ESXi records host activity in log files, using a syslog facility.
Component |
Location |
Purpose |
|---|---|---|
VMkernel |
/var/log/vmkernel.log |
Records activities related to virtual machines and ESXi. |
VMkernel warnings |
/var/log/vmkwarning.log |
Records activities related to virtual machines. |
VMkernel summary |
/var/log/vmksummary.log |
Used to determine uptime and availability statistics for ESXi (comma separated). |
ESXi host agent log |
/var/log/hostd.log |
Contains information about the agent that manages and configures the ESXi host and its virtual machines. |
vCenter agent log |
/var/log/vpxa.log |
Contains information about the agent that communicates with vCenter Server (if the host is managed by vCenter Server). |
Shell log |
/var/log/shell.log |
Contains a record of all commands typed into the ESXi Shell as well as shell events (for example, when the shell was enabled). |
Authentication |
/var/log/auth.log |
Contains all events related to authentication for the local system. |
System messages |
/var/log/syslog.log |
Contains all general log messages and can be used for troubleshooting. This information was formerly located in the messages log file. |
Virtual machines |
The same directory as the affected virtual machine's configuration files, named vmware.log and vmware*.log. For example, /vmfs/volumes/datastore/virtual machine/vwmare.log |
Contains virtual machine power events, system failure information, tools status and activity, time sync, virtual hardware changes, vMotion migrations, machine clones, and so on. |