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Log File Location

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.logESXi patch and update installation logs
Boot log Information/var/log/boot.gzA 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


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