206 Monitoring and Logging System InformationWhy Is System Information Needed?The information the switch provides can help you troubleshoot issues thatmight be affecting system performance. The cable diagnostics test help youtroubleshoot problems with the physical connections to the switch. Auditingaccess to the switch and the activities an administrator performed whilemanaging the switch can help provide security and accountability.Where Are Log Messages Sent?The messages the switch generates in response to events, faults, errors, andconfiguration changes can be recorded in several locations. By default, thesemessages are stored locally on the switch in the RAM (cache). This collectionof log files is called the RAM log or buffered log. When the RAM log filereaches the configured maximum size, the oldest message is deleted from theRAM when a new message is added. If the system restarts, all messages arecleared.In addition to the RAM log, you can specify that log files are sent to thefollowing sources:• Console — If you are connected to the switch CLI through the consoleport, messages display to the screen as they are generated. Use theterminal monitor command to control logging of messages to the consolewhen connected via Telnet or SSH.• Log file — Messages sent to the log file are saved in the flash memory andare not cleared when the system restarts.• Remote server — Messages can be sent to a remote log server for viewingand storage.• Email — Messages can be sent to one or more email addresses. You mustconfigure information about the network Simple Mail Transport ProtocolSMTP) server for email to be successfully sent from the switch.
