Configuring Request Logging

Overview: Configuring a Request Logging profile

The Request Logging profile gives you the ability to configure data within a log file for HTTP requests and responses, in accordance with specified parameters.

Task summary

Perform these tasks to log HTTP request and response data.

1. Creating a pool with request logging to manage HTTP traffic

2. Creating a request logging profile

3. Configuring a virtual server for request logging

4. Deleting a request logging profile

Creating a pool with request logging to manage HTTP traffic

For a basic configuration, you need to create a pool to manage HTTP connections.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Pools.

   The Pool List screen opens.

2. Click Create.

   The New Pool screen opens.

3. In the Name field, type a unique name for the pool.

4. For the Health Monitors setting, from the Available list, select the http monitor and move the monitor to the Active list.

5. From the Load Balancing Method list, select how the system distributes traffic to members of this pool.

   The default is Round Robin.

6. For the Priority Group Activation setting, specify how to handle priority groups:

   • Select Disabled to disable priority groups. This is the default option.
   • Select Less than, and in the Available Members field type the minimum number of members that must remain available in each priority group in order for traffic to remain confined to that group.

7. Add the IP address for each logging server that you want to include in the pool, using the New Members setting:

   1. Type an IP address in the Address field, or select a node address from the Node List.

   2. Type the port number for the logging server in the Service Port field.

   3. (Optional) Type a priority number in the Priority field.

   4. Click Add.

8. Click Finished.

The new pool appears in the Pools list.

Creating a request logging profile

You must have already created a pool that includes logging servers as pool members before you can create a request logging profile.

With a request logging profile, you can log specified data for HTTP requests and responses, and then use that information for analysis and troubleshooting.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Profiles > Other > Request Logging.

   The Request Logging profile list screen opens.

2. Click Create.

   The New Request Logging Profile screen opens.

3. From the Parent Profile list, select a profile from which the new profile inherits properties.

4. Select the Custom check box for the Request Settings area.

5. Configure the request settings, as necessary.

6. Select the Custom check box for the Response Settings area.

7. Configure the response settings, as necessary.

8. Click Finished.

This makes a request logging profile available to log specified data for HTTP requests and responses.

You must configure a virtual server for request logging.

Configuring a request logging profile for requests

Ensure that the configuration includes a pool that includes logging servers as pool members.

You can use a request logging profile to log specified data for HTTP requests, and then use that information for analysis and troubleshooting.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Profiles > Other > Request Logging.

   The Request Logging profile list screen opens.

2. Click Create.

   The New Request Logging Profile screen opens.

3. From the Parent Profile list, select a profile from which the new profile inherits properties.

4. Select the Custom check box for the Request Settings area.

5. From the Request Logging list, select Enabled.

6. In the Template field, type the request logging parameters for the entries that you want to include in the log file.

7. From the HSL Protocol list, select a high-speed logging protocol.

8. From the Pool Name list, select the pool that includes the log server as a pool member.

9. You can also configure the error response settings.

   1. From the Respond On Error list, select Enabled.

   2. In the Error Response field, type the error response strings that you want to include in the log file.

      These strings must be well-formed for the protocol serving the strings.

   3. Select the Close On Error check box to drop the request and close the connection if logging fails.

10. You can also configure the logging request errors settings.

    1. From the Log Logging Errors list, select Enabled.

    2. In the Error Template field, type the request logging parameters for the entries that you want to include in the log file.

    3. From the HSL Error Protocol list, select a high-speed logging error protocol.

    4. From the Error Pool Name list, select a pool that includes the node for the error logging server as a pool member.

11. Click Update.

This configures a request logging profile to log specified data for HTTP requests.

Configuring a request logging profile for responses

You must have already created a pool that includes logging servers as pool members before you can configure a request logging profile for responses.

With a request logging profile, you can log specified data for HTTP requests and responses, and then use that information for analysis and troubleshooting.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Profiles > Other > Request Logging.

   The Request Logging profile list screen opens.

2. Click Create.

   The New Request Logging Profile screen opens.

3. From the Parent Profile list, select a profile from which the new profile inherits properties.

4. Select the Custom check box for the Response Settings area.

5. In the Response Settings area, from the Response Logging list, select Enabled.

6. Select the Log By Default check box.

   The Log By Default check box is selected by default.

7. In the Template field, type the response logging parameters for the entries that you want to include in the log file.

8. From the HSL Protocol list, select a high-speed logging protocol.

9. From the Pool Name list, select the pool that includes the node log server as a pool member.

10. Configure the logging request error settings.

    1. From the Log Logging Errors list, select Enabled.

    2. In the Error Template field, type the response logging parameters for the entries that you want to include in the log file.

    3. From the HSL Error Protocol list, select a high-speed logging error protocol.

    4. From the Error Pool Name list, select a pool that includes the node for the error log server as a pool member.

11. Click Update to save the changes.

This configures a request logging profile to log specified data for HTTP responses.

Configuring a virtual server for request logging

You can configure a virtual server to pass traffic to logging servers.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Virtual Servers.

   The Virtual Server List screen opens.

2. Click the name of the virtual server you want to modify.

3. On the menu bar, click Resources.

4. From the Default Pool list, select a pool name that is configured with pool members for request logging.

5. Click the Properties tab.

6. From the Configuration list, select Advanced.

7. From the Request Logging Profile list, select the profile you want to assign to the virtual server.

8. Click Update.

This virtual server can now pass traffic to the configured logging servers.

Deleting a request logging profile

You can delete a user-defined request logging profile that is obsolete or no longer needed.

1. On the Main tab, click Local Traffic > Profiles > Other > Request Logging.

   The Request Logging profile list screen opens.

2. Select the check box for the applicable profile.

3. Click Delete.

4. Click Delete.

The profile is deleted.

Request Logging profile settings

With the Request Logging profile, you can specify the data and the format for HTTP requests and responses that you want to include in a log file.

General Properties

Request Settings

<html>
 <head>
  <title>ERROR</title>
 </head>
 <body>
  <p>503 ERROR-Service Unavailable</p>
 </body>
</html>
            

Response Settings

Request Logging parameters

This table lists all available parameters from which you can create a custom HTTP Request Logging profile. These are used to specify entries for the Template and Error Template settings For each parameter, the system writes to the log the information described in the right column.