Failed Request Tracing Rules

Article
08/31/2016

Applies To: Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012

Use the Failed Request Tracing Rules feature page to manage a list of tracing rules for failed requests.

Sort the list by clicking one of the feature page column headings or select a value from the Group by drop-down list to group similar items.

Related scenarios

In this document

UI Elements for Failed Request Tracing Rules

The following tables describe the UI elements that are available on the feature page and in the Actions pane.

Feature Page Elements

Element Name	Description
Path	Displays the URL that was identified by a tracing rule for failed requests. The URL can contain, at most, one wildcard and must be local to the directory where the failed request definition is set. For example, the wildcard patterns, such as .aspx and ind match the URL www.contoso.com/index.aspx.
Associated Providers	Displays the trace providers associated with a tracing rule for failed requests. A provider defines the functional area for tracing. One example is the ASP.NET trace provider, which traces transitions into and out of managed code, including *.aspx requests.
Status Codes	Displays the HTTP status codes and sub-status code combinations identified by a tracing rule for failed requests. There can be multiple status codes in this list, with commas that separate each code.
Time Taken	Displays the maximum time, in seconds, that the request should take.
Entry Type	Displays whether the item is local or inherited. Local items are read from the current configuration file, and inherited items are read from a parent configuration file.

Actions Pane Elements

Add

Opens the Add Failed Request Tracing Rule wizard in which you can add a rule to trace for failed requests.

Edit

Opens the Edit Failed Request Tracing Rule wizard in which you can edit the selected failed request tracing rule.

Remove

Removes the item that is selected from the list on the feature page.

Edit Site Tracing

Opens the Edit Web Site Failed Request Tracing Settings dialog box in which you enable and configure failed request tracing settings for the website. This action is available only when you are connected to a server and you have selected a specific site.

View Trace Logs

Opens the trace log file directory. This action is available only when you are connected to a server.

Revert to Inherited

Resets the feature to inherit settings from the parent configuration. This action deletes local configuration settings, including items from the list, for this feature. This action is not available at the server level.

View Ordered List

Displays the list in order of configuration. When you select the ordered list format, you can only move items up and down in the list. Other actions in the Actions pane do not appear until you select the unordered list format.

Move Up

Moves up a selected item in the list. This action is available only when viewing items in the ordered list format.

Note
When items in the list are reordered at a child level, the child no longer inherits settings from the parent. This loss of inheritance includes any items that are added to or removed from the list at the parent level. If you want to inherit settings from a parent level, revert all of the changes at the child level by using the Revert to Inherited action in the Actions pane.

Move Down

Moves a selected item down in the list. This action is available only when viewing items in the ordered list format.

Note

When items in the list are reordered at a child level, the child no longer inherits settings from the parent. This loss of inheritance includes any items that are added to or removed from the list at the parent level. If you want to inherit settings from a parent level, revert all of the changes at the child level by using the Revert to Inherited action in the Actions pane.

View Unordered List

Displays the list in an unordered format. When you select the unordered list format, you can sort and group items in the list, and perform actions in the Actions pane.

Specify Content to Trace Wizard

Use the Specify Content to Trace page of the Add Failed Request Tracing Rule Wizard to configure the content you want to trace with a tracing rule for failed requests.

Element Name	Description
*All content ()**	Select this option to trace all files in a directory.
*ASP.NET (.aspx)**	Select this option to trace all .aspx files in a directory.
*ASP (.asp)**	Select this option to trace all .asp files in a directory.
Custom	Select this option and type a value, such as "xyz.exe" or ".jpg", to trace a failure for a custom set of content. This value can contain, at most, one wildcard and must be local to the directory where the failed request definition is set. For example, the wildcard patterns, such as .aspx and ind* match the URL www.contoso.com/index.aspx.

Define Trace Conditions Wizard

Use the Define Trace Conditions page of the Add Failed Request Tracing Rule Wizard or Edit Failed Request Tracing Rule Wizard to define a trace condition for a failed request tracing rule. This trace condition allows you to capture trace events for a failed request and log these trace events, as they occur, without having to reproduce the error.

