Logging Fast Response Cache Accelerator requests

The Fast Response Cache Accelerator (FRCA), also known as the Cache Accelerator, is only supported on Windows operating systems.

This section provides information on logging FRCA requests. A general overview discusses the Cache Accelerator access log path and name. Links to related topics appear at the end of this section.

• Understanding the Cache Accelerator access log
• Specifying the path and file name for the Cache Accelerator access log
• Finding related information

Understanding the Cache Accelerator access log

The IBM HTTP Server can optionally create a log file that records requests served by the Cache Accelerator.

Enable the Cache Accelerator access log if you want to maintain a record of requests served by the Cache Accelerator. You can log requests that the Cache Accelerator does not log, using the normal Apache logging directives in separate log files.

Use this log if you have enabled the Cache Accelerator for improved performance, and want to record information about requests served from the Cache Accelerator. This log provides a useful way to verify enabled caching and cached files.

Even though a file caches, the sequence of events on a given connection determines whether or not the file serves from the cache.

The log file has a date stamp automatically appended to its name. Every day at midnight the server closes the current access log and creates a new one. This action enables the log file to process without having to stop and restart the server. Under heavy load conditions the log file can grow rapidly. Provide sufficient space on the hard drive for storage.

For each request served out of the Cache Accelerator, a new entry in the access log shows the:

• Source host address
• Date and time of the request
• HTTP method of the request and what was requested
• HTTP return code, which indicates whether the request was honored
• Size of the returned data

A new entry can also optionally show the:

• Target virtual host, V-CLF and V-ECLF
• Referer, ECLF and V-ECLF
• User agent, ECLF and V-ECLF

Specifying the path and file name for the Cache Accelerator access log

You can specify the path and file name of the Cache Accelerator access log file from the Administration Server.

1. Go to Performance > Server Settings.
2. Set the following directive in the Performance Cache Log File name field:

   AfpaLogFile file_path_and_name log_format
   

3. Click Yes, next to Enable server performance caching.
4. Click Submit.
5. Restart the server.

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