# Chapter 9. Using the Log Central Console

The Log Central Console is a graphical user interface that provides your main point of access for controlling the flow of information in Log Central, monitoring incoming log messages, and carrying out other management tasks. The Console consists of a set of tools that you can access from the Log Central Launch Panel.

This chapter covers the following topics:

- Invoking the Launch Panel

- Using the Message Browser

- Using the Message Definition Editor

- Using the Basic Trap Configuration Tool

- Using the Storage Maintenance Tool

## Invoking the Launch Panel

To invoke the Log Central Console, type `lc_launch` at a command prompt on the central host.

When you start the Console, the Launch Panel appears first. The Launch Panel provides access to the Console tools of Log Central.

You can also invoke the Console with a number of options. You may want to specify any of the following:

- Message processor port number

- The central host, if you are invoking the launch panel from other than the central host

- Some maximum number of messages to display

- The font and font size to use within all the windows of the Console

- The Web browser to use for displaying help about Log Central

To change any of the `lc_launch` defaults, use the following syntax:

>     lc_launch [-p port] [-h central_host] [-n msgs] [-fn fontname]
>     [-fs fontsize] [-b browser]

where:

`port`
  Specifies the message processor's port number. The default is 7001.

`central_host`
  Specifies the host name of the machine where the Central Collector is running. If not specified, the current host is considered as the central host.

`msgs`
  Specifies the maximum number of messages to display in the Message Browser. The default is 1000.

`fontname`
  Specifies the font to use wherever text appears in the Console. The default is Times Roman.

`fontsize`
  Specifies the font size to use wherever text appears in the Log Central Console. The default is 12 points.

`browser`
  Specifies the Web browser to use for displaying help about Log Central. Use either the name of an executable within the current path specification, or specify an executable together with its complete path name. The default is Netscape.

## Using the Message Browser

The Message Browser displays Log Central messages that are generated by the resources you are monitoring. Invoke the Message Browser main window by selecting t`he Msg Browser bu`tton on the Launch Panel.

The subjects discussed in this section are as follows:

- Message Browser Main Window

- How to Monitor Incoming Messages

- How to Perform Historical Queries of the Message Database

- How to Delete Messages

- How to Acknowledge Messages

- How to Remove Acknowledgment from Messages

- How to Filter Messages

- How to Change the Message Layout in the Main Window

- How to Change Message Colors

- How to View Message Details

- How to Generate Reports

### Message Browser Main Window

Figure 9-1 shows the basic look and presentation of the Message Browser main window.

> Figure 9-1 Message Browser Main Window

Table 9-1 describes the fields of this window.

> Table 9-1 Message Browser Main Window Fields

Field | Description
--- | ---
Menus | The File, Edit, Settings, Actions, and Help menus provide access to Message Browser tools.
Toolbar | The toolbar buttons provides access to frequently used actions. Refer to Table 9-2 for a description of the toolbar buttons.
Unacknowledged | This field displays the number of messages in the main window scrollable display that have not been acknowledged. A typical use for the acknowledgment attribute is to chart which system problems are currently being resolved or actively investigated.
Displayed/Matched | When you execute a search of the database for messages matching a search filter, the main window displays the number of messages that match your search criteria and the number of messages displayed. These numbers differ if the search found more messages than the maximum that can be displayed. The maximum number of messages that can be displayed by the Message Browser is configurable, as detailed under "Invoking the Launch Panel."
Online Monitoring | Select Online Monitoring to monitor log messages "in real time" as they arrive at the Central Collector, with the most recent message at the top of the window.
Historical Query | Select Historical Query to search the Log Central database for log messages that match criteria that you define.
Message pane | Displays messages that meet the filtering criteria.

Table 9-2 describes the Message Browser toolbar buttons available for frequently used actions.

> Table 9-2 Message Browser Toolbar Buttons

Tool Button or Field | Action
--- | ---
| Applies the settings defined in the Filter Settings window to select messages to be displayed, either incoming messages as they arrive at the Central Collector, or a query of messages in the Log Central database.
| Stops retrieval of messages. This button is grayed out if you have not yet started message retrieval.
| Invokes the Layout Definition window. You can use this window to specify which fields in messages to display and which order to place the columns in the table.
| Invokes the Filter Settings window. You can use this window to: Switch between online monitoring and historical queries. Define the criteria that are used to determine which messages are displayed in the main window.

