Can't access Usage Logs

[thelebk]

I have recently inherited the responsability of maintaining a FM network. Unfortunately FM Server is hosted on a computer which is locked away, and which I will never get access to.

That being said I administer FM Server via the remote administrator application, a piece of software that I have never used before. I was recently tasked with gathering usage statistics on the system, which I understand are contained in a file called stat.log. I was able to turn on the logging features in FM server via remote administrator a month ago. Now I am attempting to harvest the information, but cannot find it.

The remote admin manuals says the file is located in:

FileMaker Server 7/Data/Logs/folder.

I cannot find any of these folders anywhere within the remote administrator application. I am begining to wonder if these files exist outside of remote admin and reside at the OS level somewhere on the FM Server PC. Since I have no access to the OS on that machine, I may be out of luck.

How do I access the stat.log file in this environment? Will it contain user level information? Are there better ways to gather usage information? Thanks in advance.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

If you are on Windows Server 2003aand are in the SAT Tool, just open the Panel in the MMC for stats and see the logs there.

Steven

[thelebk]

What is the MMC? Will this show user level statistics for every user on my network? Aka will I get something like:

Bill accessed HR DB.. Date time group start stop

Mary accessed PO DB.. DTG start-stop

Sue accessed Prg DB.. DTG start-stop

Thanks.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

The MMC is the Microsoft Management Console. It is what controls the SAT Tool. One of the logs shows what you're seeking. There are several different logs.

Steven

[thelebk]

Thank you for all your help, this sounds like exactly what I need. I cannot however find these logs you have mentioned. I have looked in every folder and under every menu in remote admin. Where are these stored and how do I access them from within remote administrator? Thanks.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Well you've gotto have them enabled first, and you do that under the logging panel in the SAT Tool.

They are the bottom of the leftpanel of the SAT Tool under performance Logs.

Steven

[thelebk]

Steven--

Again thank you for the patience you have shown in helping me get off the ground on this. I have attached a pdf with a couple of screen shots showing what is happened when I try to follow the instructions. The error dialog that appears worries me. I hope I do not have to go to every client in my office and turn on some type of functionality. I know that within server I was able to toggle on logging and set the file limit to 10GB. How do I resolve this error so I can begin harvesting these wonderful statistics for my management?

FM_Forum_RA.pdf

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Expand the Event Viewer (Local) and see what you can find.

Steven

[thelebk]

Here is another pdf screen shot of what I found under the viewer option. This does not seem to have the user level access statstics I had hoped for. Thoughts?

FM_Forum_Log.pdf

[Steven H. Blackwell]

You're in the right place. Just select either application or FileMaker Server 7 and read the logs.

Steven

[thelebk]

Ok I know we must be getting close now. I have attached another set of screen shots. They show which log I am accessing, followed by the actual contents.

What I do not see is the user name, database accessed, and length of time accessed anywhere in these logs. Am I looking in the right place? Am I missing a critical step? Thank you for your continued guidance.

FM_Forum_Expanded_Logs.pdf

[thelebk]

I am starting to come under time pressure to provide usage statistics to management. Can anyone direct me to where I can find information on which users accessed which databases and for how long in my FM network? Thanks.

[Steven H. Blackwell]

You need to be looking in the FileMaker Server log in the local Event Viewer in the Windows Admin Tools in the SAT Tool Window.

A single log entry with Event 94 will tell you someone opened a DB at a given time. Another single log entry with Event 98 will tell you someone closed a DB at a given time. You have to match these up.

BTW, you can export the log and then open it in FMP for asier comaprisons.

Steven