nodes. The PAN node's file was determined to be incomplete or corrupted, preventing proper monitoring service functionality.

Step 2: File Synchronization Procedure

During a scheduled maintenance window, these steps were performed:

1. Access the functional SAN node and locate the correct mnt.properties file.

2. Copy the mnt.properties file from the SAN node to the PAN node, ensuring both nodes have identical monitoring configuration.

3. Verify the file was copied successfully and contains the correct configuration data.

Step 3: System Restart and Validation

1. Restart the PAN node to apply the configuration changes.

2. Validate that log visualization functionality is restored in the ISE web interface.

3. Perform comprehensive testing by switching services between nodes (Primary and Secondary Administration node) multiple times to confirm stable operation.

4. Verify that both nodes display complete connection details and RADIUS Live Logs properly.

After the restart, log visualization was successfully restored, and functional testing confirmed normal operation across both nodes with complete visibility of authentication logs and connection details.

Cause

The root cause was identified as corruption or incomplete data in the mnt.properties file on the Primary Administration Node. This file, located at /opt/CSCOcpm/mnt/config/mnt.properties, contains critical configuration information for the monitoring and troubleshooting services. When this file becomes corrupted or contains inconsistent data compared to other nodes in the deployment, it prevents the PAN from properly processing and displaying RADIUS Live Logs and other monitoring information. While the exact trigger for the file corruption cannot be definitively determined, analysis suggested it can have occurred after certificate installation or modification activities, though this is not a commonly observed behavior in ISE deployments.

Related Content

• Cisco Technical Support & Downloads

Revision History

Revision	Publish Date	Comments
1.0	06-Nov-2026	Initial Release