- Select the sort order for message display in a historical query.

Invokes the Message Colors window. You use this window to change the mapping of colors to message severity level.

Invokes the help page.

Note: All options other than Stop and Help are grayed out if the Browser is either actively receiving incoming messages or is carrying out a database query. Select Stop to access the other options.

### How to Monitor Incoming Messages

You can monitor log messages "in real time" as they arrive at the Central Collector. To monitor incoming messages, perform the following steps:

1. Select the Online Monitoring radio button on the Message Browser main window.

2. Select Start from the toolbar on the Message Browser main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Online Monitoring radio button on the Filter Settings window, and then select Start from the toolbar when you return to the Message Browser main window.

Messages are retrieved that satisfy the filter settings defined in the Filter Settings window.

The scrollable display in the main window accumulates incoming messages until it contains its maximum number of messages. At that point, the oldest messages are dropped from the display as new messages arrive. New messages appear at the top of the tabular list.

To filter incoming messages, see "How to Filter Messages."

### How to Perform Historical Queries of the Message Database

You can search the Log Central database for log messages that match criteria that you define. To do a historical query of the message database, perform the following steps:

1. Select the Historical Query radio button on the Message Browser main window.

2. Select Start from the toolbar on the Message Browser main window.

To filter historical queries, see "How to Filter Messages."

Alternatively, you can select the Historical Query radio button on the Filter Settings window, and then select Start from the toolbar when you return to the Message Browser main window.

Messages are retrieved that satisfy the filter settings defined in the Filter Settings window.

The default is for retrieved messages to appear on your screen in chronological order, with the most recent at the top of the screen, from the last query made. You can change this default with filtering, as described in "How to Filter Messages."

### How to Delete Messages

From the Message Browser main window, you can delete a log message as follows:

1. If you are actively monitoring online messages, select Stop.

2. Select the message that you want to delete.

3. Select Edit Delete from the Message Browser main window, as shown in Figure 9-2.

   > Figure 9-2 Selecting Delete from the Message Browser Main Window

   A submenu allows you to delete either the current message or all messages that were returned in the last query.

### How to Acknowledge Messages

When messages arrive at the Central Collector, they are by default not acknowledged. You can change the acknowledged value to "Yes" from the Message Browser. A typical use for this attribute is to chart which system problems are currently being resolved or actively investigated.

From the Message Browser main window, you can acknowledge a log message as follows:

1. If you are actively monitoring online messages, select Stop.

2. Select the message that you want to acknowledge.

3. Select Actions Acknowledge.

   > Figure 9-3 Selecting Actions Acknowledge from Message Browser Main Window

   A submenu allows you to change the acknowledgment of either the current message or all main window messages retrieved in the last query.

   Once the message has been acknowledged, "Yes" appears in the Acknowledged column.

### How to Remove Acknowledgment from Messages

From the Message Browser main window, you can change the acknowledgment of a log message from "Yes" to "No" as follows:

1. Select the message whose acknowledgment you want to remove.

2. Select Actions Clear Acknowledge.

   A submenu allows you to change the acknowledgment of either the current message or all main window messages retrieved in the last query.

   Once the acknowledgment of the message has been removed, "No" appears in the Acknowledged column.

### How to Filter Messages

You can use filters to specify selection criteria to:

- Define which incoming messages are selected for display when doing online monitoring

- Define which messages to retrieve in historical database queries

From the Message Browser main window, you can filter log messages as follows:

1. Select the Filters button on the main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Browser Filter menu option.

The Filter Settings window appears on the screen, as shown in Figure 9-4.

> Figure 9-4 Filter Settings Window

From the Filters Settings window, you can switch between online message monitoring and historical queries of the Log Central database.

2. Define the selection criteria from which to view messages in the message browser.

   To filter incoming messages, select Online Monitoring. To filter messages already stored in the Log Central database, select Historical Query.

   If you select Online Monitoring, the date and sorting sections of the form are grayed out, as shown in Figure 9-5.

   > Figure 9-5 Filter Settings Window with Portions Grayed Out

   Select the sort order for messages retrieved in historical database queries. You can nest up to three sorts, mixing ascending and descending sort order.

3. If you want to specify different filtering criteria for any of the nine fields shown in the tabs across the middle of the Filter Settings window, select that tab.

