Enabling logging for Network Discovery

Products

• Client Management Suite
• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Question

How to enable logging for Network Discovery

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Resolution

Answer

Network Discovery (ND) logging occurs on the Notification Server (NS or SMP). To enable logging for ND, registry keys must be created and/or modified on the NS server.

Following is a list of the registry keys involved in ND logging. All entries are 'STRING' type registry entries. 

Registry Entry in "HKLM\Software\Altiris\DiscoveryTasks":

LogDebug
If this value is set to 1, additional debug messages are sent to the Altiris Log by network discovery tasks. This value is optional; if omitted, 0 is assumed. If set, periodic progress messages (percent done) are sent to the Altiris Log.

Registry Entries in "HKLM\Software\Altiris\DiscoveryTasks\Engine Log":

LogWanted
Determines whether or not log files are generated. This value provides an easy way to disable log files without deleting the "Engine Log" registry key (or having to rename it). This value is required for logging; it should be 1 to enable logging, or 0 to disable it.

LogLevel
Determines which types of messages get logged. Valid values, or logging levels, are, in order of detail - least to most: Critical, Error, Warn, inform, Debug, Verbose. In this list, each option includes the options that precede it (e.g. "Warn" includes Critical and Error level logs, but not Inform level). This value is optional; if omitted, "Error" is used. Verbose and Debug should only be set when directed by Symantec Technical Support. 

LogFilePath
This value provides the folder in which log files will be created, and also provides a template for the log file names. The value up to the final backslash is the destination folder. The remaining value is the template for the filename; the task instance GUID is inserted just before the last period (dot) in that template name, with a period preceding it. This value is optional; if omitted, "C:\DiscoveryLogs\DiscLog.txt" is used. The specified folder must already exist for the logs to be created.

Restart SMP services after adding or changing these registry entries. 

A new log file is created for each task instance, so enable logging only as needed for troubleshooting.

A sample, importable registry file is attached. The logging level is set to 'verbose' in this sample. Please use it at your own discretion. Symantec is providing this as a sample only and it is not intended for production use. 

Note that if the legacy entries titled "IncludePhase5" and/or "LogThreadActivity" exist in the "HKLM\Software\Altiris\DiscoveryTasks\Engine Log" section, they should be removed since they are no longer compatible with ND 7.x.