CLI Spamming syslog messages causing impossible to execute commands using SSH or Shell due to that.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

vCenter command line become overloaded of log messages after adjusting manually the log levels on syslog.conf.

On following the instructions of KB https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/345261/ to edit the syslog.conf file, as sum as rsyslog service is restarted the SSH session or the vCenter CLI via console is flooded wiht log messages.

 

Sample from lab:

 

Environment

vCenter Server Appliance all versions.

Cause

Invalid entry on the syslog.conf file.

For instance, instead of using *.warn it is set as *warn* 

 

Sample from lab:

 

rsyslog will output all the log entries to the command line session due to the wrong definition.

 

Resolution

Adjust the syslog.config with the correct settings as the sample.

Since the command line will not be accessible proceed with the following:

1. Use WinSCP and browse the directory /etc/vmware-syslog
   
   
2. Rename the file syslog.conf file
   i.e. use: syslog.conf-fail
   
   
3. Reboot vCenter to force the reboot of the rsyslog service.
   
   
4. Proceed with the steps of KB 345261 to get the correct settings to be used.
   
   
5. Rename the file back to the correct one.
   mv /etc/vmware-syslog/syslog.conf-fail /etc/vmware-syslog/syslog.conf
   
   
6. Restart the rsyslog service
   systemctl restart rsyslog