   For example, the Subsys tab displays a list of the subsystem entries in the Log Central database, and you can use the buttons between the two windows (Include List and Exclude List) to move selections from one window to the other, or delete selections.

   Figure 9-6 shows the LM subsystem in the exclude list and NT selected and ready to be moved to the exclude list.

   > Figure 9-6 Filter Settings Window, Include and Exclude Selections

   For other tabs, enter your specification in the field above the two list boxes, and use the appropriate button between the list windows to move this specification to the list you want. For example, Figure 9-7 shows the Msg ID tab selected and message 90000 entered.

   > Figure 9-7 Filter Settings Window, Include Selection

   Figure 9-8 shows this message moved to the include list.

   > Figure 9-8 Filter Settings Window, Include Selection Made

4. Select either Use Include List or Use Exclude List.

   For Use Include List, the specified features are used to determine which messages to display. For Use Exclude List, those messages that meet the selected criteria are specifically excluded from the display.

5. Repeat steps 3 to 4 for as many tabs as you want.

6. When you have made as many specifications as you want, select OK.

### How to Change the Message Layout in the Main Window

From the Message Browser main window, you can change the layout to define which log attributes are displayed in the main window or to change the order of the attributes in the tabular display:

1. Select Layout from the Message Browser main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Layout Definition menu option.

The Layout window appears on the screen.

> Figure 9-9 Message Browser Layout Window

2. Select the components that you want to show or hide.

   You can move components into the appropriate column by selecting the Show or Hide arrows on the main Layout window. You can move components up and down with the blue arrows to the right. The order you specify in the Show panel determines the order these columns appear in the message panel of the Message Browser main window, shown in Figure 9-1.

3. Select OK.

   Note: If you want these selections as your default settings, select Save to Database before selecting OK.

### How to Change Message Colors

By default, messages appear in the Message Browser main window in different colors, depending on severity. For example, you might want messages of critical severity to appear in red, warnings in yellow, and so on. The default color-mapping is as follows.

.

Severity | Color
--- | ---
Informational | Green
Warning | Yellow
Minor | Blue
Major | Magenta
Critical | Red

To change the mapping of colors to indicate message severity level:

1. Select Colors from the Message Browser main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Message Colors menu option.

The Color Settings window appears on the screen.

> Figure 9-10 Message Browser Color Settings Window

2. In the Severity column, select the severity level whose color you want to change.

3. Move the RGB sliders to get the color you want.

   As you move the sliders, the color in the Color column changes.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for as many severity levels as you want to change.

   Note: If you do not want to map colors to severity levels, select the None radio button.

5. Select OK.

### How to View Message Details

Message definitions are stored in the Log Central database. These message definitions are described in Chapter 5, "Creating and Loading Message Definitions." You can access this message detail information for a particular message, such as a description of the event that triggered the message and recommended action to resolve a problem condition.

1. Select the message that you want to access information about.

2. Select Edit Message Details from the Message Browser main window.

   The Message Details window appears showing the message details stored in the Message Definition database.

### How to Generate Reports

You can generate two types of reports from the Message Browser:

- Summary reports

- Detail reports

For both, the Message Browser uses the current filter criteria, as defined in the Filter Settings window, to select messages on which to generate a report. The generated report is an HTML file created in `install_dir``\web\applet` (`install_dir``/web/applet` on UNIX), where `install_dir` is the directory in which you installed Log Central. Viewing this file requires a Web browser. Make sure that you have made a Web browser accessible to the Console. For information on how to do this, refer to "Invoking the Launch Panel."

#### How to View Summary Reports

To view summary reports in the Message Browser, perform the following steps:

1. Specify the filtering criteria, as described in "How to Filter Messages."

2. Start your query, as described in "How to Perform Historical Queries of the Message Database."

3. Select File Reports Summary.

   Figure 9-11 shows a message selected, and the summary reports option chosen.

   > Figure 9-11 Message Browser Window, Choosing Summary Report

   A Web browser window appears, displaying the requested report.

   > Figure 9-12 Message Browser Summary Report

#### How to View Detail Reports

To view detail reports in the Message Browser, perform the following steps:

1. Specify the filtering criteria, as described in "How to Filter Messages."

2. Start your query, as described in "How to Perform Historical Queries of the Message Database."

3. Select File Reports Details

   > Figure 9-13 Message Browser Window, Choosing Detail Report

   A Web browser window appears, displaying the requested report.

