Status Messages Versus Logging

SMS 2.0 provides two mechanisms for tracing server and thread component activities. Throughout the following flowchart chapters, many of the troubleshooting tips refer to checking the status messages for a specific component or checking the log files. The following sections give you procedures that demonstrate how to accomplish these two tasks:

• Tracing SMS Components with Status Messages
• Tracing SMS Components with Logging

Tracing SMS Components with Status Messages

The new status system is very comprehensive and gives you the majority of the information you will need for troubleshooting SMS. The status messages were designed not only to tell you that a problem occurred, but also to give you an indication of how you can solve the problem. The following procedure explains how to check the status messages for a specific server component. You can substitute different component names into this procedure to view their status messages.

  To check the status messages for Hierarchy Manager

1. Navigate to Component Status in the SMS Administrator console.

Systems Management Server   Site Database (site code - site name)      System Status         Site Status            site code - site name               Component Status

2. Select Component Status.
3. When the component list appears in the details pane, click SMS_Hierarchy_Manager, right-click, and then click Show Messages.
4. Select All. The Status Message Viewer should now appear, displaying the status messages for Hierarchy Manager.

Tracing SMS Components with Logging

By default, logging is disabled in SMS. However, when you encounter a particularly difficult problem, it can be beneficial to enable logging. You can enable logging using the SMS Service Manager located under Tools in the SMS Administrator console. You can enable logging:

• For individual components.
• For all components with a separate log file for each component.
• For many components with one log file that traces all component activity.

  To enable the log file for Hierarchy Manager:

1. Navigate to SMS Service Manager in the SMS Administrator console.

Systems Management Server   Site Database (site code - site name)      Tools         SMS Service Manager

2. Select SMS Service Manager, right-click, select All Tasks, and then click Start SMS Service Manager.
3. Click the plus sign next to the computer icon in the console pane. You will see two console items, Components and Servers.
4. Double click on Components. When the component list appears in the details pane, select SMS_Hierarchy_Manager.
5. Select Component from the drop-down list at the top of SMS Service Manager and then select Logging.
6. When the SMS Component Logging Control dialog box appears, select Logging enabled.