SMS: Enabling Network Abstraction Layer Logging and Setting Logging Levels (243385)

SUMMARY

The following registry files to enable and disable network abstraction layer logging are included with the Microsoft BackOffice 4.5 Resource Kit CD-ROM and the System Management Server (SMS) 2.0 CD-ROM:

Turn_on_nal_logging.reg
Turn_off_nal_logging.reg

By default, network abstraction layer logging is disabled. However, you can enable logging to populate the SMS server and client log files with network abstraction layer information to troubleshoot connectivity problems. If you want to further increase the network abstraction layer logging level, you can manually increase the logging level in the registry.

NOTE: To enable or disable network abstraction layer logging on a specific computer, you must run the .reg files on the specific computer because this is not a site-wide setting.

MORE INFORMATION

When you run the Turn_on_nal_logging.reg file, the "Verbosity" level is set to 7 (the sum of 1, 2, and 4). However, if you need even more detailed network abstraction layer logging, you can increase the "Verbosity" level by changing a value in the registry. The following registry key contains the value you can alter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NAL\Logging
"Log To"=dword:00000003

Verbosity: REG_DWORD

These are the various verbosity levels that are defined:

NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_1 = Errors
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_2 = Warnings
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_4 = Information
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_8 = (Not used)
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_16 = (Not used)
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_32 = Special Information (DLL reference count)
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_64 = Special Information (Method entry/exit)
NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_MAX = 0xFFFFFFFF; // Maximum NAL logging verbosity level.

The preceding verbosity levels can be added up to provide you with the logging level you need. However, if the verbosity level set by the Turn_on_nal_logging.reg file is not sufficient, you would typically set the Verbosity registry value to 0xFFFFFFFF to obtain as detailed logging as is possible. Afterwards, you can disable logging again when you are finished troubleshooting by running the Turn_off_nal_logging.reg file.

IMPORTANT: Note that enabling NAL_LOG_VERBOSITY_LEVEL_32 may cause the SMS client to attempt a network logon to the CAP using its local SMSCliToknAcct& or SMSCliSvcAcct& accounts. If an account lockout policy is enabled for the domain, this can cause the SMSCliToknAcct& and SMSCliSvcAcct& domain accounts to be locked out.