   > Figure 9-14 Message Browser Detail Report

## Using the Message Definition Editor

Message definitions provide static information about messages that may be generated by various applications. These message definitions are described in Chapter 5, "Creating and Loading Message Definitions." The Message Definition Editor allows you to create or modify message definitions one at a time. This is particularly useful if you already have an existing stock of definitions in the database and want to add a new definition on the fly.

To load many message definitions in a single action, you may find it more efficient to use the command-line utilities provided with Log Central. Messages are imported from an ASCII text file using the command-line utility `msgdef_import`. Message definitions in the text file must conform to the format used in the message definition template (`msgdef.template`) provided with Log Central. Messages can also be exported from the database to an ASCII text file using the command-line utility `msgdef_export`. For more information on these utilities, refer to Chapter 5, "Creating and Loading Message Definitions."

Invoke the Message Definition main window by selecting the Msg Def Edit button from the Launch Panel.

The subjects discussed in this section are as follows:

- Message Definition Main Window

- How to Display Message Definitions

- How to Add a New Message Definition

- How to Modify a Message Definition

- How to Delete Message Definitions

- How to Define Filtering Criteria for Retrieving Message Definitions

- How to Change the Message Definition Layout

- How to Change Message Definition Colors

- How to Modify the Subsystem Description

- How to Generate Reports

### Message Definition Main Window

Figure 9-15 shows the basic look and presentation of the Message Definition main window.

> Figure 9-15 Message Definition Main Window

Figure 9-3 describes the fields of this window.

> Table 9-3 Message Definition Main Window Fields

Field | Description
--- | ---
Menus | The File, Edit, Settings, Actions, and Help menus provide access to Message Definition Editor tools.
Toolbar | The toolbar buttons provides access to frequently used actions. Refer to Table 9-4 for a description of the toolbar buttons.
Displayed/Matched | When you execute a search of the database for message definitions matching a search filter, the main window displays the number of message definitions that match your search criteria and the number of message definitions displayed. These numbers differ if the search found more message definitions than the maximum that can be displayed. The maximum number of messages that can be displayed by the Message Browser is configurable, as detailed under "Invoking the Launch Panel."
Message pane | Displays messages that meet the filtering criteria.

Table 9-4 describes the Message Definition toolbar buttons available for frequently used actions.

> Table 9-4 Message Definition Toolbar Buttons

Tool Button or Field | Action
--- | ---
| Applies the settings defined in the Filter Settings window to select message definitions.
| Stops retrieval of message definitions. This button is grayed out if you have not yet started message definition retrieval.
| Invokes the Layout Definition window. You can use this window to specify which fields in message definitions to display and which order to place the columns in the table.
| Invokes the Filter Settings window. You can use this window to: Define criteria that are used to select the message definitions that are displayed in the main window. Select the sort order for message definition display.

Invokes the Message Colors window. You use this window to change the mapping of colors to message severity.

Invokes the help page.

### How to Display Message Definitions

To display message definitions, select the Start button from the Message Definition main window. This brings up a list of message definitions in the scrollable display window, according to the filtering criteria. For more information, see "How to Define Filtering Criteria for Retrieving Message Definitions."

### How to Add a New Message Definition

1. Select File New Message Definition.

This brings up the Message Definition Details window, shown in Figure 9-16.

Alternatively, you can double-click on any message definition, and then select the File New menu option.

> Figure 9-16 Message Definition Details Window

2. Select the subsystem name from the pull-down list, and continue filling out the fields as you want.

   The Subsystem Name pulldown displays a list of subsystems in the Log Central database. To add a new subsystem entry, use the `subsystem_create` command, described in Chapter 3, "Configuring the Database for Use with Log Central."

   If you want to have a script or file execute when the Central Collector loads the specified message into the Log Central database, specify it in the Execute on Upload field.

   Figure 9-17 shows a filled-out form.

   > Figure 9-17 Message Definition Details Form Filled Out

3. Select Save, and your definition is saved to the Log Central database.

### How to Modify a Message Definition

From the Message Definition main window, you can modify an existing message definition:

1. Double-click on the message definition that you want to modify.

The Message Definition Details window appears with the fields filled in for the specific message definition.

