Table Of Contents

Introduction

PIX Firewall System Log

Viewing Syslog Messages at the Console

Viewing Syslog Messages in a Telnet Console Session

Sending Syslog Messages to a Syslog Server

Disabling Specific Syslog Messages

Viewing a List of Disabled Syslog Messages

Reenabling Specific Disabled Syslog Messages

Reenabling All Disabled Syslog Messages

Receiving SNMP Requests

Sending SNMP Traps

How to Read System Log Messages

How Log Messages Are Organized

Other Remote Management and Monitoring Tools

PIX Firewall Manager

SNMP Traps

Telnet

Introduction

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This chapter includes the following sections:

•PIX Firewall System Log

•How to Read System Log Messages

•How Log Messages Are Organized

•Other Remote Management and Monitoring Tools

PIX Firewall System Log

This section includes the following topics:

•Viewing Syslog Messages at the Console

•Viewing Syslog Messages in a Telnet Console Session

•Sending Syslog Messages to a Syslog Server

•Disabling Specific Syslog Messages

•Viewing a List of Disabled Syslog Messages

•Reenabling Specific Disabled Syslog Messages

•Reenabling All Disabled Syslog Messages

•Receiving SNMP Requests

•Sending SNMP Traps

This guide describes the syslog system log messages for the PIX Firewall. You can configure the PIX Firewall system software to send these messages to the output location of your choice. For example, you can specify that log messages be sent to the console, to any Telnet session actively connected to the PIX Firewall console, to a machine running the PIX Firewall Manager server, or to a logging server elsewhere on the network.

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Note This guide only describes syslog messages for version 5.2 and later. Messages that display on the console from non-syslog errors and those for versions prior to 5.2 are considered beyond the scope of this document.

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Note Syslog does not generate level 0 emergency messages. This level is provided in the logging command for compatibility with the UNIX syslog feature, but is not used by PIX Firewall.

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PIX Firewall provides three output locations for sending syslog messages: the console, to a host running a syslog server, and to an SNMP management station.

If you send messages to a host, they are sent using either UDP or TCP. The host must have a program (known as a server) called syslogd. UNIX provides a syslog server as part of its operating system. For Windows NT systems, use the PIX Firewall Manager software, which also contains a syslog server. For Windows 95 or Windows 98, you need to obtain a syslog server from another vendor.

The Cisco PIX Firewall Configuration Guide, Version 5.2 describes the procedure for configuring syslogd. On the logging server, you can specify actions to be taken when certain types of messages are logged; for example, sending email, saving records to a log file, or displaying messages on a workstation.

Not all system log messages represent error conditions. Some messages simply report normal events.

Table 1-1 lists the PIX Firewall logging commands you can use to configure and manage logging. See the Cisco PIX Firewall Configuration Guide, Version 5.2 for detailed descriptions and additional logging commands. Access to the logging command requires that you access configuration mode on the PIX Firewall with the configure terminal command.

Many of the logging commands require that you specify a severity level threshold to indicate which syslog messages can be sent to the output locations. The lower the level number, the more severe the error. The default severity level is 3. Specify the severity level as either a number or a keyword as described in Table 1-2. The level you specify causes PIX Firewall to send messages of that level and below to the output location; for example, if you specify severity level 3, PIX Firewall sends severity level 1, 2, and 3 messages to the output location.

Table 1-1 PIX Firewall Logging Commands 

Command	Description
logging on	Enables transmission of syslog messages to all output locations. You can disable sending syslog messages with the no logging on command.
no logging message message_number	Allows you to disable specific syslog messages. Use the logging message message_number command to resume logging of specific disabled messages.
logging buffered severity_level	Stores syslog messages in the PIX Firewall so you can view them with the show logging command. Cisco recommends that you use this command to view syslog messages when the PIX Firewall is in use in a network.
clear logging	Clears the message buffer created with the logging buffered command.
clear logging message	Re-enables all disabled syslog messages.
logging console severity_level	Displays syslog messages on the PIX Firewall console as they occur. Use this command when you are debugging problems or when there is minimal load on the network. Do not use this command when the network is busy as it can reduce PIX Firewall performance.
logging monitor severity_level	Displays syslog messages when accessing the PIX Firewall console with Telnet.
logging host [interface] ip_address [protocol/port]	Specifies a host that receives the syslog messages. The PIX Firewall can now send messages across UDP or TCP (as specified by setting the protocol variable). The default UDP port is 514. The default TCP port is 1468.
logging history severity_level	Sets the logging level for SNMP traps.
logging queue msg_count	Specifies the number of syslog messages that can appear in the message queue while awaiting processing. The default is 512 messages; set to 0 (zero) to mean unlimited. Use the show logging queue command to view queue statistics.
logging trap severity_level	Sets the logging level for syslog messages.
show logging disabled	Displays a complete list of disabled syslog messages.
show logging	Lists the current syslog messages and which logging command options are enabled.

