Understanding Log Details

The console logs record information such as the action that was performed, the module that was used, the data and time, and the parameters associated with the action. The information in these logs is valuable when reviewing the actions that were performed by a console user. In addition to viewing logs, the console enables an administrator to annotate the log record with comments.

The following display shows a console log example for generating and distributing SSH keys. This type of console log can be recorded when an operating system user account is created. The information that the console shows in most of the fields, and especially in the Raw log data section, differs according to which action is performed.

Console Log Action Details

The Details of logged action section includes the following information:

Console Log Details of Logged Action

Field	Description
Description	Specifies the action that was performed.
Console module	Specifies the console module that was used to perform the action.
Console user	Specifies the user name that performed the action.
Session ID	Specifies the Web session that was used when the action was performed. You can select the link to view the console logs for all actions performed during the Web session.
Generated by script	Specifies the console script that was used to perform the action.
Client IP or hostname	Specifies the IP address or host name that was used by the console user to perform the action.
Date and time	Specifies the date and time for when the action was performed. The date and time format can be changed by specifying a different format for displayed dates as described in Specifying Console Preferences.

The Log entry annotation section enables an administrator to save a comment about the action. Click Save after adding a comment.

The information in the Raw log data section differs according to the action that was performed. The information is shown as a two-column table of parameter names and parameter values. Most of the parameters are related to the descriptions provided in the previous table. However, the appearance of some fields is different. The following list describes those fields:

sid

This is the value for the Web session ID that was in use when the action was performed.

time

This value is a UNIX time representation for when the action was performed. When the data and time are shown in the Details of logged action section, the time is formatted for display from this value.

This value is the identifier for the log record.

The Files changed and commands run section shows the operating system commands that were executed to perform the action and the files that were used. This section is populated when the console is configured to log such information. By default, the console is not configured to log commands and files because the list of commands can be large and can contribute to a full system disk.