Vodafone MachineLink 3G
Logging Architecture
Feature Spotlight
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
The MachineLink 3G logging system
• The MachineLink 3G router automatically keeps a
log of system events.
• By default, the router logs to volatile memory which
means that if power is lost or the router is rebooted
for some reason, the logs will be lost.
• Loss of log data can be avoided by configuring the
router to log to non-volatile memory or by configuring
a remote syslog server.
• The logging system in its default state logs up to 256
kilobytes of data meaning that events that happened
some time ago (depending on activity) may not show
in the logs.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Enabling log to non-volatile memory
Flash memory generally has a finite number of program-erase operations that it can
perform to the blocks of memory. While this number of operations is quite high, we
recommend that you only enable log to non-volatile memory when actually troubleshooting
a problem.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Local Syslog server Vs. Remote syslog
server
A syslog server helps to alleviate the problem of losing logs due to limited or volatile
memory on the router.
A syslog server is a piece of software which runs remotely i.e. not on the router, and
accepts log data from the router. The log data can then be saved or manipulated however
you please.
The syslog can be running on a computer connected directly to the MachineLink 3G router
or on a machine on the other side of the world. The choice is yours.
You may prefer to use a syslog server locally when:
• your mobile broadband data plan is limited
• you have the capacity to run a computer near the MachineLink 3G router
• you are not too far from the MachineLink 3G router
• you want use a syslog server temporarily to troubleshoot an issue
You may prefer to use a syslog server remotely when:
• you do not have to worry about bandwidth or traffic concerns on your mobile broadband
plan
• the MachineLink 3G router is operating in a place where you can’t run a computer near it
4
Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Using a remote syslog server
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Using a remote syslog server - Locally
Open your syslog server. In this example we are using the free “Tftpd32” application
which also acts as a syslog server. The server interface is 192.168.1.190 which is the IP
address assigned to the network card on the machine running the syslog server. As
changes occur on the router, the log is updated.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Using a remote syslog server - Remotely
To send log data to a syslog server which is not connected to the router directly, enter the
WAN IP address of the syslog server.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Using a remote syslog server - Remotely
The log data is displayed on the remote syslog server.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Troubleshooting problems
When you experience a problem on the MachineLink 3G, it is important to analyse the
logs to identify the cause of the problem.
When you send log files to NetComm for analysis, you should also include as much
information as possible about the problem, such as:
• When the problem occurs – please specify as accurately as you can
• Does the problem occur regularly or does it seem to be random?
• What was happening on the router at the time, if you know
• Is the problem reproducible?
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Troubleshooting problems
Other tips for troubleshooting problems:
• Try to capture the logs of a working example and a problem example to provide a
contrast
• Make sure that the logs capture the problem event
• It is important that the time is set accurately on the router so that when logs are
analysed, the problem can be identified at the precise time it occurred. Also ensure that
the time stamp in the log is accurate.
• It helps us a lot if you can annotate the log file to identify when certain events happened
e.g. At timestamp 13:41:09 the Ethernet cable was connected, at 13:45:17 a dropout
occurred.
• When you send log files to NetComm Wireless, it is very helpful if you include a
configuration backup of the router settings. This helps in reproducing the problem or
identifying configuration issues.
• Sometimes a connection diagram showing the device scenario/environment can assist in
diagnosis.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Example problems in the log file
SIM card not inserted
Forbidden carrier selected
Incorrect PIN entered
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Log filter
There are 5 levels that you can use to filter the log displayed in the user interface of the
router.
The filters do not change the level of logs that are kept but assist in removing
unnecessary items from view when you are trying to troubleshoot a problem.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
The MachineLink 3G log
The log is displayed on the user interface of the router and may also be downloaded as a
file and viewed using a text editor.
If you download the log file for viewing, remember that it is stored in Linux format (CR
only). When opening the log file on Windows system, ensure that you use a file viewer
that can display “CR only” files correctly. A good example of this is the open source text
file editor “Notepad++”.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
The MachineLink 3G log
The log is displayed on the user interface of the router and may also be downloaded as a
file and viewed using a text editor.
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Field
Description
Date & Time
The date and time that the
event occurred
Machine
The machine logging the
event
Level
The level (severity) of the
event
Message
A description of the event
Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Logging levels
There are 8 levels of events in the log:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Emergency – System is unusable
Alert – action must be taken immediately
Critical – a critical condition has occurred
Error – an error condition has occurred
Warning – this message is a warning
Notice – a normal but significant condition
Information – an informational message
Debug – debug-level message
The levels in red above are available as filters in the user interface. When you select a
logging level to
display in the user interface view of the log, only the levels above the chosen one will be
displayed.
For example, selecting Notice displays events 1 through 6 in the user interface view.
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
Facilities
The facility argument is used to specify the type of program that is logging the message.
The facility usually appears in the log as a prefix to the level, e.g. user.notice. The
following facilities are available in the MachineLink 3G:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Auth – Security/Authorization messages.
Authpriv – Security/Authorization messages (private)
Cron – clock daemon
Daemon – system daemons without separate facility value
ftp – FTP daemon
Kern – Kernel messages (these can’t be generated by user processes)
Local0 through Local7 – reserved for local use
Syslog – messages generated internally by syslogd
User – generic user-level messages
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification
AT Command logging
The following commands permanently change debug level of port manager
root:~# rdb_set -p wwan.0.debug 8
root:~# reboot_module.sh
turning off the phone module...
sleeping for 3 seconds...
turning on the phone module...
To collect all the AT commands, use the following command
root:~# logread -f | grep 'at_read\|at_send'
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_send_with_timeout: --> [AT] (timeout = 1 sec)
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_read: <-- [AT]
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_read: <-- [OK]
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_send_with_timeout: --> [ATE1] (timeout = 5 sec)
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_read: <-- [ATE1]
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_read: <-- [OK]
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_send_with_timeout: --> [AT+CSAS=0] (timeout = 2
sec)
Jan 1 10:01:45 vdf_nwl10 local5.info simple_at_manager[2826]: at_read: <-- [AT+CSAS=0]
To clear the debugging level configuration back to default, perform factory reset or run the following command
root:~# rdb_set -p wwan.0.debug ""
root:~# reboot_module.sh
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Integrated M2M Terminals
Introduction Vodafone MachineLink
3G v1.0
C3 confidentiality classification