2. Change these fields as you want.

3. Select Save, and your modified definition enters the message definition list.

### How to Delete Message Definitions

From the Message Definition main window, you can delete a message definition in two ways, as follows:

1. Select the message definition that you want to delete.

2. Select Edit Delete from the Message Definition main window.

3. Select either Current or All Queried from the submenu, as shown in Figure 9-18.

   > Figure 9-18 Message Definition Window: Delete

Alternatively:

1. Double-click on the message definition that you want to delete.

The Message Definition Details window appears.

2. Select File Delete from the Message Definition Details window.

### How to Define Filtering Criteria for Retrieving Message Definitions

You can use filters to specify selection criteria to define which message definitions are selected for display.

From the Message Definition main window, you can filter message definitions as follows:

1. Select the Filters button on the Message Definition main window.

Alternatively, you can the select Settings Editor Filter menu option.

The Message Definition Filter Settings window appears on the screen, as shown in Figure 9-19.

> Figure 9-19 Message Definition Filter Settings Window

2. Define the selection criteria from which to view message definitions in the Message Definition Editor.

3. Select the sort order for message definitions. You can nest up to three sorts, mixing ascending and descending sort order.

4. If you want to specify different filtering criteria for either Subsystem or Message ID, select that tab.

   Operations in these tabs are similar to those discussed under "How to Filter Messages," in the Message Browser section.

5. Select either Use Include List or Use Exclude List.

   For Use Include List, the specified features are used to determine which message definitions to display. For Use Exclude List, those message definitions that meet the selected criteria are specifically excluded from the display.

6. When you have made as many specifications as you want, select OK.

### How to Change the Message Definition Layout

From the Message Browser main window, you can change the layout to define which message definition attributes are displayed in the main window or to change the order of the attributes in the tabular display:

1. Select Layout from the main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Layout Definition menu option.

The Message Definition Editor Layout window appears on the screen, as shown in Figure 9-20.

> Figure 9-20 Message Definition Editor Layout Window

2. Select the components that you want to show or hide

   You can move components into the appropriate column by clicking the Show or Hide arrows on the main Layout window. You can move components up and down with the blue arrows to the right. The order you specify in the Show panel determines the order these columns appear in the message panel of the Message Browser main window, shown in Figure 9-15.

3. Select OK

   Note: If you want these selections as your default settings, select Default on the Layout window.

### How to Change Message Definition Colors

Message definitions appear in the Message Definition main window in different colors, dependent on severity. For example, you might want message definition of critical severity to appear in red, warnings in yellow, and so on. The default color-mapping is as follows.

Severity | Color
--- | ---
Informational | Green
Warning | Yellow
Minor | Blue
Major | Magenta
Critical | Red

To change the mapping of colors to indicate message severity level:

1. Select Colors from the Message Definition main window.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Message Colors menu option.

The Color Settings window appears on the screen, as shown in Figure 9-21.

> Figure 9-21 Message Definition Editor Color Settings Window

2. In the Severity column, select the severity level whose color you want to change.

3. Move the RGB sliders to get the color you want.

   As you move the sliders, the color in the Color column changes.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for as many severity levels as you want to change.

   Note: If you do not want to map colors to severity levels, select the None radio button.

5. Select OK.

### How to Modify the Subsystem Description

You can modify the subsystem description associated with a subsystem name:

1. Select Edit Subsystem Definition from the Message Definition main window.

The Subsystem Definition window appears on the screen, as shown in Figure 9-22.

> Figure 9-22 Subsystem Definition Window

2. In the lower pane of the Subsystem Definition window, select the subsystem whose description you want to change.

3. Make the change you want in the description field.

4. Select the green checkmark to bring about the change.

   The red X undoes the change.

5. When you have made as many changes as you want, select Close.

### How to Generate Reports

You can generate two types of reports from the Message Definition Editor:

- Summary reports

- Detail reports

For both, the Message Definition Editor uses the current filter criteria to select messages on which to generate a report. The generated report is an HTML file created in `install_dir``\web\applet` (`install_dir``/web/applet` on UNIX), where `install_dir` is the directory in which you installed Log Central. Viewing this file requires a Web browser. Make sure that you have made a Web browser accessible to the Console. For information on how to do this, refer to "Invoking the Launch Panel."

