How to collect log information from vCenter Server 4

How to collect logs from vCenter Server?

Sometimes when you’re in trouble, you need to go and generate the diagnostic information for VMware vCenter Server 4.0. I was wondering where and how, just until when I stumbled on this KB article on VMware KB website. The article explains that to generate the vCenter 4 logs, it must be done directly on the vCenter Server being connected as an Administrator.

1. Log into the VMware vCenter Server as an administrator.
2. Click Start > All Programs > VMware > Generate vCenter Server log bundle – Extended.

3.  A command prompt will appear and shows the progress of collecting the logs. The process will take some time to complete.

After completing, you’ll find a Zipped file on your desktop, ready to be send to VMware.  But how exactly?

First option is by by e-mail, but if the file is bigger than 10Megs, you might have  troubles….In my case, while I was testing, my diagnostic data was about 360Megs…   and my environment there was only 2 ESX Servers with the vCenter installed as a VM, so e-mail for me would not be possible).

Another way is to attach the file to your support request while you writing your message online at https://www.vmware.com/support/login.do. After you login, you go and click the Support History link. (this suppose that you had formulated your suport request before). Then, select the appropriate support request, and on this screen you can update your support request and upload the diagnostic data.

Third way to upload the diagnostic data collected by the script to VMware is by using FTP server provided by VMware. Just use Filezilla or any other compatible FTP client. Configure your FTP client to connect to: ftpsite.vmware.com

Username : inbound
Password : inbound

Be sure to check whe whole article on the Source: VMwareKB 1011641.

, because there is an alternative way to collect the logs from vCenter Server too….

Also: In this VMware KB article you’ll find all the informations where to go and collect logs from different VMware products. (there is a whole grid there).

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