1214 | E-Series TeraScale Debugging and Diagnostics
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Trace logs
In addition to the syslog buffer, FTOS buffers trace messages which are continuously written by various 
FTOS software tasks to report hardware and software events and status information. Each trace message 
provides the date, time, and name of the FTOS process. All messages are stored in a ring buffer and can be 
saved to a file either manually or automatically upon failover.
Some trace files are automatically saved and stored in the 
flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR directory for SW and 
HW Traces of the CP and for all Linecards. This directory contains the 
TRACE_CURR_BOOT file which 
in turn contains the saved trace buffer files.
The 
TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_CURR_BOOT files can be reached by FTP or by using the show file 
command from the flash://TRACE_LOG_DIR directory.
Buffer full condition
When the Trace Ring Buffer fills up, trace logs are saved into the flash so the buffer can be clear for further 
trace activity. The saved file is named hw_trace_RPM0CP.0, for example. If the buffer fills a second time, 
a second file is created as hw_trace_RPM0CP.1 and saved to the flash. Following the fifth file created 
(hw_trace_RPM0CP.4), the saved files are overwritten starting with the .1 version (hw_trace_RPM0CP.1). 
These files will be saved in 
flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_CURR_BOOT. At reload this directory is 
renamed as 
flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_LAST_BOOT and an empty flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/
TRACE_CURR_BOOT
 directory is created.
Trace file hw_trace_RPM0CP.0 is not overwritten so that chassis bootup message are preserved. 
The CP and LP trace file names are:
• CP [SW trace] : sw_trace_RPM0CP.0, sw_trace_RPM0CP.1, sw_trace_RPM0CP.2, 
sw_trace_RPM0CP.3 and sw_trace_RPM0CP.4 
• CP [HW trace] : hw_trace_RPM0CP.0, hw_trace_RPM0CP.1, hw_trace_RPM0CP.2, 
hw_trace_RPM0CP.3 and hw_trace_RPM0CP.4 
• LP [SW trace] : sw_trace_LPX.0, sw_trace_LP1.1, sw_trace_LP1.2, sw_trace_LP1.3 and 
sw_trace_LP1.4
• LP [HW trace] : hw_trace_LPX.0, hw_trace_LP1.1, hw_trace_LP1.2, hw_trace_LP1.3 and 
hw_trace_LP1.4 
Trace files are saved in the directory 
flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_CURR_BOOT. Upon a system reload 
this directory is renamed 
flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_LAST_BOOT, and an empty flash:/
TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_CURR_BOOT
 directory is created.
Note: At reload this directory is renamed to flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_LAST_BOOT and a new 
empty flash:/TRACE_LOG_DIR/TRACE_CURR_BOOT directory is created.
Note: Line card 1 is taken as the example for the following filenames.