KB19416: How to turn on verbose logging for the MicroStrategy Intelligence Server startup component (MSTRExec).

In the troubleshooting of some issues, it would be useful to trace the actions carried out by the Intelligence Server as it starts up and before any of the regular diagnostic logging takes effect. The component that manages the execution and startup of the Intelligence Server is called MSTRExec. To inform the Intelligence Server that verbose logging of the process startup is required, the Intelligence Server must be started with "-v -v -v" among the startup options. This technical note indicates how this additional tracing can be turned on for this component on both Windows and Unix/Linux operating systems.
 

• Intelligence Server on the Windows operating system:
  
• The Intelligence Server on Windows, when started as a service, does not have a terminal to which it can write the output log data. Users should therefore run the "Monitor.exe" utility that is installed with Strategy in the "Common Files\Strategy" folder to capture the logs output by the Intelligence Server.
• Users now need to edit the Intelligence Server service registration command to add the verbose logging options. This requires editing the Microsoft Windows Registry. Users should backup the registry before performing the following steps:
  
• Run the command "regedit" to open the registry editor.
• Navigate to the registry entry "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Strategy Intelligence Server"
• Right Click on the key called "ImagePath" and select the Modify option.
  

• Change the the value data field from
  "<Intelligence Server Install Directory>\MSTRSvr.exe" --service --working-dir=…
  
• to
  "<Intelligence Server Install Directory>\MSTRSvr.exe" -v -v -v --service --working-dir=...
  

• Click OK to use the new value and exit the registry editor.
• Users may verify that the correct command line options are available by opening the Strategy Intelligence Server service from the Windows Service Manager as shown below and verifying the value of the field "Path to executable":
  

• On starting the Strategy Intelligence Server service, the startup logging will be displayed in the monitor.exe executable display.
• After collecting the required logs, users should reverse these changes to disable the logging.
• For the Intelligence Server Universal running on a Unix/Linux operating system:
  
• For the Intelligence Server Universal running on Unix/Linux platforms, when launched from the command line, the terminal from which the start command was executed will remain the standard output device and any startup logs from the Intelligence Server process will be written this terminal.
• To set the options to turn on verbose logging, users should navigate to the <MSTR_HOME_PATH>/bin folder where MSTR_HOME_PATH is the home folder for the Strategy installation as chosen at the time of installation.
• Users should make writable and edit the mstrexec-iserevr.8.x.yyy.zzz (or mstrexec-iserevr.9.x.yyy.zzz) file and make a backup of this file. The user should then open the file in a suitable text editor and navigate to the last line in the file which should be similar to the following:
  exec "${MSTR_ISERVER_INSTALL_PATH:?}"/bin/MSTRSvr "$@"
  
• Change this entry to be:
  exec "${MSTR_ISERVER_INSTALL_PATH:?}"/bin/MSTRSvr "-v -v -v" "$@"
  
• Save the file and start the Intelligence Server using the "./mstrctl -s IntelligenceServer start" command from the terminal prompt as usual. The Intelligence Server logs will be written to the current terminal.
• After collecting the required logs, users should reverse the changes to disable the extra logging.
•  
  Registry Modification:
  WARNING:
   
  Modifying registry values incorrectly may cause serious, system-wide problems that may require the re-installation of Microsoft Windows NT. Any edit of the registry is done at the user's own risk. Since these are user-initiated changes, they are not covered by any Strategy warranty. If using Microsoft Windows NT, the user should backup the registry and/or update an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) prior to alterations.
   
  Disclaimers and Limitation of Liabilities:
  Disclaimer: The utility application is provided "as is" and without warranty of any kind. Strategy Expressly disclaims all warranties, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, satisfactory quality and noninfringement.
   
  Limitation of Liability: Strategy shall have no liability to licensee for any damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, liability for direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential, damages (which shall include, but not be limited to, loss of data or information, loss of revenue or anticipated profits or lost business).