How to view logging information inside Websphere application server

Sometimes we have an application that is server-based and it crashes when you start the application server or throws an error or warning during execution.

The only way to fix it is to get into the log of the error. Looking at web console's log is a simpler technique that requires less setup than a remote session to the server!

If your application server is the IBM Websphere, where can you get it?

Here are the steps:

1. Log into the application server (E.g. http://localhost:9060/ibm/console)

2. In the left toolbar, expand Servers > Server Types and open Websphere application servers link. Choose your server name link:

3. Scroll down the screen and in the Troubleshooting section, choose Logging and tracing link:

4. In General Properties screen, choose JVM Logs link:

5. In JVM Logs screen, choose Runtime tab:

6. Now you can choose System out or System error logs, choose View button of the desired log:

7. 
As soon as you reach the log, just 250 lines are displayed. If you want to see the whole log lines, insert 1-<number of lines> and press Refresh button:

If you want to choose another range of lines to be displayed, just insert <number of the first desired line>-<number of the last desired line> and then Refresh button.

The Websphere version used in the example is 7.0.0.21 and the steps can barely vary depending on the application server version.

Collaborators:

Alex Oliveira Estevam

David Schmidt