At one point or another, every system administrator has had to collect logs when troubleshooting a problem. Sometimes these are logs from a familiar program that the inside admin can look through themselves, but sometimes there are logs that must be sent out to a software vendor where other technicians can work on them. When the latter is the case, there is a set of rules that should be followed to help the third party technician help solve your problem.

1.) When the technician requests certain log files, make sure you return those particular log files. If you can’t find the specific logs, just ask for some help as I’m sure the tech will gladly assist.
2.) Before generating logs, delete or move any old logs so a new file can be generated. Trying to parse a log file full of old data will just slow down the tech, thus taking longer to fix the issue.
3.) Following rule two, once you have generated the new log file, turn off 'logging' and send the file immediately. By keeping the log as small as possible, you make identifying the problem easier for the outside tech.
4.) Do not be surprised when the tech requests new log files if you send in a two gig text file. It's a huge file...
5.) Any additional information a tech may request is just as important as the log files. Information such as the username being used, around what time you ran the test, when the problem occurred, the steps you took along the way, and the results when generating the log is sometimes essential in tracking the problem.

Just remember that the technician wants to solve your problem too. By providing correct, detailed logs, you can help the outside vendor efficiently figure out the problem and find a solution in the least amount of time. If you are ever confused or have questions about the log files, do not hesitate to contact the technician. More than likely they will be glad to help and answer your questions or concerns.

Brett Pusateri

Tech Support