#### How to View Summary Reports

To view summary reports in the Message Definition Editor, perform the following steps:

1. Specify the filtering criteria, as described in "How to Define Filtering Criteria for Retrieving Message Definitions."

2. Select the Start button in the Message Definition main window.

3. Select File Reports Summary, as shown in Figure 9-23.

   > Figure 9-23 Message Definition Window, Choosing Summary Report

   A Web browser window appears, displaying the requested report, as shown in Figure 9-24.

   > Figure 9-24 Message Definition Summary Report

#### How to View Detail Reports

To view detail reports in the Message Definition Editor, perform the following steps:

1. Specify the filtering criteria, as described in "How to Define Filtering Criteria for Retrieving Message Definitions."

2. Select the Start button in the Message Definition main window.

3. Select File Reports Details, as shown in Figure 9-25.

   > Figure 9-25 Message Definition Window, Choosing Details Report

   A Web browser window appears, displaying the requested report, as shown in Figure 9-26.

   > Figure 9-26 Message Definition Details Report

## Using the Basic Trap Configuration Tool

You can configure the Central Collector to send SNMP trap notifications based on one (or both) of the following attributes in the message definition for the incoming message:

- Severity

- Trap Enabled

If you enable trap generation based on the Trap Enabled field in the message definition, a trap is generated for any message whose definition has Trap Enabled set to `YES`.

Invoke the Basic Trap Configuration window by selecting the `Basic Trap` button from the Launch Panel.

The subjects discussed in this section are as follows:

- Configuring Trap Generation by Severity

- Configuring Trap Generation by Message Definition

- Generating Traps Based on both Severity and Message Definition

### Configuring Trap Generation by Severity

To enable trap generation by severity, do the following:

1. Invoke the Basic Trap Configuration window from the Log Central Console Launch Panel.

2. Select the Trap Generation tab (if it is not already selected) on the Basic Trap Configuration window and select Severity. The Trap Generation tab, shown in Figure 9-27, has checkboxes for severity and message definition to determine which to use as the basis of trap generation.

   > Figure 9-27 Basic Trap Configuration, Trap Generation Tab

3. Select the Trap Configuration tab.

4. Select which severities will generate traps.

   If you choose to enable any severity listed on this page, then any message having that severity prompts an SNMP trap.

5. Use the ID of Resulting Trap Field to assign an enterprise-specific trap number to traps for the selected severities.

6. When you have filled out the fields of this tab, select OK.

   Figure 9-28 shows an example of the Trap Configuration tab filled out.

   > Figure 9-28 Basic Trap Configuration, Trap Configuration Tab

   This enterprise-specific trap number is included in the SNMP trap packet sent for messages with the indicated severity. SNMP has no concept of the severity of an event and no special field is provided for severity in the SNMP trap packet. However, by assigning a different enterprise-specific number to the different severities, system administrators can map the Log Central traps to severities on their enterprise-management system.

### Configuring Trap Generation by Message Definition

To enable trap generation by message definition, do the following:

1. Invoke the Basic Trap Configuration window from the Log Central Console Launch Panel.

2. Select the Trap Generation tab (if it is not already selected) and select Message Definition. The Trap Generation tab has checkboxes for severity and message definition to determine which to use as the basis of trap generation.

3. Select OK.

   If you enable trap generation based on Message Definition, then a trap is generated for an incoming message if the Trap Enabled field in the message definition for that message is set to `YES`. If you want to ensure that the Trap Enabled field for a given message type is set to `YES`, invoke the Message Definition Editor and view the message definition and modify the Trap Enabled field if necessary. The message definition also defines the specific trap number that is sent in the trap packet when a trap is generated based on the Trap Enabled field being set to `YES`.

### Generating Traps Based on both Severity and Message Definition

You can configure the Central Collector to send SNMP traps based on both severity and message definition. In that case, you do not need to set the ID of Resulting Trap field on the Trap Configuration tab (Step 5 under "Configuring Trap Generation by Severity") because the specific trap number is determined by the message definition.

To enable trap generation by message definition, do the following:

1. Invoke the Basic Trap Configuration window from the Log Central Console Launch Panel.

2. Select the Trap Generation tab (if it is not already selected) and select both Message Definition and Severity, as shown in Figure 9-29.

