When the vSphere Client is connected to vCenter Server, you can select hosts from which to download system log files.

Prerequisites

To save diagnostic data for ESXi hosts and vCenter Server, the vSphere Clientmust be connected to the vCenter Server system.

Required privileges:

  • To view diagnostic data: Read-Only User
  • To manage diagnostic data: Global.Diagnostics

Procedure

  1. In the inventory, right click a vCenter Server instance.
    Export System Logs option is available for Hosts and Virtual Machines.
  2. Click Export System Logs.
  3. If you are connected to vCenter Server, select the object for which you want to export data.
    Selecting an object selects all of its child objects.
  4. If you are connected to vCenter Server, select Include information from vCenter Server and vSphere UI logs to download vCenter Server and vSphere Client log files and host log files, and click Next.
  5. If the selected host supports manifest driven exports of system log files, select the system log files to collect. Select the specific system log files to download.
    If the host does not support manifest exports of log files, all system log files are exported.
  6. Select Gather performance data to include performance data information in the log files.
    You can update the duration and interval time you want the data collected.
  7. (Optional) Select to apply a password for encrypted core dumps to the support package.

    You can make that password available to your support representative in a secure channel.

    If only some of the host in your environment use encryption, some of the files in the package are encrypted.

  8. Click Finish.
  9. Specify the location to which to save the log files.

    The host or vCenter Server generates a .zip file containing the log files.

    The Recent Tasks panel shows the Generate diagnostic bundles task in progress.

    The Downloading Log Bundles dialog box appears when the Generating Diagnostic Bundle task is finished. The download status of each bundle appears in the dialog box.

    Some network errors can cause download failures. When you select an individual download in the dialog box, the error message for that operation appears under the name and location of the log bundle file.

  10. Click Save.
  11. Verify the information in the Summary and click Finish to download the log files.

Results

Diagnostic bundles containing log files for the specified objects are downloaded to the location specified.

What to do next

Upload Logs Package to a VMware Service Request.