Local CLI syslog/logging-server settings on a VMware NSX edge node are removed after a reboot

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

When a customer environment has a syslog/logging server configured from the local CLI on a VMware NSX Edge Node, the configuration is lost after the Edge Node is rebooted.

This occurs under the following conditions:

• The logging server was configured locally using the following command:

set logging-server <syslog-server-ip-address:port> proto udp level info



• The node central-config feature is set to enabled (which is the default behavior). You can verify this on the Edge Node CLI:
  
  Edge> get node central-config
<Time Stamp>
Status: enabled
  
  
• In the /var/log/nvpapi/api_access.log file on the NSX Edge node, entries related to the syslog configuration show successful localized API POST requests, such as:

<Date and Time> INFO admin 'POST /api/v1/node/services/syslog/exporters --- New value: {"server": "172.##.##.28", "protocol": "UDP", "level": "INFO", "exporter_name": "8a###e87-####--####-464a####c5e3"}' 201 511 "" "" 4.110315

• After a reboot, running get logging-server from the CLI shows no configured servers.
  
  

Environment

VMware NSX

 

Cause

When node central-config is enabled on the NSX Edge Node, the Edge Node is designed to inherit its configuration state from the central Node Profile managed by the NSX Manager.

During a reboot, the Edge Node checks the profile configured in the NSX Manager under System > Fabric > Profiles > Node Profiles > ALL NSX Node Profiles > Syslog.

If the syslog configuration in this centralized Node Profile is empty, the Edge Node will inherit that empty configuration upon booting up. This overwrites any local CLI changes made previously, causing the localized syslog configuration to be wiped.

Resolution

To ensure that localized syslog settings and configurations are persistent across reboots, you must disable the central-config feature on the Edge Node prior to configuring the syslog/logging server.

Steps to resolve:

1. Log in to the NSX Edge Node local CLI as an admin user.
   
   
2. Run the following command to disable the node central-config:
   
   set node central-config disabled
   
   
3. Re-apply your logging server configuration via the CLI:
   
   set logging-server <syslog-server-ip-address:port> proto udp level info
   
   
4. Verify the configuration is applied:

get logging-server

The configuration will now persist following future Edge Node reboots.

Additional Information

For more information related to NSX Edge node configurations and central-config behavior, please refer to the following Broadcom Knowledge Base articles:

• Broadcom KB 400966

• Broadcom KB 322540