Auditing

Updated: 2008-11-14

Planning Server audit log files are XML files that record important transactions. These transactions can include starting an application, deleting an application, creating a workflow job, creating a recurring workflow job, or adding a user to the Planning Server system.

Audit log files identify the time when these transactions occurr and the individual who invokes them. You should access-protect the audit log to preserve its integrity by making sure that only auditors have Read access to the audit log.

To set auditing preferences

  1. Note that you must stop and restart the Planning Process Service to apply any changes that you make to auditing preferences.

  2. The Audit file name box displays the name and location of the audit log file. This is a Read-only field. The Planning Server system always uses the name and location that is specified in this box for the audit log file. To change the name or location of the audit log file, you must rerun Planning Server Configuration Manager.

  3. The Audit writer computer name box displays the name of a computer that is running Planning Server and that will store the audit log file. This is a Read-only field. To select a different computer for this function, you must rerun Planning Server Configuration Manager. No default computer exists for this function.

  4. In the Maximum log size box, type a maximum size (in megabytes) for the audit log. When the maximum log size is reached, the audit log is renamed. Then it is saved to the location that is specified in the Audit file name box on the computer that is specified in the Audit writer computer name box. Audit log files are saved by using the following naming convention: audit file name.extension.1, audit file name.extension.2, and so forth.

    For example, when you write to an audit log called audit.log (the default), and the maximum log size is reached, the file is saved as audit.log.1. Next, a new log file that uses the name that is specified in the Audit file name box becomes the active log file. No limit exists to the number of log files that can be renamed and saved. For this reason, we recommend that you have a backup plan.

  5. In the Maximum queue size box, type the maximum size (in kilobytes) for the AuditRecords database table. After this size is reached, Planning Server will be unable to add auditing entries to the table until prior entries are processed and space becomes available. The minimum size is 1024 kilobytes. For more information about the AuditRecords table, see "About SQL Server Auditing and Logging Tables" in Event and trace logs.

  6. In the Poll interval box, type the amount of time (in milliseconds) before the table is checked for new audit entries. The minimum poll interval is 1,000 milliseconds. Setting the poll interval too low or too high will cause denial of service errors on the computer that is running Planning Server.

  7. Click Submit.

To reset audit log to default settings

  1. To reset the audit log to its default settings, click Reset Defaults. The default settings are shown in the following table.

    Field Name Default Setting

    Maximum log size (megabytes)

    10

    Maximum queue size (kilobytes)

    1,048,576

    Poll interval (milliseconds)

    60,000

  2. Click Submit.