Date Created: Wed 15-Dec-2010

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    WebSphere 8 Overview and new features for troubleshooting

    Below is my summary of the content found in this link:

    http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/beta/topic/com.ibm.websphere.base.doc/info/aes/ae/welc_content_ctrb.html

    Over the coming months I will be providing examples for each of these new features as best I am able. Often we hear about features, but cannot see a working example, so I will spend my time figuring our working examples to demonstrate each new feature.

    What is new for troubleshooters

    High Performance Extensible Logging (HPEL)

    • HPEL provides a convenient mechanism for storing and accessing log, trace, System.err, and System.out information produced by the application server or your applications. It is an alternative to the compatibility log and trace facility, which provided the JVM logs, diagnostic trace, and service log files commonly named SystemOut.log/SystemErr.log, trace.log, and activity.log.
    Demonstration to follow:
    • HPEL has been designed and tested to significantly outperform the existing compatibility log and trace facility. One result is that the application server can run with trace enabled while causing significantly less impact to performance than tracing the same components using compatibility logging. Another result is that applications that frequently write to the logs might run faster with HPEL. A number of factors contribute to the overall performance of HPEL logging and tracing.
    Demonstration to follow:
    • HPEL has been designed to be easy to configure and understand. For example, administrators can easily configure how much disk space to dedicate to logs or trace, or how long to retain log and trace records, and leave the management of log and trace content up to the server. As another example all log, trace, System.out, and System.err content can be accessed using one easy-to-use command (LogViewer), avoiding any possible confusion over which file to access for certain content.
    Demonstration to follow:
    • HPEL has been designed to make working with log and trace content significantly more flexible and effective than the compatibility logging facility. Log and trace content can be easily filtered to show only the records that are of interest. You can use the command line (see the description of the HPEL LogViewer command), or developers can create powerful log handling programs using the HPEL API
    Demonstration to follow:

    Diagnosing problems (using diagnosis tools)

    1. If deploying or running an application results in exceptions such as ClassNotFoundException, use the Class Loader Viewer to diagnose problems with class loaders.
    Demonstration to follow:
    2. If you already have an error message and want to quickly look up its explanation and recommended response, look up the message by expanding the Messages section of the Information Center under Reference > Messages.
    Demonstration to follow:
    3. For help in knowing where to find error and warning messages, interpreting messages, and configuring log files, see Working with message logs.
    Demonstration to follow:
    4. Difficult problems can require the use of tracing, which exposes the low-level flow of control and interactions between components. For help in understanding and using traces, see Working with trace.
    Demonstration to follow:
    5. For help in using settings or tools to help you diagnose the problem, see Working with troubleshooting tools. Some of these tools are bundled with the product, and others are freely downloadable.
    Demonstration to follow:
    6. To learn how to work with Diagnostic Providers, see Working with Diagnostic Providers..
    Demonstration to follow:
    7. To find out how to look up documented problems, common mistakes, WebSphere Application Server prerequisites, and other problem-determination information on the WebSphere Application Server public website, or to obtain technical support from IBM®, see Obtaining help from IBM.
    Demonstration to follow:
    8. The IBM developer kits: Diagnosis documentation describes debugging techniques and the diagnostic tools that are available to help you solve problems with Java™. It also gives guidance on how to submit problems to IBM. You can find the guide at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/diagnosis/.
    Demonstration to follow:

    I will endeavour to update this document once a month in 2011. Please contact me if you need to see a working example before I have completed each article.

    Regards

    Steve Robinson

Middleware Mentor - Steven Charles Robinson

About Me

Steve Robinson has been working in IT for over 15 years and has provided solutions for many large-enterprise corporate companies across the world. Steve specialises in Java and Middleware consulting. Steve comes from both an administration and development background.

Before moving to JEE, Steve was an accomplished developer and consultant for both IBM Lotus Notes and Microsoft .NET Technologies.

Follow Steve as @stevencrobinson on twitter.

Read my books?

IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.0 Administration Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.0 Administration Guide

WebSphere Application Server 7.0 Administration Guide

WebSphere Application Server 7.0 Administration Guide

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