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Contents
By default, a switch sends the output from system messages and debug privileged EXEC commands to a logging process. Stack members can trigger system messages. A stack member that generates a system message appends its hostname in the form of hostname-n, where n is a switch range from 1 to 8, and redirects the output to the logging process on the active switchstack master. Though the active switchstack master is a stack member, it does not append its hostname to system messages. The logging process controls the distribution of logging messages to various destinations, such as the logging buffer, terminal lines, or a UNIX syslog server, depending on your configuration. The process also sends messages to the console.
When the logging process is disabled, messages are sent only to the console. The messages are sent as they are generated, so message and debug output are interspersed with prompts or output from other commands. Messages appear on the active consoles after the process that generated them has finished.
You can set the severity level of the messages to control the type of messages displayed on the consoles and each of the destinations. You can time-stamp log messages or set the syslog source address to enhance real-time debugging and management. For information on possible messages, see the system message guide for this release.
You can access logged system messages by using the switch command-line interface (CLI) or by saving them to a properly configured syslog server. The switch software saves syslog messages in an internal buffer on a standalone switch, and in the case of a switch stack, on the active switchstack master. If a standalone switch or the stack master fails, the log is lost unless you had saved it to flash memory.
You can remotely monitor system messages by viewing the logs on a syslog server or by accessing the switch through Telnet, through the console port, or through the Ethernet management port. In a switch stack, all stack member consoles provide the same console output.
Note | The syslog format is compatible with 4.3 BSD UNIX. |
System log messages can contain up to 80 characters and a percent sign (%), which follows the optional sequence number or time-stamp information, if configured. Depending on the switch, messages appear in one of these formats:
seq no:timestamp: %facility-severity-MNEMONIC:description (hostname-n)
seq no:timestamp: %facility-severity-MNEMONIC:description
Element |
Description |
---|---|
seq no: |
Stamps log messages with a sequence number only if the service sequence-numbers global configuration command is configured. |
timestamp formats: mm/dd h h:mm:ss or hh:mm:ss (short uptime) or d h (long uptime) |
Date and time of the message or event. This information appears only if the service timestamps log [datetime | log] global configuration command is configured. |
facility |
The facility to which the message refers (for example, SNMP, SYS, and so forth). |
severity |
Single-digit code from 0 to 7 that is the severity of the message. |
MNEMONIC |
Text string that uniquely describes the message. |
description |
Text string containing detailed information about the event being reported. |
hostname-n |
Hostname of a stack member and its switch number in the stack. Though the active switchstack master is a stack member, it does not append its hostname to system messages. |
Feature |
Default Setting |
---|---|
System message logging to the console |
Enabled. |
Console severity |
Debugging. |
Logging file configuration |
No filename specified. |
Logging buffer size |
4096 bytes. |
Logging history size |
1 message. |
Time stamps |
Disabled. |
Synchronous logging |
Disabled. |
Logging server |
Disabled. |
Syslog server IP address |
None configured. |
Server facility |
Local7 |
Server severity |
Informational. |
If you enabled syslog message traps to be sent to an SNMP network management station by using the snmp-server enable trap global configuration command, you can change the level of messages sent and stored in the switch history table. You also can change the number of messages that are stored in the history table.
Messages are stored in the history table because SNMP traps are not guaranteed to reach their destination. By default, one message of the level warning and numerically lower levels are stored in the history table even if syslog traps are not enabled.
When the history table is full (it contains the maximum number of message entries specified with the logging history size global configuration command), the oldest message entry is deleted from the table to allow the new message entry to be stored.
The history table lists the level keywords and severity level. For SNMP usage, the severity level values increase by 1. For example, emergencies equal 1, not 0, and critical equals 3, not 2.
