Lotus Domino Administrator 8.5 Help - Setting up Domino Web server logging to text files

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Setting up Domino Web server logging to text files
To set up logging the IBM® Lotus® Domino® Web server to text files, you must enable logging (by default, logging is disabled). By default, Domino stores log files in the data directory. While the Web server is running, it creates new log files depending on the log file duration settings. If the Web server is not running, it creates log files as needed when the Web server is started.

Some information may increase the size of the log file without providing meaningful information -- requests for graphics or icons, for example, so you may want to exclude that type of information from the log.

To enable logging to text files

1. From the Domino Administrator, click the Configuration tab.

2. Open the Server document for the Web server.

3. Click the Internet Protocols - HTTP tab.

4. Under "Enable Logging To," choose Enabled the Log Files field.

5. Under "Log File Settings," complete these fields:

Field Enter

Access log format Choose one:

Common -- To log information in three separate log files
Extended Common -- To log information in one file
Note Although you have the option of logging to three separate files, most third-party log-analysis tools require a single text file.

Time format Choose one to record the time of requests:

LocalTime (default) -- To use the time zone currently set on the server
GMT-- To use Greenwich Mean Time

Log file duration Choose one to determine how often a new log file is created:
Note The prefixes used in the file names are chosen in the Log File Names section of the Server document.

Daily (default) -- To create a new log file each day, starting at midnight. Daily log files use the file naming convention:
file name prefixDDMMYYYY.log
Example: The access log file for May 29, 2001 is access-log29051998.log

Weekly -- To create a new log file each week, starting on Sunday at midnight. Weekly log files use the file naming convention:
file name prefix__WWYYYY.log
Example: The access log for the week of May 24, 2001 is access-log__212001.log.

Monthly -- To create a new log file each month, starting at midnight on the first day of the month. Monthly log files use the file naming convention:
file name prefix--MMYYYY.log
Example: The access log file for May 2001 is access-log--052001.log.

Never -- To create log files of unlimited duration. The file naming convention is:
file name prefix.log
Example: The CGI error log file is cgi-error-log.log.

Maximum log entry length The maximum length allowed for an individual entry in the access log file. If the entry exceeds this length it is not written to the file. The default is 10 kilobytes.

Maximum size of access log The maximum size allowed for the access log file. If this limit is reached no more entries are written to the file. A value of zero (the default) indicates that the size is unlimited.

6. Under "Log File Names," complete these fields:

Field Enter

Directory for log files The directory to store the log files; if this field is blank, Domino stores the log files in the data directory

Access log The prefix to use when creating the Access log file. The default is access. Do not enter a file extension.

Agent log The prefix to use when creating the Agent log file. The default is agent.
Note If you chose the Extended Common format, you will not have an agent log; this information will be included in the access log.

Referer log The prefix to use when creating the Referer log file. The default is referer.
Note If you chose the Extended Common format, you will not have a referer log; this information will be included in the access log.

CGI error log The prefix to use for the cgi error log. The default is cgi-error.
Note The cgi-error log is created only if the CGI script logs information to stderr. The format of cgi-error log information is CGI script dependent. The Access log format does not affect the cgi-error log in any way.

7. (Optional) Under "Exclude From Logging," complete these fields to exclude certain types of information from the log file:

Field Action

URLs Enter URL paths to exclude -- for example, *.gif or /anydir/*

Methods Enter HTTP methods -- for example, POST or DELETE

MIME types Enter MIME types to exclude -- for example, image (for all images) or image/gif (for .gif images)

User agents Enter strings that are part of user agent (browser) strings to exclude requests from a particular user agent.

To exclude Microsoft Internet Explorer, enter MSIE*

Return codes Enter HTTP response status codes to exclude -- for example, 300 or 400

Hosts and domains Enter browser client DNS names or IP addresses to exclude -- for example, 130.333.* or *.edu
Note To enter DNS names, you must first enable the DNS Lookup setting in the HTTP Server section of the Server document. Otherwise, you can enter only IP addresses. Enabling this setting impacts performance.

8. Save the document.

Domino Web server logging to text files

The Domino Web server log (DOMLOG.NSF)

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Glossary

Field	Enter
Access log format	Choose one: Common -- To log information in three separate log files Extended Common -- To log information in one file Note Although you have the option of logging to three separate files, most third-party log-analysis tools require a single text file.
Time format	Choose one to record the time of requests: LocalTime (default) -- To use the time zone currently set on the server GMT-- To use Greenwich Mean Time
Log file duration	Choose one to determine how often a new log file is created: Note The prefixes used in the file names are chosen in the Log File Names section of the Server document. Daily (default) -- To create a new log file each day, starting at midnight. Daily log files use the file naming convention: file name prefixDDMMYYYY.log Example: The access log file for May 29, 2001 is access-log29051998.log Weekly -- To create a new log file each week, starting on Sunday at midnight. Weekly log files use the file naming convention: file name prefix__WWYYYY.log Example: The access log for the week of May 24, 2001 is access-log__212001.log. Monthly -- To create a new log file each month, starting at midnight on the first day of the month. Monthly log files use the file naming convention: file name prefix--MMYYYY.log Example: The access log file for May 2001 is access-log--052001.log. Never -- To create log files of unlimited duration. The file naming convention is: file name prefix.log Example: The CGI error log file is cgi-error-log.log.
Maximum log entry length	The maximum length allowed for an individual entry in the access log file. If the entry exceeds this length it is not written to the file. The default is 10 kilobytes.
Maximum size of access log	The maximum size allowed for the access log file. If this limit is reached no more entries are written to the file. A value of zero (the default) indicates that the size is unlimited.

Field	Enter
Directory for log files	The directory to store the log files; if this field is blank, Domino stores the log files in the data directory
Access log	The prefix to use when creating the Access log file. The default is access. Do not enter a file extension.
Agent log	The prefix to use when creating the Agent log file. The default is agent. Note If you chose the Extended Common format, you will not have an agent log; this information will be included in the access log.
Referer log	The prefix to use when creating the Referer log file. The default is referer. Note If you chose the Extended Common format, you will not have a referer log; this information will be included in the access log.
CGI error log	The prefix to use for the cgi error log. The default is cgi-error. Note The cgi-error log is created only if the CGI script logs information to stderr. The format of cgi-error log information is CGI script dependent. The Access log format does not affect the cgi-error log in any way.

Field	Action
URLs	Enter URL paths to exclude -- for example, .gif or /anydir/
Methods	Enter HTTP methods -- for example, POST or DELETE
MIME types	Enter MIME types to exclude -- for example, image (for all images) or image/gif (for .gif images)
User agents	Enter strings that are part of user agent (browser) strings to exclude requests from a particular user agent. To exclude Microsoft Internet Explorer, enter MSIE*
Return codes	Enter HTTP response status codes to exclude -- for example, 300 or 400
Hosts and domains	Enter browser client DNS names or IP addresses to exclude -- for example, 130.333.* or .edu Note* To enter DNS names, you must first enable the DNS Lookup setting in the HTTP Server section of the Server document. Otherwise, you can enter only IP addresses. Enabling this setting impacts performance.