Avocent DSView 3, Installer/User Manual

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Chapter 4: Managing Units 159
• Data log messages - Contain serial console data that will be stored in files on the DSView 3
software server. The files may then be viewed.
• Events - When a defined event occurs on the appliance, a Syslog message is sent to the
appliance, and then to the DSView 3 software event database (for information about events,
see Chapter 10 beginning on page 293). Also, when the appliance detects a port alert string on
a serial port, it can send a syslog event message.
Data session logging is enabled per connection on the appliance, subject to license availability (see
Data log licenses ). The DSView 3 software server supports up to 2048 enabled data logging
sessions on each DSView 3 software server (assuming sufficient licenses are available).
Data log files
Syslog messages that contain data log session information are stored in individual ASCII files.
Syslog data messages that contain appliance and port values are linked with a target device; those
with only appliance values are linked with an appliance. The maximum number of data log files
that can be written simultaneously is determined by the number of data log session
licenses available.
A data log filename includes the name of the appliance and/or target device, plus the system data
and time when the file was created. Current files have a .txt file name extension. If a port supports
session sharing, concurrent sessions on that port will be written to a single log file.
Data log files are not backed up by the DSView 3 software backup utility.
When a data log file is created, a companion signature file with the same name is created, but with
a .sig file name extension. This file is digitally signed using the DSView 3 software private key.
When a user wants to display the content of a data log file, the DSView 3 software will first verify
the digital signature to ensure the file has not been altered.
You may also export the DSView 3 system X.509 certificate and use its public key to validate the
signature of files, using external tools. See
System certificate on page 26.
Data log licenses
A data log license is used for each enabled data log port connection. A direct SSH/Telnet session to
an appliance will not require or use a data log license for the DSView 3 software to capture data
logs for that appliance session. Only sessions related to appliance ports require a data log license.
A data log license is used when data logging is enabled on a port connection. When data logging is
disabled on a port connection, that license is freed and returned to the available pool.
The DSView 3 software ships with 32 available data log licenses - that is, 32 data logging sessions
may be enabled on appliance connections that support data logging. An add-on license key may be
obtained to support a certain number of additional data logging sessions or an unlimited number of
data logging sessions (site license). See
Licenses on page 32 for more information.