Dell Networking OS9: How to Set Up and Manage Logging on a Switch

Summary: This article outlines how to configure basic logging on a Dell switch running OS9.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Enable Logging
  3. Disable Logging
  4. Change Logging Settings
  5. Verifying and Viewing log files


Overview

The Dell Networking OS tracks changes in the system using event and error messages.
By default, Dell Networking OS logs these messages on:

  • The internal buffer
  • Console and terminal lines
  • Any configured syslog servers


Enable Logging

Log messages in the internal buffer:
 
All error messages, except those beginning with %BOOTUP (Message), are logged in the internal buffer.
For example: 
%BOOTUP:RPM0:CP %PORTPIPE-INIT-SUCCESS: Portpipe 0 enabled

To send system messages to a specified syslog server, use the following command.
 
Command Parameters
console# configure Enter configuration mode.
console(conf)# logging 192.168.1.1
 		 Set the IP address or hostname of the external syslog server to send log output including optional source port designation.

You can configure up to eight syslog servers.
 

Disable Logging

Command Parameters
console# configure Enter configuration mode.
console(conf)# no logging on Disable all logging except to the console.
console(conf)# no logging buffer Disable logging to the logging buffer.
console(conf)# no logging monitor Disable logging to terminal lines.
console(conf)# no logging console  Disable console logging.
 

Change Logging Settings

You can change the default settings of the system logging by changing the severity level and the storage location.
The default is to log all messages up to debug level, that is, all system messages. By changing the severity level in the logging commands, you control the number of system messages logged.

 NOTE: In order to properly log debug output to the syslog server, you must enable a trap with the debugging severity level 7. Even if it is set to buffered, it is still not sent to the syslog server unless a trap is enabled properly.
 
Command Parameters
console# configure Enter configuration mode.
console(conf)# logging buffered <0-7> Set the logging severity level for the buffer. (default = 7)
alerts                  Immediate action needed           (severity=1)
critical                Critical conditions               (severity=2)
debugging               Debugging messages                (severity=7)
emergencies             System is unusable                (severity=0)
errors                  Error conditions                  (severity=3)
informational           Informational messages            (severity=6)
notifications           Normal but significant conditions (severity=5)
warnings                Warning conditions                (severity=4)
console(conf)# logging console <0-7> Set logging level severity for the console. (default = 7)
alerts                  Immediate action needed           (severity=1)
critical                Critical conditions               (severity=2)
debugging               Debugging messages                (severity=7)
emergencies             System is unusable                (severity=0)
errors                  Error conditions                  (severity=3)
informational           Informational messages            (severity=6)
notifications           Normal but significant conditions (severity=5)
warnings                Warning conditions                (severity=4)
console(conf)# logging monitor <0-7> Set logging level severity for the monitor. (default = 7)
alerts                  Immediate action needed           (severity=1)
critical                Critical conditions               (severity=2)
debugging               Debugging messages                (severity=7)
emergencies             System is unusable                (severity=0)
errors                  Error conditions                  (severity=3)
informational           Informational messages            (severity=6)
notifications           Normal but significant conditions (severity=5)
warnings                Warning conditions                (severity=4)
console(conf)# logging trap <0-7> Set logging level severity for traps. (default = 6)
alerts                  Immediate action needed           (severity=1)
critical                Critical conditions               (severity=2)
debugging               Debugging messages                (severity=7)
emergencies             System is unusable                (severity=0)
errors                  Error conditions                  (severity=3)
informational           Informational messages            (severity=6)
notifications           Normal but significant conditions (severity=5)
warnings                Warning conditions                (severity=4)
console(conf)# logging history <0-7> Set logging level severity for history. (default = 4)
alerts                  Immediate action needed           (severity=1)
critical                Critical conditions               (severity=2)
debugging               Debugging messages                (severity=7)
emergencies             System is unusable                (severity=0)
errors                  Error conditions                  (severity=3)
informational           Informational messages            (severity=6)
notifications           Normal but significant conditions (severity=5)
size                    Set history table size
warnings                Warning conditions                (severity=4)
console(conf)# logging buffered <40960-524288> Set logging buffer size (default = 40960)
console(conf)# logging history size <0-500> Set the logging history size.  (default = 1)
console(conf)# service timestamps log datetime localtime Set the timestamp to match the time and time zone configured on the switch. 
Note: Post 9.14.1.5 firmware, this is the default configuration. Prior to 9.14.1.5 the timestamp is in UTC unless configured with this command.  

 

Verifying and Viewing Logs

To display the current contents of the logging buffer and the logging settings for the system, use the show logging command in EXEC privilege mode. 
  
console# show logging
syslog logging: enabled
Console logging: level Debugging
Monitor logging: level Debugging
Buffer logging: level Debugging, 40 Messages Logged, Size (40960 bytes)
Trap logging: level Informational
%IRC-6-IRC_COMMUP: Link to peer RPM is up
%RAM-6-RAM_TASK: RPM1 is transitioning to Primary RPM.
%RPM-2-MSG:CP1 %POLLMGR-2-MMC_STATE: External flash disk missing in 'slot0:
'%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 0 present%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 2 present
%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 4 present
%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 5 present
%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 8 present
%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 10 present
%CHMGR-5-CARDDETECTED: Line card 12 present
%TSM-6-SFM_DISCOVERY: Found SFM 0
%TSM-6-SFM_DISCOVERY: Found SFM 1
%TSM-6-SFM_DISCOVERY: Found SFM 2
%TSM-6-SFM_DISCOVERY: Found SFM 3
%TSM-6-SFM_DISCOVERY: Found SFM 4%

 

Affected Products

Force10 S25N-S50N, Force10 S25-01-GE-24P, Force10 S25-01-GE-24T, Force10 S25-01-GE-24V, Force10 S50-01-GE-48T, PowerSwitch S3048-ON, PowerSwitch S4048-ON, PowerSwitch S4810P, PowerSwitch S4810-ON, PowerSwitch S4820T, PowerSwitch S5000, Force10 S50P , Force10 S55T, Force10 S60-44T, PowerSwitch S6000, PowerSwitch S6000 ON, Force10 Z9000, Dell Networking Z9500, PowerSwitch S4048T-ON, PowerSwitch S5048F-ON, PowerSwitch S6010-ON, PowerSwitch S6100-ON, PowerSwitch Z9100-ON ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000102563
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 05 Jun 2025
Version:  7
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