Configuring Logging

The D4 RTLS generates large amounts of log data, including:

  • Event data (tag location information captured by sensors).

  • Trace messages about the performance of your D4 RTLS.

For audit and optimization purposes, we recommend that you capture and store log data according to your business policies.

To set up logging:

  1. Identify the logging requirements of your D4 RTLS.

  2. Determine how to structure your logging system.

  3. Configure logging servers, and then assign them to various cells. For information about cells, see Configuring the Cell Hierarchy.

Event data is always generated at the Location Cell level, regardless of how you set up your logging servers.

Adding a Logging Server

Before you add a logging server, ensure that:

  • A suitably configured Location Platform is installed on the server

  • The logging server has sufficient disk space to store log messages

    To determine the required disk space for logging, use the spreadsheet LoggingDiskRequirements.xlsx. The spreadsheet allows you to calculate the required disk space based on the number of tags, tag update rate, and other parameters.

Additional information on configuring logging is provided in Setting up DIMENSION4 logging at a production site.

To add a logging server:

  1. On the Configure logging tab, in the lower pane, double-click <Add server log properties>.

  2. Select the server that you want to add.

  3. Set the maximum disk space (in MB) to use on the server.

  4. Set the path to the log directory to use on the server.

  5. Click Save.

The logging server is added. You can now assign it to various cells.

Assigning a Logging Server

When you assign a logging server, it is inherited through the cell hierarchy:

  • The logging server of the Site Cell is inherited by its Geometry Cells and Location Cells.

  • The logging server of a Geometry Cell is inherited by its Location Cells.

You can also assign separate logging servers to the Site Cell and each Location Cell.

After a logging server is assigned to one or more cells, it starts storing data.

Assigning a Logging Server to a Cell

To assign a logging server:

  1. On the Configure logging tab, in the upper pane, expand the cell hierarchy. The cell hierarchy shows the existing Site Cell, Geometry Cells, and Location Cells.

    If a cell does not have a logging server assigned, the cell status appears as <logging disabled>.

  2. To assign a logging server, click to select the cell and then slowly double-click <logging disabled>, or press the Enter key.

    The <logging disabled> status changes to a drop-down list.

  3. From the list of available servers, select the logging server that you want to assign.

Inheriting a Logging Server

If you have assigned separate logging servers to various cells, but want to inherit the logging server from a parent cell:

  1. Select the cell.
  2. From the Server drop-down list, select <inherit server from parent>.

Checking that the Logging Services are Running

After assigning a logging server to a cell, you can check logging services – "Logging configuration" and "Logging data" – are running, in the MANAGE SERVICES tab of the Service Manager tool.

Retrieving Log Data

The log data primarily captures:

  • Tag locations, tracked by the sensors.
  • Trace messages about the performance of your D4 RTLS.

To retrieve log data, use either the Review location events tab as described in Reviewing Location Events, or the View trace messages tab.

Changing Logging Server

You can change a logging server in the D4 RTLS at any time, for example:

  • If you need to replace or upgrade the machine on which the logging server is running.

  • If you delete a Location Cell, in which case you can optionally remove the log server properties for logging servers that are no longer used.

  • If the logging destination, either the server or the server name, has changed.

To replace a logging server in LSC

  1. Set up a new logging server as described in Adding a Logging Server.
  2. If required, archive the logs for today and the previous 3 or 4 days; the number of days depends on your operating environment.
  3. Assign the new logging server to the cell.

To remove a logging server from the D4 RTLS

  1. On the Configure logging tab, select the server that you want to delete, and then press the Delete key.

    The server is removed from the list of logging servers.

  2. If the server is assigned to one or more cells, reassign a different logging server to the cells, as required.