When OpCon has trouble communicating with an agent, the SAM log can give you a general indication that something is wrong. But if you need the specifics, the NetCom log is where you go.
What the NetCom Log Contains
NetCom (Network Communications Module) is responsible for all TCP/IP communication between the SAM process and the agents (LSAMs) running on your machines. The SMANetCom.log records:
- Agent configuration parameters as they are loaded (changed parameters are shown alongside their default values in parentheses)
- Basic communication information for each agent machine
- Connection events: when communication is enabled or disabled for an agent
- Machine status changes
- Errors when a connection cannot be established, such as DNS name resolution failures
Reading the NetCom Log Alongside SAM
A common troubleshooting pattern is to start in the SAM log to get the high-level picture, then move to the NetCom log for detail. For example, if SAM shows a machine status change, the SAM log tells you who initiated it and through what interface. The NetCom log shows all the connection parameters for that machine and exactly what happened at the network level.
The NetCom Trace Log
For situations where you need to see every communication packet between SAM and an agent, there is also the SMANetComTrace.log. This log captures detailed TCP/IP messages, socket connection errors, and all TX messages (job starts, job status updates, machine status changes, and more).
The trace log is controlled by the TraceSAMMessages setting in the SMANetCom.ini file, which is located at:
<Configuration Directory>\SAM\SAMNetCom.ini
Example: C:\ProgramData\OpConXPS\SAM\SMANetCom.ini
This setting defaults to ON, so the trace log is active in most environments by default. Two additional settings, DumpInputBuffer and DumpOutputBuffer, capture raw message buffers at an even deeper level. These are off by default and should only be enabled when directed by SMA Support, as they increase log volume significantly.
✏Note: If someone suggests disabling TraceSAMMessages to reduce disk usage, weigh that against the diagnostic value the trace log provides. It is most useful to leave it on and instead manage log volume through the MaximumLogFileSize setting or a log aggregation tool.
When to Check the NetCom Log
Reach for the NetCom log when investigating:
- An agent that is not communicating or appears down
- Unexpected machine status changes
- Connection failures with specific error messages
- Questions about what configuration parameters are active for an agent
✏Note: These parameters can be changed without needing a service restart. OpCon Cloud customers do not have direct access to the .ini configuration files. If you need to investigate notification delivery issues in depth, reach out to Continuous Support for assistance.