This section describes methods for managing the AIX Error Log on the SP system. Commands and SMIT interfaces for performing general log management, and for managing Syslog and the AIX Error Log, are also installed with the sysman option. Refer to the Error Log Management chapter in PSSP: Administration Guide for an overview.
Error logging is the writing of information to persistent storage to be used for debugging purposes. This type of logging is for subsystems that perform a service or function on behalf of an end user. The subsystem does not communicate directly with the end user and, therefore, needs to log events to some storage location. The events that are logged are primarily error events.
Error logging for the SP uses Berkley Software Distribution (BSD) syslog and AIX Error Log facilities to report events on a per node basis. The intent is to have the AIX Error Log be the starting point for diagnosing system problems. The AIX Error Log is named /var/adm/ras/errlog.
The BSD system log has a default name of /var/adm/SPlogs/SPdaemon.log. It is controlled by the syslogd daemon. This log must be created by issuing the syslogd command. For instructions on using syslogd, refer to the man page for the syslogd command, or AIX 5L Version 5.1 Commands Reference.
Error log entries include a "DETECTING MODULE" string that identifies the software component, module name, module level, and line of code or function that detected the event that was logged. The information is formatted depending on the logging facility the user is viewing. For example, the AIX Error Log facility information appears:
DETECTING MODULE LP=LP name Fn=file name SID_level_of_the_file L#=Line number
The BSD syslog facility information appears:
timestamp, hostname, ID, PID LP=LP name Fn=file name SID_level_of_the_file L#=Line number