When you open a hardware case with HPE, support usually asks for the Active Health System (AHS) log. AHS runs inside iLO, records changes in hardware and configuration (HPE cites more than 1,600 monitored parameters) and keeps them in a log separate from the OS and customer data. It is part of every iLO licence, including iLO Standard. This guide covers ProLiant Gen10/Gen10 Plus (iLO 5) and Gen11 (iLO 6); the procedures are the same in both user guides.
Before you start
- Access to the iLO web interface, or the server console for the Intelligent Provisioning method.
- The dates when the problem happened. HPE recommends downloading the date range of the issue rather than the whole log.
- Your HPE support case number, if you have one.
- For the AHS Viewer: the server must have a valid warranty.
What the AHS log contains
Examples HPE lists: server model and serial number, processor, storage and memory capacity and speed, and firmware/BIOS and driver versions and settings. HPE states AHS does not collect information about your operations, finances, customers, employees or partners, and does not parse OS data from third-party event logs. When the log is full, new data overwrites the oldest.
Download methods
| Method | When to use |
|---|---|
| iLO web interface | Normal case: date range or entire log. |
| cURL or iLOREST | Scripted collection, or many servers. |
| Intelligent Provisioning (F10) | No iLO network access; save to a USB key. |
| iLO Service Port | USB flash drive in the front port labelled iLO (needs a command file; see the iLO user guide). |
Step 1 — Download a date range from the iLO web interface
- Log in to iLO, click Information in the navigation tree, then the Active Health System Log tab. The page is unavailable while another download runs or while the server is booted into Intelligent Provisioning.
- Set the range with the From and To calendars. The default is seven days.
- Optionally enter the support case number (up to 14 characters), contact name, phone number, email address and company name. These go into the downloaded file only; they are not written to the log stored on the server.
- Click Download and save the
.ahsfile.
To get everything, click Show Advanced Settings and then Download Entire Log. HPE warns this can take a long time.
Step 2 — Or download with cURL or iLOREST
HPE's cURL example for a date range (dates as yyyy-mm-dd):
curl "https://<iLO_IP_address>/ahsdata/ahs.ahs?from=<yyyy-mm-dd>&to=<yyyy-mm-dd>" -k -v -u <username>:<password> -o <filename>.ahsFor the last N days with a case number, use ?days=<number_of_days>&case_no=<number>; for the whole log, ?downloadAll=1. HPE notes that -k ignores HTTPS warnings, which can make the connection insecure, and that your shell may need the & escaped.
With the RESTful Interface Tool, start ilorest and enter these at the iLOrest > prompt:
login <iLO_IP_address> -u <username> -p <password>
serverlogs --selectlog=AHS --directorypath=<directory_path> --customiseAHS="from=YYYY-MM-DD&&to=YYYY-MM-DD"Without --customiseAHS it downloads the last seven days; --downloadallahs gets the entire log. The file is named HPE_<serial number>_YYYYMMDD.ahs. iLOREST needs the Configure iLO Settings privilege.
Step 3 — Send the log to HPE
- By email to your case: HPE's convention is the subject
CASE: <case number>. Files larger than 25 MB must be compressed and uploaded to an FTP site; ask HPE for the details. - Through the AHS Viewer (AHSV) at hpe.com/servers/AHSV: select Upload AHS Log, choose the file and wait for it to parse. The limit is 250 MB. You can then review the Fault Detection Analytics for self-repair recommendations and create a support case from the AHSV navigation menu.
AHSV checks entitlement: if the server is out of warranty it shows "Server is not Entitled". Check the warranty before you rely on this route.
From Intelligent Provisioning when iLO is not reachable
- Insert a USB key and press F10 during boot.
- Click Perform Maintenance, then Active Health System Log.
- Pick the USB key, set From and To dates, and click Download Logs. HPE suggests seven days, which gives a 10–15 MB file.
- Do not remove the key until the download finishes and the media lights stop.
See the Intelligent Provisioning guide for launching F10.
Clearing the AHS log
Warning: Clearing deletes the AHS history that HPE support uses to diagnose faults. Download and keep a full copy first, and only clear the log if it is corrupted or HPE asks you to restart logging.
- Open Information > Active Health System Log and click Show Advanced Settings. This needs the Configure iLO Settings privilege.
- In the Clear Log section click Clear, then Yes, clear.
- Reset iLO, because some AHS data is recorded only when iLO starts.
- Reboot the server, because details such as the OS name and version are logged at server startup.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of AHS data should I send?
The web download defaults to seven days, and HPE recommends a range covering the dates of the problem rather than the entire log, which can take a long time to download.
Do I need iLO Advanced to download the AHS log?
No. The HPE iLO licensing guides list Active Health System under iLO Standard as well as iLO Advanced.
Checklist
- Date range of the incident identified.
- AHS log downloaded (web, cURL, iLOREST or F10) with the case number added.
- File sent to HPE by email (under 25 MB) or uploaded to AHSV (under 250 MB).
- The IML entries for the same period checked or exported too.
- Log not cleared unless needed, and a copy kept if it was.
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