How to read ESXi host logs thru Browser

 This tutorial will show you how to read ESXi host logs from the Web UI Console and CLI - SSH. 

Reading the ESXi host logs is important to analyze the root cause of the issues. There are two methods of reading ESXi host logs.

Types:-

1. ESXi CLI using SSH Client.
2. ESXi UI Page
3. Generate Support bundle and download it for later analysis or share it with VMware for RCA

1. Read logs using ESXi CLI using SSH Client.

Commonly, We use to read the logs using ESXi CLI using SSH Client but we are not interested in this method. In this method, we have a lot of filters available to filter the logs like, grep, tail, and head commands. 

2. Read logs using ESXi UI Page

If the SSH Client is not installed on the machine we are trying to analyz the ESXi hosts logs. The second method is handy to read the logs using a web browser.

1. Access the vSphere ESXi Host: Open a web browser and navigate to the vSphere Host URL for your ESXi.

2. Log in to the vSphere Client: 

Syntax /host is case sensitive: https://[YOURESXIHOST].[YOURDOMAIN]/host
Example: https://esx-01a.corp.vmbeans.com/host

Enter your credentials to log in to the vSphere ESXi UI Page.

In the "ESXi Web Page," you can choose specific log files to view, such as "vmkernel.log," "shell.log," "hostd.log," and others.

Read Log Entries listed on the index in which you're interested: I am interested in the "shell.logs". who executed the command on the ESXi. Use CTRL+F to search with a specific keyword

There are other methods are also available to read the ESXi host logs using UI

Access the vSphere Client: Open a web browser and navigate to the vSphere Client URL for your ESXi host or vCenter Server.

Log in to the vSphere Client:

Syntax /host is case sensitive: https://[YOURESXIHOST].[YOURDOMAIN]/ui
Example: https://esx-01a.corp.vmbeans.com/ui

Enter your credentials to log in to the vSphere Client.

Navigate to the Monitor Tab:

Click on the "Monitor" tab in the top navigation menu.

View System Logs:

In the left sidebar under "Monitor," select "Logs."

You may see different log files, 

Click on the log file you're interested in, and you should see a list of log entries.

The log entries provide information about various activities, events, and issues on the ESXi host.

Filtering and Searching:

Choose Log Files: I am choosing the "/var/log/vpxa.log" use any editor to read the logs like notepad++

Some log viewers in the vSphere Client allow you to filter logs based on severity, date, or specific keywords.

Use the search functionality to find specific events or issues.

3. Generate Support bundle and download it for later analysis or share it with VMware for RCA

If needed, you can export log files for further analysis or to share them with VMware support.

Please note that the exact steps and options might vary slightly depending on the version of the vSphere Client you are using. Additionally, VMware may release updates and new versions with changes to the user interface, so it's a good idea to refer to the official documentation for the specific version you have.

Syntax /host is case sensitive: https://[YOURESXIHOST].[YOURDOMAIN]/ui
Example: https://esx-01a.corp.vmbeans.com/ui

Note: In vCenter is also have option to export the logs but we are not covering in this blog post 

Enter your credentials to log in to the vSphere Client.

Navigate to the Monitor Tab:

Click on the "Monitor" tab in the top navigation menu.

View System Logs:

In the left sidebar under "Monitor," select "Generate support bundle."

“Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves.”

― Aaron Swartz

I hope this information is useful for you. Please forgive any typos or incomplete sentences.

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