Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : cpanel raw access manager problem on anhosting

[browsing]

Noob here, but have had websites hosted for years, although only with a limited number of hosts.

I've had an account at anhosting for a while. I wanted full access to my raw logs. At first they were responsive, and set up a cron job that copied a file for me each week. I was very appreciative.

Problem is, it doesn't catch everything, especially towards the end of the month.

I requested the advanced version of cpanel and got it. There's a raw access manager there that's supposed to save gzipped versions of the raw log files for one month at a time.

At first I couldn't open the gzipped files. They appeared to have CRC errors. After switching to Mozilla Firefox I realized that this browser actually unzips files as it downloads (while retaining the .gz filenames), and for the first time I could see the files - this time they worked.

Now I could see that they contained a variable number of days towards the end of the month, but not including the last day.

The raw access log feature (that's in the standard version of cpanel as well) usually rolls over up to several times towards the end of the month, so I'm usually missing some days here and there.

I don't find it acceptable that I'm supposed to sit on the server, downloading the log files incessantly to get the WHOLE of them.

I can make do on that particular domain name, but not another I'm planning on migrating soon (not to anhosting).

My question is, have anyone else experienced similar behavior from cpanel, or is it anhosting that's got the problem? Maybe even ONLY my server?

And since I've got many more months left on anhosting, I'd like any suggestions on what I can say to them to get more reliable logging for the domain I still have there?

[Loon]

I think the corrupt file problem was fixed recently, not seen it happen lately anyway.

You shouldn't be missing days from your logs, are you sure the editor you're viewing them in is able to view the whole file? some basic editors can only handle so much data.

[Loon]

btw you're confusing me with standard and advanced version of cpanel, there's not different versions of the same build, unless you're refering to WHM?

[browsing]

I first had a version of cpanel with cute icons and stuff. But in the documents at anhosting, I saw reference to raw log manager, and requested it, because I couldn't find it in the cpanel. A few weeks later I notice the look is totally different. No more icons, but raw log manager is there. I just assumed it's standard and advanced version. Might be a totally different explanation...

I'm using an old version of EditPad, and it's capable of viewing files about as big as my machine is able to handle. I usually limit the files I put in there to about 8 megabytes, so I avoid Windows crashing. This particular domain would generate rather small log files. I'm guessing a few megabytes per month - unzipped. The biggest file from raw log manager was 681 kB unzipped. So yes, I see the whole file.

I'm well versed in log files, which is why I find them so vitally important - RAW log files. Analog is fine, but some time in the future I may need to refer back to the raw log files for whatever reason. For this smaller domain I usually also scan through the raw file real quickly to spot trends.

[browsing]

I just asked anhosting about why the logs are emptied out now and then as a side note to another support request. Here's the reply:

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Also it's deleted so that /var does not fill up on the server
saving disk space.

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I don't know how many times I've told them logs are very important to me. Even before I signed up! And I was never warned of this!

So anyone taking their raw logs seriously... Stay clear of anhosting!

[=-D]

it is a shame to hear of your troubles with your web hosting company.

i believe ensim style hosting packages provide you with full logs.. look around the forums for offers with ensim, and double check with their support!

good luck!

[browsing]

Turns out the main problem is that Anhosting empties out the logs regularly. At least every Sunday (which is scheduled, so easier to prepare for), and often also at irregular intervals at the end of the month. I don't know if the same is true for their other servers.

But I signed up with another host that also uses cpanel, and the logs seem solid there.