Logging Web Reports

You can keep track of your Web Reports usage by setting up a log file. In a fresh installation, Web Reports logging is disabled by default and its settings do not exist.

The settings to control Web Reports logging, if present, are stored:
  • on Windows, in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\BigFix\Enterprise Server\BESReports
  • on Linux, in the section [Software\BigFix\Enterprise Server\BESReports] of the configuration file /var/opt/BESWebReportsServer/beswebreports.config

The LogOn setting controls turning the logging on and off. Its default value is 0.

The LogPath setting controls the path of the active log file.

The LogFileSizeLimit setting controls the maximum log file size in bytes. When the currently used log file reaches this size, a "log rotation" is performed, the file is renamed and a new log file is used. A maximum of 10 old log files is kept, then the oldest log file is discarded. The maximum number of old log files (10) is fixed and the numbering is cyclical, from 0 to 9. If "file.txt" is the name of the log file, the old log files will be named file.txt_0, file.txt_1, ..., file.txt_9. The default value of LogFileSizeLimit is 0, which means log rotation is disabled and logging is performed on a single log file that can grow indefinitely. The minimum value to enable log rotation is 1048576 (1 MB). We recommend setting LogFileSizeLimit to at least 10485760 (10 MB).

The EnabledLogs setting controls what kind of information is logged. Its value can be either "all" or a subset of "database;debug;critical;memory;performance;timing;store_usage". Its default value is "debug;critical;memory;store_usage".

To enable Web Reports logging, perform the following steps.

On Windows:
  1. Run regedit.
  2. Find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\BigFix\Enterprise Server\BESReports.
  3. Create a new string (REG_SZ) value named LogPath and set it to the full path name of your log file, for example C:\Program Files\BigFix Enterprise\BES Server\BESWebReports.log.

    Note: The folder for the file must already exist. If the Web Reports service is running as a custom user (specified at installation time), that user must have read and write permissions on the directory where your log file is located.

  4. Create a new DWORD value named LogFileSizeLimit and set it to the log file size in bytes. We recommend a value of at least 10485760 (10 MB).
  5. Create a new string named EnabledLogs and set it to, for example, "critical".
  6. Create a new DWORD value named LogOn and set it to 1 to turn logging on.
  7. Close regedit.
  8. Restart Web Reports.
On Linux:
  1. Open the configuration file /var/opt/BESWebReportsServer/beswebreports.config.
  2. Find the section [Software\BigFix\Enterprise Server\BESReports] and, under that section, add the following settings.
  3. Add the LogPath setting and set it to the full path name of your log file. Like this 
    LogPath = /var/log/BESWebReports/BESWebReports.log

    Note: The folder for the file must already exist. If the Web Reports service is running as a custom user (specified at installation time), that user must have read and write permissions on the directory where your log file is located.

  4. Add the LogFileSizeLimit setting and set it to a value of at least 10485760 (10 MB). Like this 
    LogFileSizeLimit = 10485760
  5. Add the EnabledLogs setting and set it to, for example, "critical". Like this 
    EnabledLogs = critical
  6. Add the LogOn setting and set it to 1 to turn logging on. Like this 
    LogOn = 1
  7. Close the file.
  8. Restart Web Reports.

The next time you launch Web Reports, a log of the session is saved to the specified file.