If more than one trace condition is specified, the first condition that is met generates the failed request trace log file. For example, if you configure a trace rule to log requests that generate status code 404 and requests that take 4 seconds or longer, the trace log generates an event when the first of the following conditions is met:

A request generates status code 404.
A request takes longer than 4 seconds.

Element Name	Description
Status code(s)	Select this option when you want a trace event to be logged for responses that generate the specified HTTP status code (and optionally a sub-status code). In the corresponding box, type the status code or codes you want to trace. Separate multiple status codes by using commas (,) between each code, or type a status code range by using a hyphen (-) between two codes. You can also refine your status codes by using sub-status codes, such as 404.2 or 404.3.
Time taken (in seconds)	Select this option when you want to trace events that exceed the time interval allocated for the request to complete processing. In the corresponding box, type the maximum time, in seconds, that a request should take.
Event severity	Select this option when you want to trace events based on severity. In the corresponding list, select one of the following event severities on which to trace: Error: Provides information about components that experience an error and cannot continue to process requests. These errors usually indicate a server-side problem. Critical Error: Provides information about actions that can cause a process to exit. Warning: Provides information about components that experience an error but that can continue to process the request.

Status code(s)

Select this option when you want a trace event to be logged for responses that generate the specified HTTP status code (and optionally a sub-status code). In the corresponding box, type the status code or codes you want to trace. Separate multiple status codes by using commas (,) between each code, or type a status code range by using a hyphen (-) between two codes. You can also refine your status codes by using sub-status codes, such as 404.2 or 404.3.

Time taken (in seconds)

Select this option when you want to trace events that exceed the time interval allocated for the request to complete processing. In the corresponding box, type the maximum time, in seconds, that a request should take.

Event severity

Select this option when you want to trace events based on severity. In the corresponding list, select one of the following event severities on which to trace:

Error: Provides information about components that experience an error and cannot continue to process requests. These errors usually indicate a server-side problem.
Critical Error: Provides information about actions that can cause a process to exit.
Warning: Provides information about components that experience an error but that can continue to process the request.

Select Trace Providers Wizard

Use the Select Trace Providers page of the Add Failed Request Tracing Rules Wizard or Edit Failed Request Tracing Rules Wizard to define what to trace for a URL. This includes the trace providers, verbosity level, and areas for the provider to trace.

Element Name	Description
Providers	Defines the functional area for tracing. You can select one or more of the following trace providers: ASP - When you want to trace the start and completion of the execution of an ASP request. ASP.NET - When you want to see transitions into and out of managed code. This setting includes requests for .aspx files and any requests that are processed by managed modules, such as static files that are configured to use forms-based authentication. ISAPI Extension - When you want to trace the transition of a request into and out of an ISAPI extension process. WWW Server - When you want to trace requests through the IIS worker process.
Verbosity	Specifies how much data each provider reports to the trace log. Verbosity levels are inclusive. For example, if you select Errors, then errors, critical errors, and general events will be included in the log file. You can select one or more of the following verbosity levels: General - Provides context information for the request activity, for example, IIS 8, IISGeneralEvents::GENERAL_REQUEST_START logs the URL and the verb for the request. Critical Errors - Provides information about actions that can cause a process to end or that are about to cause a process to end. Errors - Provides information about components that try to run on the server, encounter an error, and cannot continue to process requests. These errors are conditions that generally result in the termination of processing a request. An example would be an authorization event. Warnings - Provides information about components that try to run on the server, encounter an error, but can continue to process requests. Information - Provides general information about requests. Verbose - Provides detailed information about requests.
Areas	Defines the areas for the provider to trace. If the provider selected is the ASP.NET trace provider, select one or more of the following areas to trace: Infrastructure - When you want to trace events that are primarily related to entering and leaving various parts of the ASP.NET infrastructure. Module - When you want to trace events that are logged when a request enters and leaves various HTTP pipeline modules. This area is also used to capture trace events for managed modules. Page - When you want to generate trace events that correspond to the execution of specific ASP.NET page-related events, such as Page_Load. This area is also used to capture ASP.net Page Trace.Write and Trace.Warn events. AppServices - When you want to trace those events that are logged as part of the new application services functionality. If the provider selected is the WWW Server trace provider, select one or more of the following areas to trace: Authentication - When you want to trace authentication attempts, including the name of the authenticated user, the authentication scheme (Anonymous, Basic, or others), and the results of the authentication attempt (successful, failed, error, and so forth). Security - When you want to generate trace events where requests are rejected by the server running IIS. For example, if a client request was denied access to a resource. Filter - When you want to determine how long it takes an ISAPI filter to process requests. StaticFile - When you want to trace how long it takes requests for static files to be completed or to see how filters might be changing the requests. CGI - When a request is made for a CGI file and you want to generate trace events. Compression - When a response is compressed and you want to generate trace events. Cache - When you want to generate trace events for cache operations associated with the request. RequestNotifications - When you want to capture all request notifications, both on entrance and on exit. Module - When you want to trace events that are logged when a request enters and leaves various HTTP pipeline modules. This area is also used to capture trace events for managed modules.

