Sun Java System Application Server Platform Edition 8.1 2005Q2 Update 2 Troubleshooting Guide

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## Examine Log Files

A number of the Application Server subsystems create log files and log their events to these files. The primary purpose of these log files is to provide troubleshooting information.

In addition to the message text, a logged message provides the following information:

- Date and time of the event

- Log level for the event — Application Server-specified log level ID or name

- Process identifier (PID) — PID of the Application Server process

- (optional) Virtual server identifier (VSID) — VSID that generated the message

- Message identifier (MID) — subsystem and a four digit integer

- Message data

  The specific logs associated with each Application Server problem area are discussed in the associated chapters of this manual.

### Log Levels

The Application Server has many log levels that can be set in the Administration GUI (`FINEST`, `FINER`, `FINE`, `CONFIG`, `INFO`, `WARNING`, `SEVERE`, `ALERT`, and `FATAL`). All messages are logged when the log level is set to `FINEST` and only serious error messages appear if the log level is set to `FATAL`.

Note that the more detailed log levels (`FINEST`, `FINER`, `FINE`) can generate high volumes of log information for certain events, which may make it appear at first glance that there is an error condition when in fact there is not.

All messages with a log level less than the default level of `INFO` (`FINEST`, `FINER`, `FINE`, and `CONFIG`) provide information related to debugging and must be specifically enabled. Instructions for doing this are contained in the Sun Java System Application Server Administrator's Guide.

In addition to the standard JDK log levels, the Application Server has added log levels designed to map more intuitively to the Application Server log file (`server.log`) and to tightly integrate with Solaris. The log levels `ALERT` and `FATAL` are specific to the Application Server and are not implemented in the JDK1.4 logging API.

Note –

For information on the event log mechanism used in the Microsoft Windows operating environment, refer to the Windows help system index using the keywords Event Logging. If you choose to send logs to the Windows `server.log` file, only messages with a log level of INFO, WARNING, SEVERE, ALERT, or FATAL are logged to the Windows Event Log.

### Log Options

The Administration GUI provides the following two logging options:

- Option 1 — Log `stdout` (`System.out.print`) content to the event log

- Option 2 — Log `stderr` (`System.err.print`) content to the event log

  When these options are set, `stdout` and `stderr` messages are written to the `server.log` file. (The event log is a `syslog` daemon on Solaris and Event Log on Microsoft Windows.)

  If the above options are not set:

- Anything written to `stdout` or `stderr` (that is, using `System.out` or `System.err`) will not appear in the logs.

- Messages logged with the JDK logger will appear in the logs.

- Messages written to `stdout` or `stderr` appear with the `INFO` level, but do not have a message ID.

### Client Side Logging

The Application Client Container (ACC) has its own log service and can only log to a local file. The ACC typically runs in its own process, on a different host from the Application Server. It has its own logging infrastructure and its own log file. The `sun-acc.xml` file contains the ACC configuration. Refer to the Sun Java System Application Server Application Server Developer's Guide to Clients for more information.

### Obtaining a Thread Dump

This section explains how to obtain a thread dump for Application Server 8.1. By default, the server dumps a core file and restarts with the `-Xrs java-option` flag in the `server.xml` file.

#### On UNIX

The following procedure describes how to obtain a server thread dump on UNIX.

#### To obtain a server thread dump on UNIX

##### Steps

1. Verify that the `server.xml` file for the affected server instance does not include the `-Xrs java-option` flag. Remove the `-Xrs java-option` flag if it exists.

2. If the option is changed, restart the server instance.

3. Use the `ps` command to determine the `java` and/or `appservDAS` processes under which the application server is running.

4. Run the following command on the application server instance:

       kill -3 pid

   The `kill` command redirects the thread dump to the `server.log` file for server the instance.

#### On Windows

The following procedure describes how to obtain a server thread dump on Windows.

#### To obtain a server thread dump on Windows

##### Steps

1. Verify that the `server.xml` file for your server instance does not include the `-Xrs` `java-option` flag. Remove the `-Xrs` `java-option` flag if it exists.

2. If the option was changed, restart your Application Server.

3. Type `ctrl-brk` in the Application Server window. The thread dump will be redirected to the `server.log` file for the instance.

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