ESXi
| Vmkernel | /var/log/vmkernel.log | ESXi, Core VMkernel logs, device discovery, storage, networking device, driver events and virtual machine startup |
| VMkernel warnings | /var/log/vmkwarning.log | Records activities related to virtual machines. Summary excerpted from the VMkernel logs. |
| VMkernel summary | /var/log/vmksummary.log | Used to determine uptime and availability statistics for ESXi (comma separated) |
| ESXi host agent log | /var/log/hostd.log | Contains information about the agent that manages and configures the ESXi host and its virtual machines |
| vCenter agent log | /var/log/vpxa.log | Contains information about the agent that communicates with vCenter Server (if the host is managed by vCenter Server) |
| Shell log | /var/log/shell.log | ESXi Shell as well as shell events (for example, when the shell was enabled) |
| Authentication | /var/log/auth.log | Contains all events related to authentication for the local system. Success and failure attempts. |
| System messages | /var/log/syslog.log | Contains all general log messages and can be used for troubleshooting. This information was formerly located in the messages log file |
| Update | /var/log/esxupdate.log | ESXi patch and update installation logs |
| Boot log Information | /var/log/boot.gz | A compressed file that contains boot log information and can be read using zcat |
vCenter
| Management agent | /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log | Management agent |
| Cluster services | /var/log/vmware/wcp/wcpsvc.log |
VM
| Virtual machines | The same directory as the affected virtual machine’s configuration files, named vmware.log and vmware*.log. For example, /vmfs/volumes/datastore/virtual machine/vwmare.log | Contains virtual machine power events, system failure information, tools status and activity, time sync, virtual hardware changes, vMotion migrations, machine clones, and so on |
Sources and useful links
25 Log Files That Will Transform Your vSphere Troubleshooting
Location of log files for VMware products