If message logging is enabled, you can send messages to specific locations in addition to the console.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
logging buffered [size]
3.
logging
host
4.
logging file flash:
filename [max-file-size [min-file-size]]
[severity-level-number | type]
5.
end
6.
terminal
monitor
You can synchronize unsolicited messages and debug privileged EXEC command output with solicited device output and prompts for a specific console port line or virtual terminal line. You can identify the types of messages to be output asynchronously based on the level of severity. You can also configure the maximum number of buffers for storing asynchronous messages for the terminal after which messages are dropped.
When synchronous logging of unsolicited messages and debug command output is enabled, unsolicited device output appears on the console or printed after solicited device output appears or is printed. Unsolicited messages and debug command output appears on the console after the prompt for user input is returned. Therefore, unsolicited messages and debug command output are not interspersed with solicited device output and prompts. After the unsolicited messages appear, the console again displays the user prompt.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
line [console | vty] line-number
[ending-line-number]
3.
logging synchronous [level [severity-level
| all] | limit
number-of-buffers]
4.
end
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | configure terminal Example:
Switch# configure terminal
|
Enters global configuration mode. |
Step 2 | line [console | vty] line-number
[ending-line-number] Example:
Switch(config)# line console
|
Specifies the line to be configured for synchronous logging of messages.
You can change the setting of all 16 vty lines at once by entering: line vty 0 15 You can also change the setting of the single vty line being used for your current connection. For example, to change the setting for vty line 2, enter: line vty 2 When you enter this command, the mode changes to line configuration. |
Step 3 | logging synchronous [level [severity-level
| all] | limit
number-of-buffers] Example:
Switch(config)# logging synchronous level 3 limit 1000
|
Enables synchronous logging of messages.
|
Step 4 | end Example:
Switch(config)# end
|
Returns to privileged EXEC mode. |
Message logging is enabled by default. It must be enabled to send messages to any destination other than the console. When enabled, log messages are sent to a logging process, which logs messages to designated locations asynchronously to the processes that generated the messages.
Disabling the logging process can slow down the switch because a process must wait until the messages are written to the console before continuing. When the logging process is disabled, messages appear on the console as soon as they are produced, often appearing in the middle of command output.
The logging synchronous global configuration command also affects the display of messages to the console. When this command is enabled, messages appear only after you press Return.
To reenable message logging after it has been disabled, use the logging on global configuration command.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
no logging console
3.
end
Command or Action | Purpose |
---|
By default, log messages are not time-stamped.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
Use one of these commands:
3.
end
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | configure terminal Example:
Switch# configure terminal
|
Enters global configuration mode. |
Step 2 | Use one of these commands:
Example: Switch(config)# service timestamps log uptime
or Switch(config)# service timestamps log datetime
|
Enables log time stamps. |
Step 3 | end Example:
Switch(config)# end
|
Returns to privileged EXEC mode. |
If there is more than one log message with the same time stamp, you can display messages with sequence numbers to view these messages. By default, sequence numbers in log messages are not displayed.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
service sequence-numbers
3.
end
Command or Action | Purpose |
---|
Limit messages displayed to the selected device by specifying the severity level of the message.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
logging console
level
3.
logging monitor
level
4.
logging trap
level
5.
end
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | configure terminal Example:
Switch# configure terminal
|
Enters global configuration mode. |
Step 2 | logging console
level Example:
Switch(config)# logging console 3
|
Limits messages logged to the console. By default, the console receives debugging messages and numerically lower levels. |
Step 3 | logging monitor
level Example:
Switch(config)# logging monitor 3
|
Limits messages logged to the terminal lines. By default, the terminal receives debugging messages and numerically lower levels. |
Step 4 | logging trap
level Example:
Switch(config)# logging trap 3
|
Limits messages logged to the syslog servers. By default, syslog servers receive informational messages and numerically lower levels. |
Step 5 | end Example:
Switch(config)# end
|
Returns to privileged EXEC mode. |
This task explains how to limit syslog messages that are sent to the history table and to SNMP.
This task is optional.