You can test the logging command by entering configuration mode on the PIX Firewall, using the logging console 7 command to enable logging and then exiting configuration mode with the quit command. This test generates the following syslog message:

111005: nobody End configuration: OK

This message states that you exited configuration mode. "111005" is the message identifier number, which you can look up in "System Log Messages." The term "nobody" indicates you are accessing the PIX Firewall console from the serial console port. The logging console command should only be used for testing. When the PIX Firewall is in production, only use the logging buffered command to store messages, the show logging command to view messages, and the clear logging command to clear the messages displayed by the logging buffered command.

You can also use the show logging command to view which options are enabled.

The logging command appends new messages to the end of the display.

The sections that follow describe how to use the logging commands.

Viewing Syslog Messages at the Console

Follow these steps to view syslog messages at the PIX Firewall console:

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Step 1 Store messages for display by entering the following command:

logging buffered 7

You can replace 7 with a lower severity level if preferred.

Step 2 View the messages with the following command:

show logging

Step 3 Use the clear logging command to clear the buffer so that viewing new messages is easier.

Step 4 You can disable message logging with the no logging buffered command.

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New messages append to the end of the listing.

Viewing Syslog Messages in a Telnet Console Session

Follow these steps to view syslog messages in a Telnet console session:

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Step 1 If you have not done so already, configure the PIX Firewall to let a host on the inside interface access the PIX Firewall with the telnet command. For example, if a host has the IP address 192.168.1.2, the command would be as follows:

telnet 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.255

You should also set the duration that a Telnet session can be idle before PIX Firewall disconnects the session to a value greater than the default of 5 minutes. A good value is at least 15 minutes, which you can set as follows:

telnet timeout 15

Step 2 Start Telnet and specify the inside interface of the PIX Firewall. For example, if the inside interface of the PIX Firewall is 192.168.1.1, the command to start Telnet would be as follows:

telnet 192.168.1.1

Step 3 When Telnet connects, the PIX Firewall prompts you with PIX passwd:. Enter the Telnet password, which is cisco by default.

Step 4 Use the enable command followed by the configure terminal command to get to configuration mode.

Step 5 Start message logging with the logging monitor command.

Step 6 Display messages directly to the Telnet session by entering the terminal monitor command. You can disable directly displaying messages by entering the terminal no monitor command.

Step 7 Trigger some events by pinging a host or starting a web browser. The syslog messages then appear in the Telnet session window.

Step 8 When done, disable this feature with the following commands:

terminal no monitor

no logging monitor

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Sending Syslog Messages to a Syslog Server

Follow these steps to send messages to a syslog server:

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Step 1 Designate a host to receive the messages with the logging host command as shown in the following example:

logging host dmz1 192.168.1.5

You can specify additional servers so that should one go offline, another will be available to receive messages.

Step 2 Set the logging level with the logging trap command; for example:

logging trap debugging

Cisco recommends that you use the debugging level during initial setup and during testing. Thereafter, set the level from debugging to errors for production use.

Step 3 If needed, set the logging facility command to a value other than its default of 20. Most UNIX systems expect the messages to arrive at facility 20.

Step 4 Start sending messages with the logging on command. To disable sending messages, use the no logging on command.

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In the event that all syslog servers are offline, PIX Firewall stores up to 100 messages in its memory. Subsequent messages that arrive overwrite the buffer starting from the first line.

Disabling Specific Syslog Messages

To disable specific syslog messages, enter the following command:

no logging message message_number

where message_number is the specific message you want to disable.

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Note The following message cannot be disabled: %PIX-6-199002: PIX startup completed. Beginning operation.

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Viewing a List of Disabled Syslog Messages

To view a list of disabled syslog messages, enter the following command:

show logging disabled

Reenabling Specific Disabled Syslog Messages

To reenable disabled syslog messages, enter the following command:

logging message message_number

where message_number is the specific message you want to reenable.

Reenabling All Disabled Syslog Messages

To reenable all disabled syslog messages, enter the following command:

clear logging message

Receiving SNMP Requests

Follow these steps for the PIX Firewall to receive requests from an SNMP management station:

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Step 1 Identify the IP address of the SNMP management station with the snmp-server host command.

Step 2 Set the snmp-server options for location, contact, and the community password as required.

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Sending SNMP Traps

Follow these steps to send traps from the PIX Firewall to an SNMP management station:

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Step 1 If not performed already, configure both steps described in "Receiving SNMP Requests."

If you only want to send the cold start, link up, and link down generic traps, no further configuration is required.

Step 2 Add an snmp-server enable traps command statement.

