Hosts provisioned with vSphere Auto Deploy usually do not have sufficient local storage to save system logs. You can specify a remote syslog server for those hosts by setting up a reference host, saving the host profile, and applying that host profile to other hosts as needed.

Best practice is to set up the syslog server on the reference host with the vSphere Client or the esxcli system syslog command and to save the host profile. You can also set up syslog from the Host Profiles feature in the vSphere Client.

Prerequisites

  • If you intend to use a remote syslog host, set up that host before you customize host profiles.
  • Verify that you have access to the vSphere Client and the vCenter Server system.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to Home > Policies and Profiles > Host Profiles.
  2. (Optional) If no reference host exists in your environment, click Extract Profile from Host to create a host profile.
  3. Click the host profile you want to configure and select the Configure tab.
  4. Click Edit Host Profile.
  5. Select Advanced Configuration Settings > Advanced Options > Advanced configuration options.
    You can select specific sub-profiles and edit the syslog settings.
  6. (Optional) To create an advanced configuration option.
    1. Click the Add sub-profile icon.
    2. From the Advanced option drop-down list select Configure a fixed option.
    3. Specify Syslog.global.loghost as the name of the option, and your host as the value of the option.
  7. Click Save to complete the host profile configuration.

What to do next

  • Create a rule that applies the host profile to all hosts that you want to provision with the settings specified in the reference host. For writing a rule in a PowerCLI session, see Write a Rule and Assign a Host Profile to Hosts.
  • For hosts that are already provisioned with vSphere Auto Deploy, perform the test and repair compliance operations in a PowerCLI session, see Test and Repair Rule Compliance.
  • Power on unprovisioned hosts to provision them with the new host profile.