Exchange - How to manage logs

Objective

Logs correspond to events that occur on a computer system (server, computer, application, website, database, network, etc.). For example, logs can record and contain one or more of the following elements:

• The timestamp (date, hour, minute, second) of the event.
• The nature of the event (login, logout, error, download, upload, alert, etc.).
• Additional information about the event (pages or files accessed, applications launched, remote servers called, name of a file uploaded or downloaded, etc.).
• The origin of the event (user identifier, source IP address, source program, etc.).
• The state of the system at the time of the event (available resources, remaining memory, CPU usage, etc.).

Generally, logs are generated directly by the computer systems on which the events occur. They are stored and archived in text files also known as log files.

Log files allow you to perform the following actions:

• Analyse the behaviour of the computer system generating the logs.
• Identify errors that have occurred on the computer system.
• Resolve errors encountered on the computer system.
• Optimise the operation and performance of the computer system.

Your Private Exchange or Trusted Exchange offer therefore generates its own logs. You may need to consult or retrieve the logs to analyse access to your email inboxes or to track email flows.

Discover how to view and manage logs on your Private Exchange or Trusted Exchange offer.

Requirements

• You have subscribed to a Private Exchange or Trusted Exchange offer.
• You have a Logs Data Platform (LDP) account. This guide will guide you through all the necessary steps: Quick start for Logs Data Platform.
• You have access to the OVHcloud Control Panel.

Instructions

View your Exchange platform logs in real-time

To access real-time logs on your Private or Trusted Exchange offer, follow these instructions:

1. Log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel.
2. Go to the Web Cloud section.
3. In the MICROSOFT section, click on Exchange.
4. Select the relevant platform.
5. To the right of the series of tabs, click on the More + tab and then on Logs.

Exchange services offer two types of logs:

• Access: Allows you to view the activity of connections on your Exchange service.
• Messagetracking: Allows you to view detailed logs of the email flows through your Exchange service. You will find the following information:
  • Delivery status of emails on your Exchange accounts
  • Sending status of emails from your Exchange service
  • Size of transmitted emails
  • etc.

Integrate your Exchange solution logs on Logs Data Platform

The Logs Data Platform solution can be useful if you have a large infrastructure or if your services generate a large amount of logs. Indeed, this platform is designed to facilitate the aggregation and management of logs.

It works by retrieving logs generated by your infrastructure, websites or applications to, for example:

• Store them.
• Display them in real-time dashboards.
• Allow users to perform complex queries.
• Filter them by date, application, type or content.

Exchange solutions are compatible with various services such as web hosting, VPS and dedicated servers. They can also be complemented by data streams on Logs Data Platform, in addition to the real-time logs already available.

To subscribe your Exchange solution logs to a data stream on Logs Data Platform, perform the following actions:

1. Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel.
2. Go to the Web Cloud section.
3. In the MICROSOFT section, click on Exchange.
4. Select the relevant platform.
5. To the right of the series of tabs, click on the More + tab and then on Logs.
6. On the right side of the box where your real-time logs are displayed, click on the Subscribe button.

From the page that appears, select the desired Logs Data Platform account in the drop-down menu located above the table.

Two scenarios are then available to subscribe your Exchange solution:

Go further

For specialised services (SEO, development, etc.), contact OVHcloud partners.

Getting started with the Private Exchange service

Introduction to Logs Data Platform

Quick start for Logs Data Platform

If you would like assistance using and configuring your OVHcloud solutions, please refer to our support offers.

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