Server Logging Configuration for Ascp and Ascp 4

Server transfer logs are stored in the default location (see Log Files), rotated once they are 10 MB, and log at "log" level. For ascp transfers, you can configure a different default log directory, log size, and logging intensity on the server, and apply these settings globally or to specific users. For Ascp 4 transfers, you can configure a default log size (Ascp 4 does not support user-specific logging settings). These settings do not affect IBM Aspera Sync logging, which is configured in a different section (see Configuring Aspera Sync Endpoints).

If the client specifies a log directory on the server (using -R remote_log_dir) or the location and size of the local log directory (using -L local_log_dir[:size]), then these take precedence over the server settings.

Default vs User-specific Settings

You can set the default logging configuration or assign users to different logging classes, which are sets of logging configurations.

Note: Default settings override user-specific settings. To enable user-specific settings, do not set default settings. User settings do not apply to Ascp 4 transfers.

Configuration Methods

Logging settings are configured by running asconfigurator commands (recommended) or by manually editing aspera.conf. To edit aspera.conf, open it with admin privileges from the following location:

/opt/aspera/etc/aspera.conf

To set default logging values, run the following commands, as required:

# asconfigurator -x "set_logging_data;directory,logging_directory"
# asconfigurator -x "set_logging_data;log_size,size_mb"
# asconfigurator -x "set_logging_data;level,log_level"

Object	Description
`directory`	The full path to the logging directory. Applies only to ascp transfers.
`log_size`	The size of the log file, in MB, at which it is rotated (the oldest information is overwritten by the newest information). Default: 10 MB. Applies to ascp and ascp4 transfers.
`level`	The logging level. Valid values are `log` (default), `dbg1`, or `dbg2`. Applies only to ascp transfers.

These commands modify the <logging> sub-section of the <default> section of aspera.conf (or you can manually edit the file):

...
<default>
    <file_system>...</file_system>
    <logging>
        <directory>logging_directory</directory>
        <log_size>size_mb</log_size>
        <level>log_level</level>
    </logging>
</default>
...

To set user logging values, create logging classes (each with a specific logging configuration) and then assign users to classes.

Create a logging class:

# asconfigurator -x "set_log_setting_data;classes,class_name;directory,logging_directory;log_size,size_mb;level,log_level"

Object	Description
`classes`	The name of the class. This is the value that you use to assign users to this "class" of logging settings.
`directory`	The full path to the logging directory. Applies only to ascp transfers.
`log_size`	The size of the log file, in MB, at which it is rotated (the oldest information is overwritten by the newest information). Default: 10 MB. Applies to ascp and ascp4 transfers.
`level`	The logging level. Valid values are `log` (default), `dbg1`, or `dbg2`. Applies only to ascp transfers.

Assign a user to the logging class:

# asconfigurator -x "set_user_data;user_name,username;logging_class,class_name"

For example, the following commands create two logging classes, admin and home. The home logging class uses the substitution string $(home) to log to the user's home directory, ensuring that the transfer users have access to the log files for their transfers. They assign user root to the admin logging configuration, and users user1 and user2 to the home logging configuration.

# asconfigurator -x "set_log_setting_data;classes,admin;directory,/root/logs;log_size,3;level,dbg"
# asconfigurator -x "set_log_setting_data;classes,home;directory,$(home)/logs;log_size,20";level,dbg"
# asconfigurator -x "set_user_data;user_name,root;logging_class,admin"
# asconfigurator -x "set_user_data;user_name,user1;logging_class,home"

This created the following in aspera.conf:

...
<logging>
    <log_setting>
        <classes>admin</classes>
        <directory>/root/logs</directory>
        <log_size>3</log_size>
        <level>dbg</level>
    </log_setting>
    <log_setting>
        <classes>home</classes>
        <directory>$(home)/logs</directory>
        <log_size>20</log_size>
        <level>log</level>
    </log_setting>
</logging>
<aaa><realms><realm>
    <users>
        <user>
           <name>root</name>
           <logging_class>admin</logging_class>
           <file_system>...</file_system>
        </user>
        <user>
           <name>user1</name>
           <logging_class>home</logging_class>
           <file_system>...</file_system>
        </user>
        <user>
           <name>user2</name>
           <logging_class>home</logging_class>
           <file_system>...</file_system>
        </user>
    </users></realm></realms>
</aaa>
...

If you manually edited aspera.conf, save your changes.
If you manually edited aspera.conf, validate the XML form of aspera.conf:
```
# /opt/aspera/bin/asuserdata -v
```