TIM Trace Options -- The Missing Pages Part 1
Introduction
Proper use of the TIM trace options can be useful in solving a variety of issues. Some of these include:
1) If seeing network traffic at all
2) Which servers the TIM is seeing traffic from.
3) Is the traffic to the TIM two-way showing the HTTP request and response?
4) SSL issues such as ciphersuites and TLS versions used.
5) Network data quality issues (OOO packets, packet resets/terminations, etc.)
6) Transaction definition issues such as transaction counts, respone time, transaction component issues, etc.
7) HTTP Plugin issues.
This article gives an overview on TIM Trace options and responsible use.
Overview
The TIM Trace options are configured on each individual TIM. This is done by going to the System Setup page, then select TIM, Configure TIM Trace Options.
The appropriate programs read the trace options checked and saves it in a text file named tim.options in the TIM config directory. This file cannot be edited. The TIM web server is notified of the changed trace options
Here are some guidelines on TIM trace options.
1. TIM Trace options should be turned off unless needed for debugging. This is especially true for busy production networks. If left on, the TIM may restart due to excess CPU/Memory. On MTPs, it may also result in a full RAMdisk directory. TIM logging levels should be checked early if there are TIM performance issues.
2. If debugging with Trace options, only turn on the trace options truly needed. This is discussed in Part 2 to be published next month.
3. Note that certain TIM settings may add or subtract what appears in the TIM log or the content of the messages. Especially of note are the following:
- Enabling plugins
FlexPlugin/Enabled = 1
FlexAMFParser/Enabled = 1
FlexAMFXParser/Enabled = 1,
and XmlPlugin/Enabled = 1
- Enabling tracing
SiteMinder/Trace = 1
AllXmlParams = 1 if wanting every XML element and attribute rather than those that match a parameter definition
BtStats/LogLevel = 1 or 2
(1 = Messages are written to the TIM log when BtStats files are written,
or 2 = Same as messages, verbose mode)
- Autogen/Trace = 1 or 2. This is for transaction discovery. 1 = Traces autogen definitions creation 2 = Additional detail messages
3. Use the TIM Trace Filters to limit traffic to a particular client/server IP address, browser language setting, or HTTP parameter.
4. Try to make TIM trace options the same across all TIMs. This produces consistent logging.
Additional Information.
Here is an incomplete where to look to find more:
- https://docops.ca.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=275682398 -- Using TIM Trace options for troubleshooting.
- https://docops.ca.com/display/APMDEVOPS101/Transaction+Identification -- Using TIM Trace options for transaction identification.
- https://docops.ca.com/display/APMDEVOPS101/Setting+up+CEM+to+support+nCipher -- Using TIM trace options with nCipher.
- http://www.ca.com/us/support/ca-support-online/product-content/knowledgebase-articles/TEC1281821.aspx
-- Which TIM trace options to use when debugging issues. We will return to this next month.
- http://www.ca.com/us/support/ca-support-online/product-content/knowledgebase-articles/tec610515.aspx
-- How to parse a TIM log by IP
address.
- http://www.ca.com/us/support/ca-support-online/product-content/knowledgebase-articles/tec600884.aspx
-- TIM loggings can create a MTP
no space or TIM restart condition.