Reading Log Files

Reading Log Files

This section shows a typical log file and describes the types of entries you will see in a log. The log file can be a valuable tool for managing your FTP server.

Note: You can also use the Log Analyzer to parse the log files and display the information in an easier to read format. For more information, see"Using the Log Analyzer".

When you select the log option, a log file (FSyyyymmnn.log) is created daily in the FTP server directory. Events for all FTP hosts that are running on the server are logged to this file. The following shows some lines from a log file:

0915 12:17:00 (0000005c) 156.21.50.134:2040 connected to 156.21.50.190:21

0915 12:17:00 (0000005c) ftp4test.ipswitch.com S(0) 156.21.50.134 anon-guest@unknown logon success (A1)

0915 12:18:11 (0000005c) ntdoctest.lex.ipswitch.com S(0) 156.21.50.134 anon-guest@unknown logoff R:0 D:0 P:0

0915 12:18:11 (0000005c) 156.21.50.134 connection closed

The primary lines in the log file report a specific server event and use the following format:

Example Description

0915 month (mm) and day (dd)

12:17:00 time of day the event occurred given in hours (hh), minutes (mm), seconds (ss)

(0000005c) thread ID

ftp4test.ipswitch.com name of the FTP host on the server.

S Line type: U=user error; P=protocol error; N=network error; O=operating system error; S=success

156.21.50.134 address of the remote system

anon-guest@unkown user ID of user logged on

Error Message if error occurs

RECV the FTP event

The STOR, STOU, APPE, RECV commands append "(nnnn bytes, nnnn ms)" to the end of the line to indicate how many bytes were received or transmitted and how many milliseconds it took.

The log file is created daily - you will need to delete old log files to keep the directory from filling up.

Logging FTP Server Events
Viewing Log Files
Reading Log Files

Note: You can also use the Log Analyzer to parse the log files and display the information in an easier to read format. For more information, see"Using the Log Analyzer".

Example	Description
0915	month (mm) and day (dd)
12:17:00	time of day the event occurred given in hours (hh), minutes (mm), seconds (ss)
(0000005c)	thread ID
ftp4test.ipswitch.com	name of the FTP host on the server.
S	Line type: U=user error; P=protocol error; N=network error; O=operating system error; S=success
156.21.50.134	address of the remote system
anon-guest@unkown	user ID of user logged on
Error	Message if error occurs
RECV	the FTP event

Logging FTP Server Events Viewing Log Files Reading Log Files

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