Modifying Your Server Logging Configurations

As a best practice, you should use the initial logging configuration files that are installed by the SAS Deployment Wizard. However, in some situations it might be necessary to make changes to the logging configuration. You can use the following methods to modify a server's logging configuration:
  • You can adjust logging levels dynamically by using the Server Management features of SAS Management Console. This feature is useful when you want to change the configuration temporarily without stopping the server or spawner. See Using SAS Management Console to Monitor SAS Servers.
  • You can permanently modify a server's logging configuration by changing its logconfig.xml file. Before modifying a configuration file, be sure to make a backup copy. The following are some examples of changes that you might want to make to a server's logging configuration:
    • configure RollingFileAppender to use a different log filename, to roll over log files more or less frequently, or to roll over log files based on file size rather than date
    • specify additional appenders (for example, you might want to define a separate rolling file to capture a particular category of messages)
    • use filters to limit the events that are written to an appender
    • configure a different message layout for an appender
    For additional options and detailed configuration instructions, see the SAS Logging: Configuration and Programming Reference.
  • You can use the alternative logging configuration files that are provided for troubleshooting. These files are useful when SAS Technical Support requests a higher level of logging. For details, see the following topics:
  • If you have installed the SAS Enterprise BI Audit and Performance Measurement package, you can use the alternative logging configuration files (called logconfig.apm.xml) that are provided for use with the package. The package is available for download from http://support.sas.com/rnd/emi.
The following topics describe other logging changes that you might want to make:
CAUTION:
Excessive logging can degrade performance. Therefore, you should not use the TRACE and DEBUG logging levels unless you are directed to do so by SAS Technical Support.