Providers

Defines the functional area for tracing. You can select one or more of the following trace providers:

ASP - When you want to trace the start and completion of the execution of an ASP request.
ASP.NET - When you want to see transitions into and out of managed code. This setting includes requests for .aspx files and any requests that are processed by managed modules, such as static files that are configured to use forms-based authentication.
ISAPI Extension - When you want to trace the transition of a request into and out of an ISAPI extension process.
WWW Server - When you want to trace requests through the IIS worker process.

Verbosity

Specifies how much data each provider reports to the trace log. Verbosity levels are inclusive. For example, if you select Errors, then errors, critical errors, and general events will be included in the log file. You can select one or more of the following verbosity levels:

General - Provides context information for the request activity, for example, IIS 8, IISGeneralEvents::GENERAL_REQUEST_START logs the URL and the verb for the request.
Critical Errors - Provides information about actions that can cause a process to end or that are about to cause a process to end.
Errors - Provides information about components that try to run on the server, encounter an error, and cannot continue to process requests. These errors are conditions that generally result in the termination of processing a request. An example would be an authorization event.
Warnings - Provides information about components that try to run on the server, encounter an error, but can continue to process requests.
Information - Provides general information about requests.
Verbose - Provides detailed information about requests.

Areas

Defines the areas for the provider to trace.

If the provider selected is the ASP.NET trace provider, select one or more of the following areas to trace:

Infrastructure - When you want to trace events that are primarily related to entering and leaving various parts of the ASP.NET infrastructure.
Module - When you want to trace events that are logged when a request enters and leaves various HTTP pipeline modules. This area is also used to capture trace events for managed modules.
Page - When you want to generate trace events that correspond to the execution of specific ASP.NET page-related events, such as Page_Load. This area is also used to capture ASP.net Page Trace.Write and Trace.Warn events.
AppServices - When you want to trace those events that are logged as part of the new application services functionality.

If the provider selected is the WWW Server trace provider, select one or more of the following areas to trace:

Authentication - When you want to trace authentication attempts, including the name of the authenticated user, the authentication scheme (Anonymous, Basic, or others), and the results of the authentication attempt (successful, failed, error, and so forth).
Security - When you want to generate trace events where requests are rejected by the server running IIS. For example, if a client request was denied access to a resource.
Filter - When you want to determine how long it takes an ISAPI filter to process requests.
StaticFile - When you want to trace how long it takes requests for static files to be completed or to see how filters might be changing the requests.
CGI - When a request is made for a CGI file and you want to generate trace events.
Compression - When a response is compressed and you want to generate trace events.
Cache - When you want to generate trace events for cache operations associated with the request.
RequestNotifications - When you want to capture all request notifications, both on entrance and on exit.
Module - When you want to trace events that are logged when a request enters and leaves various HTTP pipeline modules. This area is also used to capture trace events for managed modules.