# Administration Reference

## VLLog

Purpose

Traces Volume Location Server operations

Description

The VLLog file records a trace of Volume Location (VL) Server (vlserver process) operations on the local machine and describes any error conditions it encounters.

If the VLLog file does not already exist in the /usr/afs/logs directory when the VL Server starts, the server process creates it and writes initial start-up messages to it. If there is an existing file, the VL Server renames it to VLLog.old, overwriting the existing VLLog.old file if it exists.

The file is in ASCII format. Administrators listed in the /usr/afs/etc/UserList file can use the bos getlog command to display its contents. Alternatively, log onto the server machine and use a text editor or a file display command such as the UNIX cat command. By default, the mode bits on the VLLog file grant the required r (read) permission to all users.

The VL Server records operations only as it completes them, and cannot recover from failures by reviewing the file. The log contents are useful for administrative evaluation of process failures and other problems.

The VL Server can record messages at three levels of detail. By default, it records only very rudimentary messages. To increase logging to the first level of detail, issue the following command while logged onto the database server machine as the local superuser root.

       # kill -TSTP vlserver_pid

where vlserver_pid is the process ID of the vlserver process, as reported in the output from the standard UNIX ps command. To increase to the second and third levels of detail, repeat the command.

To disable logging, issue the following command.

       # kill -HUP vlserver_pid

To decrease the level of logging, first completely disable it and then issue the kill -TSTP command as many times as necessary to reach the desired level.

Related Information

UserList

bos getlog

vlserver

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