Step 3 Set the logging level with the logging history command; for example:

logging history debugging

Cisco recommends that you use the debugging level during initial setup and during testing. Thereafter, set the level from debugging to a lower value for production use.

Step 4 Start sending syslog traps to the management station with the logging on command.

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To disable sending syslog traps, use the no logging on command or the no snmp-server enable traps command.

How to Read System Log Messages

System log messages received at a syslog server begin with a percent sign (%) and are structured as follows:

%PIX-Level-Message_number: Message_text

"PIX" identifies the message facility code for messages generated by the PIX Firewall.

Level reflects the severity of the condition described by the message. The lower the number, the more serious the condition. Table 1-2 lists the severity levels. Logging is set to level 3 (error) by default.

Message_number is the numeric code that uniquely identifies the message.

Message_text is a text string describing the condition. This portion of the message sometimes includes IP addresses, port numbers, or usernames. Table 1-3 lists the variable fields and the type of information in them.

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Note Syslog messages received at the PIX Firewall serial console contain only the CODE portion of the message. When you view the message description in "System Log Messages," the description also provides the SEVERITY level.

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Table 1-2 Log Message Severity Levels 

Level Number	Level Keyword	Description
0	emergency	System unusable.
1	alert	Immediate action needed.
2	critical	Critical condition.
3	error	Error condition.
4	warning	Warning condition.
5	notification	Normal but significant condition.
6	informational	Informational message only.
7	debugging	Appears during debugging only.

"Messages Listed by Severity Level" provides a cross reference of which messages occur at each severity level.

Table 1-3 Variable Fields in Syslog Messages 

Variable	Type of Information
chars	Text string (for example, a username).
dec	Decimal number.
faddr	Foreign IP address, an address of a host typically on a lower security level interface in a network beyond the outside router.
gaddr	Global IP address, an address on a lower security level interface.
hex	Hexadecimal number.
interface_number	Use the show nameif command to determine which interface is being described in a message containing this variable. For example: show nameif nameif ethernet0 outside security0 nameif ethernet1 inside security100 nameif token0 outside security20 nameif ethernet2 inside security30 In this example, ethernet0 would appear in a syslog message as interface 0, ethernet1 would be interface 1, token0 would be interface 2, and ethernet2 would be interface 3.
laddr	Local IP address, an address on a higher security level interface.
octal	Octal number.
IP_addr	IP address (for example, 192.168.1.2).
port	Port number.
time	Duration, in the format hh:mm:ss.

How Log Messages Are Organized

"System Log Messages" describes PIX Firewall system log messages. The messages are listed numerically by message code. Each message is followed by a brief explanation and a recommended action. If several messages share the same explanation and recommended action, the messages are presented together followed by the common explanation and recommended action.

The explanation of each message indicates what kind of event generated the message. The possible events include the following:

•AAA (accounting, authentication, and authorization) events

•Connection events (for example, connections denied by the PIX Firewall configuration or address translation errors)

•Failover events reported by one or both units of a failover pair

•FTP/URL events (for example, successful file transfers or blocked JAVA applets)

•Mail Guard/SNMP events

•PIX Firewall management events (for example, configuration events or Telnet connections to the PIX Firewall console port)

•Routing errors

Other Remote Management and Monitoring Tools

In addition to the system log function, the PIX Firewall can be remotely monitored using other tools, which are described in the following topics:

•PIX Firewall Manager

•SNMP Traps

•Telnet

These tools provide different ways to remotely monitor the activities of the PIX Firewall.

PIX Firewall Manager

The PIX Firewall Manager is a client/server application that provides a graphical user interface for monitoring and managing the PIX Firewall. The PIX Firewall Manager includes a reporting function that uses a subset of the system log messages to generate reports.

Refer to the release notes shipped with the PIX Firewall for information about installing the PIX Firewall Manager, and to the help text in the PIX Firewall Manager software for information about using the product.

SNMP Traps

The PIX Firewall events that can be reported via SNMP are contained in the Cisco SYSLOG MIB, Cisco SMI MIB, Cisco Firewall MIB, and Cisco Memory Pool MIB. Refer to the Cisco PIX Firewall Configuration Guide, Version 5.2 for information about installing and compiling the MIBs on an SNMP management station, and about using the snmp-server command to configure SNMP on a PIX Firewall.

Telnet

You can log in to the PIX Firewall console via Telnet from an internal host and monitor system status. If IPSec is enabled, you can also access the console from an external host. You can use the debug icmp trace and debug sqlnet commands from Telnet to view ICMP (ping) traces and SQL*Net accesses.

The Telnet console session also lets you use the logging monitor and terminal monitor commands to view syslog messages, as described in the section "Viewing Syslog Messages in a Telnet Console Session."