   > Figure 9-29 Trap Generation Tab: Severity and Message

3. Select OK.

   If you select both severity and message definition as the basis of generating traps, traps are generated for messages with the selected severities, but only if the message definition Trap Enabled field is set to `YES`.

## Using the Storage Maintenance Tool

The Log Central Central Collector creates several intermediate files (one intermediate file per hour) that need easy management and pruning. The number of messages in the database can also grow rapidly. The Storage Maintenance tool eases the management of these files and messages, allowing you to set up periodic processing and deletion of files and messages.

Invoke the Storage Maintenance main window by selecting the Storage Maint button from the Launch Panel.

The subjects discussed in this section are as follows:

- Storage Maintenance Main Window

- How to Prepare the Records Processing Script

- How to Schedule Deletion of Database Records

- How to Manually Process Database Records

- How to Schedule Processing of Database Records

- How to Schedule Both Processing and Deletion of Database Records

- How to Schedule Deletion of Intermediate Files

### Storage Maintenance Main Window

When the Storage Maintenance main window first appears, the Messages in Database tab is selected, as shown in Figure 9-30.

> Figure 9-30 Storage Maintenance Main Window

This displays a representation of the number of messages delivered during each hour of the day. The date appears on each line in the following format:

>     YYYY MMDD HH

As, for example:

>     1998 Oct12 14

which means during the 2 to 3 p.m. time period on October 12. (The hour is in 24-hour representation.) During that hour, three messages were stored in the database.

Figure 9-31 shows the Storage Maintenance main window with the Intermediate Message Files tab selected.

> Figure 9-31 Storage Maintenance Main Window, Intermediate Message Files Tab

Each file name represents one hour of the day. The file name consists of the intermediate file prefix, plus a date and time representation similar to the Messages in Database format. For example, the file name corresponding to `1998 Oct12 14` might be `lclog.1998-Oct12-14.DB`. The current file is called `lclog.cur`.

The toolbar is below the menu bar. Table 9-5 describes the Storage Maintenance toolbar buttons available for frequently used actions.

> Table 9-5 Storage Maintenance Operations Settings Toolbar Buttons

Tool Button or Field | Action
--- | ---
| Invokes the Operations Settings configuration window.
| Refreshes the display, making it consistent with the records in the database and intermediate files.
| Invokes the help page.

### How to Prepare the Records Processing Script

You can have Log Central execute a script of your choosing on its intermediate files and on messages in the database. Log Central includes a sample script that you modify for your purposes.

To tailor this script to your specifications, perform the following steps:

1. With an ASCII text editor, open the file `install_dir``\bin\process_dbrec.bat` (`install_dir``/bin/process_dbrec` on UNIX), where `install_dir` is the directory in which you installed Log Central.

2. Modify the script according to the description following these steps.

3. Save the script.

The `process_dbrec` script ships as a sample file-a shell script on UNIX machines or a batch file on Windows NT-with comments describing how to use it (but it does not actually do anything as shipped). The Operations Settings window allows you to specify how frequently to execute the script, or whether to even execute it at all. You can also process selected records manually using the Process Records option of the File menu. The script is invoked for the selected database records when you select this option. As a Log Central administrator, you will want to tailor this file to your specifications.

Some of the things you could do using the `process_dbrec` script include:

- Generate an email message that indicates which messages were deleted and the date and time of the operation

- Copy the archive file to a tape

- Use an SQL statement to move specified records into a different table in the database

The `process_dbrec` command uses the following syntax:

>     process_dbrec starttime endtime

The `process_dbrec` options definitions follow.

Argument | Description
--- | ---
`starttime` | Start time. Specifying 0 here means process all records before `endtime`.
`endtime` | End time.

Your program can use these parameters as needed. It could also ignore them entirely.

Log Central expects your program to return -1 if there is an error and 0 if it runs successfully. Only if the return value is 0 are records deleted after the `process_dbrec` script runs, even if you have selected the Delete Records option.

Note: Do not put any commands into the `process_dbrec` script that write to standard out (such as `echo`). The standard out terminal is not available in this context.

#### Example

Based on the specifications you made in the Operations Settings`` window, Log Central might execute the script as follows:

>     process_dbrec "3-FEB-98 11:00" "4-MAR-98 19:00:00"

### How to Schedule Deletion of Database Records

You can have the Storage Maintenance tool delete records from the Log Central database according to a schedule you determine by performing the following steps:

1. Select Settings on the toolbar.

This brings up the Operations Settings`` window, with the Messages in Database tab selected.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Operations menu option.

