SMS 2003 - Log Files - The CAS.log Revealed - Part 1
(Originally posted February 22, 2007)
When encountering software distribution problems, the SMS client log files are key in the troubleshooting process. Four client log files come to mind when thinking about how to go about resolving software distribution problems: LocationServices.log, CAS.log, Execmgr.log and ContentTransferManager.log. Each has its own purpose and contains information valuable to tracking down the source of a software distribution problem. In this article, I'm going to focus on the CAS.log and review some details about the information which it contains.
The CAS.log (Content Access Service) is typically used to find the status of the local package cache. It shows the success, or lack thereof, of the client's attempts at accessing content on its Distribution Point. Containing valuable distribution information, the CAS.log can be an asset to SMS administrators attempting to deduce various software distribution problems.
Let's take a look at a CAS.log containing the successful access of a software package which has been advertised to a client. This particular advertisement is set to run from the distribution point. I have omitted time stamp information from the log displayed here to save space.
Requesting content Z00000FD.1, size(KB) 1164, under context System
LS job {78C2DCAB-26A0-43BF-A1A1-11263440625B} submitted to get DP locations for content Z00000FD.1
Successfully created location request {EA8DD5F0-964D-4B0D-B116-8BC84EDD4F42} for content Z00000FD.1
Location update from LS for content Z00000FD.1 and location request {EA8DD5F0-964D-4B0D-B116-8BC84EDD4F42}
Matching DP Location found 0 - \\IOWACSMSPRIM01\Z20_DP_SHARE$\SMSPKG\Z00000FD\
Canceling LS Job {78C2DCAB-26A0-43BF-A1A1-11263440625B} for content Z00000FD.1
You can follow the process in the log and see the subsequent successful location of the content on a reachable DP. Considering this is not a "download and run" advertisement, the logging for this content ends a the job cancellation. You can pick up the rest of the process in other client logs which will be discussed in future articles.
Now let's look at the CAS.log of the same package advertised to a client where there is no available Distribution Point containing the package.
Requesting content Z00000FD.1, size(KB) 1164, under context System
LS job {5B0BBB9F-89A1-45E2-AC50-02C0921F4B47} submitted to get DP locations for content Z00000FD.1
Successfully created location request {837B5728-D4CB-4C25-BD35-A39ECBAC5110} for content Z00000FD.1
Location update from LS for content Z00000FD.1 and location request {837B5728-D4CB-4C25-BD35-A39ECBAC5110}
No matching DP Location found
Location update from LS for content Z00000FD.1 and location request {837B5728-D4CB-4C25-BD35-A39ECBAC5110}
No matching DP Location found
(These last two message repeat until a failure is determined at which time the following messages occur.)
Failed to get DP locations from LS for content Z00000FD.1 and location request {837B5728-D4CB-4C25-BD35-A39ECBAC5110}
Releasing content request {837B5728-D4CB-4C25-BD35-A39ECBAC5110}
Canceling LS Job {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} for content Z00000FD.1
CancelLocationRequestfailed
The failure notifications will be easy to locate in the CAS.log using SMS Trace as the "Failed to get DP location..." message will be in yellow and the "CancelLocationRequestfailed" message will be flagged in red.
Hopefully this will help some with the visual on how the CAS.log works with non-downloaded content. In a future article I will discuss and demonstrate the workings of the CAS.log in reference to downloaded content. There are differences between the logging of the two types of content requests which are significant enough to document and demonstrate.