How do I read server logs?

[Statik (DayZ) 2695]

Hey guys,

So I am very interested in becoming admin on my home server. Problem is I have absolutely no idea how to read the server logs. I looked online and can't really find anything. If anyone could direct me to somewhere that shows how to read logs/pick out hackers in the logs, or just explain some stuff here, that would be fantastic! Thanks a bunch!

[xxblink 66]

You're just got to get comfortable with what is normal and what isn't. You have several logs that show up in your cfgdayz > BattleEye, namely your setpos.log, remoteexec.log, publicvariable.log, and createvehicle.log. These all log things people on your server are doing. For example, setpos.log logs people who are teleporting, but you have to make a judgement call whether they are teleporting or whether someone else is teleporting them. Because you don't want to ban someone for being teleporting by a hacker. The remoteexec.log is almost always a hack, but it also puts in things like if someone is flying the heli and they crash it. So you have to watch that. Publicvariable.log records peoples deaths and if you set it up like I have mine, it kicks people for having illegit weapons and then put a log of it. (Though it doesn't always tell you what they had that was legit.) The createvehicle.log just logs a bunch of stuff, like when someone throws a grenade or sets up a tent. You have to watch that for hacked in stuff. (The scripts.log doesn't seem to show anything useful, by the way.)

It isn't perfect. I for one know I have a clan of hackers on my server, but I can't find anything in the logs about it. Last night, they flashed some stuff across the screen, even, but I don't know who did it and my log files show nothing, so I don't feel comfortable just banning the whole clan. It's frustrating as hell. But the best thing to do is to just watch the logs and see what happens. You can especially pay attention to what log files show up for you, and then you'll know what the log is telling you. There's also a arma2oaserver.rpt that records a bunch of things that is interesting to look at and see what's happening on your server.

Anyway, that's what I've learned. And when I asked around, I was just told to get used to what's normal and what's not. It's a learning curve. And I'm certainly hoping the standalone deals with this better.

[Statik (DayZ) 2695]

Sweet. Thanks for the help!