Web Cloud Databases - How to manage logs

Objective

A log is an event that occurs on a computer system (server, computer, application, website, database, computer network, etc.).
For example, a log might record and contain one or more of the following:

• The timestamp (date, time, minute, second, etc.) of the event.
• The nature of the event (connection, disconnection, error, download, upload, alert, etc.).
• Additional information on the event (page or file accessed, application launched, remote server called, name of a file loaded or downloaded, etc.)
• The origin of the event (user ID, source IP address, source program, etc.).
• The state of the system where the event occurs (available resources, remaining memory, CPU usage, etc.).

Most of the time, the logs are generated directly by the IT systems where the events take place.
They are stored in text files, also called log files.

As a result, log files allow you to:

• Analyze the behaviour of the IT system generating logs.
• Identify errors that have occurred on the computer system.
• Resolve errors encountered on the computer system.
• Optimize and improve the performance of the IT system.

Your Web Cloud Databases solution generates its own logs.

In some situations, you may need to retrieve the logs:

• For your Web Cloud Databases server.
• For one of the databases hosted on your Web Cloud Databases server.

Find out how to view and manage logs for your Web Cloud Databases solution.

Requirements

• A Web Cloud Databases solution
• Access to the OVHcloud Control Panel

Instructions

View logs in real time for your Web Cloud Databases

To check the logs for your Web Cloud Databases solution in real time, perform the following actions:

1. Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel.
2. Click on the Web Cloud tab.
3. In the left-hand column, click on the Web Cloud Databases menu.
4. Select the Web Cloud Database instance concerned.
5. On the page that appears, click on the Logs tab.

This integrated console provides you with real-time logs for your Web Cloud Databases solution.

Retrieve the log history of your Web Cloud Databases solution

To retrieve the log history of your Web Cloud Databases solution, you will need to log in via SFTP.

To retrieve the SFTP connection information for your Web Cloud Databases solution, perform the following actions:

1. Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel.
2. Click on the Web Cloud tab.
3. In the left-hand column, click on the Web Cloud Databases menu.
4. Select the Web Cloud Databases solution concerned.
5. In the General information tab you can find a box labeled Login information.
6. Below SFTP, you will find all the information you need to log in via SFTP.

Once you have retrieved the SFTP login credentials, log in via an FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, WinSCP, etc.).

For FileZilla, go to the top left in the File menu, then click Site Manager.

Click New site, then enter the settings listed above.

The log file stdout.log is located at the root.

You can download it to your desktop to view it.

Subscribe to Logs Data Platform logs from your Web Cloud Databases solution

Logs Data Platform is a platform for managing your logs. It can be useful if you have a very large infrastructure, or if your services generate a lot of logs. This platform is designed to facilitate log aggregation and management.

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

• To store them.
• To display them in dashboards in real time.
• To allow users to perform complex queries.
• To filter them by date, application, type or content.

For more information on the Logs Data Platform, please refer to our Introduction to the Logs Data Platform (EN).

Since Web Cloud Databases solutions can be used with a wide range of services (web hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, etc.), these can be subscribed to Logs Data Platform via data stream, in addition to the real-time logs already available.

To subscribe your Web Cloud Databases solution to a data stream on the Logs Data Platform, perform the following actions:

1. Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel.
2. Click on the Web Cloud tab.
3. In the left-hand column, click on the Web Cloud Databases menu.
4. Select the Web Cloud Databases instance concerned.
5. On the page that appears, click on the Logs tab.
6. To the right of the box where your logs are displayed in real time, click the Subscribe button.

In the new page that opens, if you have several Logs Data Platform solutions in your OVHcloud Control Panel, select the Logs Data Platform reference you would like to subscribe to from the dropdown list just below the Add data stream button.

There are two scenarios for subscribing to your Web Cloud Databases solution.

Case 1 - Subscribe to an existing feed on your Logs Data Platform

If the data stream already exists, it will appear as a row in the table at the bottom of the page.
In this specific case, to subscribe your Web Cloud Databases solution to this existing stream, simply click the Subscribe button to the right of the line corresponding to the stream concerned.

After a few seconds, if you stay on the same page, a message will appear in your Control Panel to inform you that the subscription has been created.

Case 2 - Subscribe to a new data stream on your Logs Data Platform

If the data stream concerned does not yet exist, click the Add data stream button.
You will then be redirected to a new page in the OVHcloud Control Panel, where you can create and add a new data stream on your Logs Data Platform solution.

If necessary, please refer to our guides “Introduction to Logs Data Platform” (EN) and “Getting started quickly with Logs Data Platform” (EN) to carry out these actions.

Once you have filled in the various forms, click the Save button.

You will then be redirected to the Data stream tab of your Logs Data Platform solution.

Now you just need to subscribe your Web Cloud Databases solution to your newly created stream on your Logs Data Platform solution.

To do this, and as explained previously, go back to the Logs tab of your Web Cloud Databases solution to subscribe to this new data stream, then follow Case 1 described above.

Go further

Getting started with your Web Cloud Databases

Introduction to Logs Data Platform

Getting started quickly with Logs Data Platform

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

Join our community of users.