1.
configure terminal
2.
logging history
level
3.
logging history size
number
4.
end
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | configure terminal Example:
Switch# configure terminal
|
Enters global configuration mode. |
Step 2 | logging history
level Example:
Switch(config)# logging history 3
|
Changes the default level of syslog messages stored in the history file and sent to the SNMP server. By default, warnings, errors, critical, alerts, and emergencies messages are sent. |
Step 3 | logging history size
number Example:
Switch(config)# logging history size 200
|
Specifies the number of syslog messages that can be stored in the history table. The default is to store one message. The range is 0 to 500 messages. |
Step 4 | end Example:
Switch(config)# end
|
Returns to privileged EXEC mode. |
This task is optional.
Note | Some recent versions of UNIX syslog daemons no longer accept by default syslog packets from the network. If this is the case with your system, use the UNIX man syslogd command to decide what options must be added to or removed from the syslog command line to enable logging of remote syslog messages. |
1. Add a line to the file /etc/syslog.conf.
2. Enter these commands at the UNIX shell prompt.
3. Make sure the syslog daemon reads the new changes.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 |
Add a line to the file /etc/syslog.conf. Example:
local7.debug /usr/adm/logs/cisco.log
| |
Step 2 | Enter these commands at the UNIX shell prompt. Example: $ touch /var/log/cisco.log $ chmod 666 /var/log/cisco.log | Creates the log file. The syslog daemon sends messages at this level or at a more severe level to this file. |
Step 3 | Make sure the syslog daemon reads the new changes. Example: $ kill -HUP `cat /etc/syslog.pid` |
For more information, see the man syslog.conf and man syslogd commands on your UNIX system. |
Command |
Purpose |
---|---|
show archive log config {all | number [end-number] | user username [session number] number [end-number] | statistics} [provisioning] |
Displays the entire configuration log or the log for specified parameters. |
This example shows a partial switch system message for active switchstack master and a stack member (hostname Switch-2):
00:00:46: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Port-channel1, changed state to up 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet1/0/1, changed state to up 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet1/0/2, changed state to up 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan1, changed state to down 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet1/0/1, changed state to down 2 *Mar 1 18:46:11: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) 18:47:02: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) *Mar 1 18:48:50.483 UTC: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) 00:00:46: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Port-channel1, changed state to up (Switch-2) 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet2/0/1, changed state to up (Switch-2) 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet2/0/2, changed state to up (Switch-2) 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan1, changed state to down (Switch-2) 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet2/0/1, changed state to down 2 (Switch-2)
This example shows a partial switch system message on a switch:
00:00:46: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Port-channel1, changed state to up 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/1, changed state to up 00:00:47: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/2, changed state to up 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan1, changed state to down 00:00:48: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/1, changed state to down 2 *Mar 1 18:46:11: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) 18:47:02: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) *Mar 1 18:48:50.483 UTC: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36)
*Mar 1 18:46:11: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) (Switch-2)
00:00:46: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface Port-channel1, changed state to up (Switch-2)
000019: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty2 (10.34.195.36) (Switch-2)
Related Topic | Document Title |
---|---|
System message log commands |
Catalyst 2960-X Switch System Management Command Reference |
Platform-independent command references |
Cisco IOS 15.3M&T Command References |
Platform-independent configuration information |
Cisco IOS 15.3M&T Configuration Guides |
Standard/RFC | Title |
---|---|
None | — |
MIB | MIBs Link |
---|---|
All supported MIBs for this release. |
To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco IOS releases, and feature sets, use Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL: |
Description | Link |
---|---|
The Cisco Support website provides extensive online resources, including documentation and tools for troubleshooting and resolving technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. To receive security and technical information about your products, you can subscribe to various services, such as the Product Alert Tool (accessed from Field Notices), the Cisco Technical Services Newsletter, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password. |
Release |
Modification |
---|---|
Cisco IOS 15.0(2)EX |
This feature was introduced. |