Change location where log files are written and automatic removal OM Web Viewer 12.1

Products

• Output Management Web Viewer

Issue/Introduction

Are there any properties we can set to change the location where log files are written and is there a retention policy so logs will automatically be removed by OM Web Viewer to prevent the filesystem filling?

Can we disable this feature as it could have a potential to slow down the system with disk I/O if there are a lot of audit logs to be written?

Environment

• Output Management Web Viewer 12.1
• IBM WebSphere Application Server

Resolution

OM Web Viewer's own log files and audit log are written under the CAOMWV12_HOME folder (assuming you installed using an external configuration). By default, this is the OM Web Viewer installation folder.

This can be changed.

1. Please note that there are sub-folders under the CAOMWV12_HOME folder:
   
   \config - the configuration files
   \database - the RunTimeCacheDB and (if internal database) AdminDB. Note: If running under IBM WebSphere, these may instead be handled by the WAS's own DerbyDB
   \logs - OM Web Viewer's log and audit files
2. If you need to move the OM Web Viewer log file location, you must move all of these folders.
3. We recommend creating a new folder "<new-hlq>\CA_OM_Web_Viewer_home"
4. Copy the above folders and their contents to this new folder.
5. You can optionally delete all files under \logs and delete the RunTimeCacheDB folder under \database.
6. Then update CAOMWV12_HOME (either system environment variable or defined to WAS) to point to this folder - do this change variable step while OM Web Viewer is stopped.
7. Going forward, if you need to change the Web Viewer configuration, be sure to use this new CAOMWV12_HOME value.
   
   As for retention policy, unfortunately we have nothing for this. We create the file and leave it to the user to clean. Perhaps you could implement some automation to "clean" the logs folder based on file age?
   
   To answer the question about disabling Auditing, all you need do is leave all the Audit settings unchecked (in the Web Viewer Administration tab), and no Audit Log files will be written. OM Web Viewer's own log files of course, will continue to write.

Additional Information

An enhancement for writing audit logs in an alternate directory was written and is available when applying LU13481 CUMULATIVE BUILD 241 FOR WV 12.1

ENHANCEMENT DESCRIPTION: The Audit logs were designed to be written to the /Logs directory under <CAOMWV12_HOME>. Some sites want to specify a different directory other than the default. This enhancement will allow sites to specify the directory for Audit Logs in the "Administration.......Preferences.....Auditing Settings" page.