Collecting Logs and Database Dumps for Ongoing or Intermittent Issues in HCX

Products

• VMware HCX

Issue/Introduction

When troubleshooting ongoing or intermittent HCX issues, relying on a single snapshot (data collected at only one point in time) is often insufficient. A single snapshot only reflects the system state at that specific moment and does not provide enough context to understand how the issue developed or how the system behaved before and after it occurred.

To accurately identify the root cause, it is important to compare the system state during the issue and after corrective actions are applied. Capturing logs along with the database state at both points provides the necessary visibility into changes and system behavior.

Environment

VMware HCX

Cause

Incomplete data collection is the primary reason for inconclusive analysis. When logs and database state are not captured while the issue is actively occurring, critical indicators may be lost after workaround/fix. This lack of comparative data makes it difficult to identify triggering events or understand transient conditions, resulting in incomplete or inconclusive root cause findings.

Resolution

To assist with effective troubleshooting, ensure data is collected at key points during the issue lifecycle:

• While the issue is occurring:
  Collect the HCX support bundle (including all associated fleet appliances) with the database dump option enabled to capture the exact system state and configuration at the time of the issue.
• After applying the fix or workaround:
  Once the issue is resolved (or workaround implement), collect the HCX support bundle (including all associated fleet appliances) again with the database dump option enabled.

Note: Always collect the support bundle (including DB dump) from both HCX sites.

To download the support bundle, use the appliance management interface at <https://hcx-ip-or-fqdn:9443>:

1. Navigate to the HCX 9443 UI.
2. Go to Administration > Troubleshooting -> Technical Support Logs
3. Click on GENERATE