2. Select only the Delete Records checkbox, as shown in Figure 9-32.

   > Figure 9-32 Storage Maintenance Main Window, Delete Records

3. Specify the start time of the operation.

4. Specify the repetition time of the operation.

   If you want to perform the operation once only, deselect the Repeat Every checkbox.

5. Specify the interval of the operation.

   Enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field.

6. Select the records to be deleted, in one of two ways:

   - You can select a moving window of records by specifying Older Than in the Operate on Records section.

   As in step 5, enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field. If you choose, for example, Older Than 2 weeks, and your operation is scheduled weekly, a record that is 2 weeks and 1 hour old at the time the operation is invoked would not be deleted, but it would be the next time.

   - You can select a fixed window of records by specifying a From and To time in the Operate on Records section.

### How to Manually Process Database Records

You can have the Storage Maintenance tool execute the `process_dbrec` script on individually selected records on a "one-shot" basis by performing the following steps:

1. Select the records to process within the scrollable display in the Messages in Database tab.

This operation is not valid in the Intermediate Message Files tab.

2. Select File Process Records, as shown in Figure 9-33.

   > Figure 9-33 Storage Maintenance Main Window, Process Records

   This causes the `process_dbrec` script to be executed immediately on the selected records.

### How to Schedule Processing of Database Records

You can have the Storage Maintenance tool execute the `process_dbrec` script on selected records according to a schedule you determine by performing the following steps:

1. Select Settings on the toolbar.

This brings up the Operations Settings`` window, with the Messages in Database tab selected.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Operations menu option.

2. Select only the Process Records checkbox, as shown in Figure 9-34.

   > Figure 9-34 Operations Settings Window, Records Processing

3. Specify the start time of the operation.

4. Specify the repetition time of the operation.

   If you want to perform the operation once only, deselect the Repeat Every checkbox.

5. Specify the interval of the operation.

   Enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field.

6. Select the records to be processed, in one of two ways:

   - You can select a moving window of records by specifying Older Than in the Operate on Records section.

   As in step 5, enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field. If you choose, for example, Older Than 2 weeks, and your operation is scheduled weekly, a record that is 2 weeks and 1 hour old at the time the operation is invoked would not be deleted, but it would be the next time.

   - You can select a fixed window of records by specifying a From and To time in the Operate on Records section.

### How to Schedule Both Processing and Deletion of Database Records

You can have the Storage Maintenance tool execute the `process_dbrec` script on selected records, followed by deletion of those records from the Log Central database, according to a schedule you determine by performing the following steps:

1. Select Settings on the toolbar.

This brings up the Operations Settings`` window, with the Messages in Database tab selected.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Operations menu option.

2. Select both the Process Records and Delete Records checkboxes, as shown in Figure 9-35.

   > Figure 9-35 Operations Settings Window, Records Processing and Deleting

3. Specify the start time of the operation.

4. Specify the repetition time of the operation.

   If you want to perform the operation once only, deselect the Repeat Every checkbox.

5. Specify the interval of the operation.

   Enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field.

6. Select the records to be processed, in one of two ways:

   - You can select a moving window of records by specifying Older Than in the Operate on Records section.

   As in step 5, enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field. If you choose, for example, Older Than 2 weeks, and your operation is scheduled weekly, a record that is 2 weeks and 1 hour old at the time the operation is invoked would not be deleted, but it would be the next time.

   - You can select a fixed window of records by specifying a From and To time in the Operate on Records section.

### How to Schedule Deletion of Intermediate Files

You can have the Storage Maintenance tool delete intermediate files according to a schedule you determine by performing the following steps:

1. Select Settings on the toolbar.

This brings up the Operations Settings`` window, with the Messages in Database tab selected.

Alternatively, you can select the Settings Operations menu option.

2. Select the Intermediate Message Files tab, as shown in Figure 9-36.

   > Figure 9-36 Operations Settings Window, Intermediate Message Files Tab

3. Specify the start time of the operation.

4. Specify the interval of the operation.

   Enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field.

5. Select the age of files to be deleted by specifying Older Than.

   As in step 4, enter a number in the first field, and then select a time unit from the pulldown menu in the second field.