Types of trace/log generated by SAP system

The trace or log files are written by different SAP software components during different activities they are performing. They serve to purpose of revealing of errors that might occur. It is important to know where to find them and how to read them. In this blog post I focus on different types of trace/log that are generated by the SAP system.

In general we recognizes following traces within SAP:

·         System

·         Developer

In most cases the traces can be found in folder DIR_HOME of particular SAP instance. It usually points to “/usr/sap//DVEBMGS00/work” directory. Here there are files with naming convention stored:

DEVELOPER TRACES

These type of traces/logs are written by each kernel component (e.g. work processes, message server, gateway, etc.) and its depict all of their activities. Here are their types:

ABAP AS related log files

·         dev_w                   Work process traces, where n is work process ID

·         dev_wp                 Gateway work processes

·         dev_disp                       Dispatcher trace (ABAP)

·         dev_wdisp                    Trace of web dispatcher

·         dev_rd                         Gateway trace

·         dev_icm                       ICM trace

·         dev_ms                        Message server trace

·         dev_lg                         Local Gateway trace (LG-Layer, OSS connections to message server)

·         dev_cp                        Log of the SAP control program sapxpg

·         dev_xpg                       Log of all output from the external program

·         dev_evt                        External Event Raiser trace

·         dev_icf                        ICF (Internet Communication Framework) log file

·         dev_tp                        Transport control Program (tp) running using RFC logs (output of stdout)

·         dev_rfc                Developer Trace, where n is the number of the work process

·         dev_sapstart                Trace of startup phase (sapstart)

·         stderr<>                      Log of errors with sapstart process, during SAP ABAP AS start

o    stderr1: Info about the start process of database system.

o    stderr2: Info about the start process of message server

o    stderr3: Info about the start process of dispatcher

·         dev_st                         SAPGUI

·         vmc_w.log              SAP Virtual Machine Container (VMC) of JAVA AS, isolates individual users from each other 

·         vmc_w.trc              SAP Virtual Machine Container (VMC)

·         dev_moni                     Monitoring infrastructure trace

Enqueue server related

·         dev_enqadm                 Main enqueue server trace file

·         dev_eq*                       enqueue server trace, where n is workprocess ID

·         dev_enqlisten                Trace file of standalone enqueue server

·         dev_enqio_*                 Depending on the number of configured IO threads

·         dev_enqsig                   Log of processing of asynchronous signals from OS. Not on Win OS.

·         dev_enqsrv                  Trace is logged during start the enqueue server

·         dev_enqwork                Log of problems concerning actual enqueue processing

·         dev_enqrepl                  Log of communicates with replication server from thread

Replication server related

·         dev_enrepha                Log of events of the HA polling

·         dev_enrepsrv                Log of all components of enqueuer server except below ones.

·         dev_enrepsig                Log of processing of asynchronous signals of OS. Not on Win OS.

JAVA AS (J2EE) startup framework log files (restart)

·         dev_server             Java server stack trace

·         dev_server.out       Output to command line (output file)

·         dev_datcol*                  Snapshot generator for Java trace

·         dev_bootstrap               Trace of Application Server JAVA startup: Bootstrap phase

·         dev_bootstrap        as above

·         sdt_bootstrap.out output file of above

·         dev_deployment            Trace of Application Server JAVA startup: Deployment phase

·         dev_jstart                    Trace of Application Server JAVA startup: Start phase

·         dev_jcmon                   Trace of JCmon - native monitoring program

·         dev_sdm                      Software Development Manager for Java trace

·         sdt_sdm.out                 output file of above

·         dev_jcontrol                 trace of JControl framework which starts the bootstrap Java program

·         dev_dispatcher              Dispatcher trace (JAVA)

·         sdt_dispatcher.out         output file of above

In closing words of developer traces I just want to add that most of these files are available via tcode ST11 – Error log File.

SYSTEM TRACES

Manages in tcodes: ST05 – Performance trace or in ST01 – System trace. They are used to record internal SAP system activities. We recognize following system traces:

·         Authorization checks

·         Kernel functions

·         Kernel modules

·         Database accesses (SQL trace)

·         Table buffers

·         RFC calls

·         HTTP calls

·         Lock operations (client side)

Further information:

112 - Trace and error information in the "dev_" files

Wiki sys logs and traces