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Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide for Cisco Aironet Access Points
OL-29225-01
Chapter 21 Configuring System Message Logging
Understanding System Message Logging
Understanding System Message Logging
By default, access points send the output from system messages and debug privileged EXEC commands
to a logging process. The logging process controls the distribution of logging messages to various
destinations, such as the logging buffer, terminal lines, or a UNIX syslog server, depending on your
configuration. The process also sends messages to the console.
Note The syslog format is compatible with 4.3 BSD UNIX.
When the logging process is disabled, messages are sent only to the console. The messages are sent as
they are generated, so message and debug output are interspersed with prompts or output from other
commands. Messages are displayed on the console after the process that generated them has finished.
You can set the severity level of the messages to control the type of messages displayed on the console
and each of the destinations. You can timestamp log messages or set the syslog source address to enhance
real-time debugging and management.
You can access logged system messages by using the access point command-line interface (CLI) or by
saving them to a properly configured syslog server. The access point software saves syslog messages in
an internal buffer. You can remotely monitor system messages by accessing the access point through
Telnet or by viewing the logs on a syslog server.
Configuring System Message Logging
This section describes how to configure system message logging. It contains this configuration
information:
• System Log Message Format, page 21-2
• Default System Message Logging Configuration, page 21-3
• Disabling and Enabling Message Logging, page 21-4
• Setting the Message Display Destination Device, page 21-5
• Enabling and Disabling Timestamps on Log Messages, page 21-6
• Enabling and Disabling Sequence Numbers in Log Messages, page 21-6
• Defining the Message Severity Level, page 21-7
• Limiting Syslog Messages Sent to the History Table and to SNMP, page 21-8
• Setting a Logging Rate Limit, page 21-9
• Configuring UNIX Syslog Servers, page 21-10
System Log Message Format
System log messages can contain up to 80 characters and a percent sign (%), which follows the optional
sequence number or timestamp information, if configured. Messages are displayed in this format:
seq no:timestamp: %facility-severity-MNEMONIC:description
The part of the message preceding the percent sign depends on the setting of the service
sequence-numbers, service timestamps log datetime, service timestamps log datetime [localtime]
[msec] [show-timezone], or service timestamps log uptime global configuration command.