powershell log - new file every day - powershell

Question

I log network status (nslookup, ping, tracert) into a log file. The log file size grows and is quite difficult to work with after a while.
I am looking for a way to have a new log file created for every day. I am sure it's easy but I did not find a way.
When I set log file name to $log_file = ".\network_" + (Get-Date -f yyyy-MM-dd) + ".log" hoping it will create a new file when date changes, it does not work. Instead I get Non-authoritative answer:.
Sorry for newbie question but I really did not find any answer. Thx!
edit:
it's really simple script (shortened example below):
$log_file = ".\network_" + (Get-Date -f yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm) + ".log"
$server = "server.com"
$gateway = (Get-wmiObject Win32_networkAdapterConfiguration | ?{$_.IPEnabled}).DefaultIPGateway
& ipconfig /all >> $log_file
while($true) {
$timestamp = "rnrn[" + (Get-Date -f yyyy-MM-dd) + " " +(Get-Date -f HH:mm:ss) + "]"
$timestamp >> $log_file
"rnrn" >> $log_file
"ping to $server)" >> $log_file
& ping $server >> $log_file
}

Answer 1

Here's what I usually do.
$Date = get-date -format yyyy-MM-dd
$log_file = "\\Share\folder\folder\FileName-$date.log"

Answer 2

I would suggest including the date/time (yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss) in the log file name (to prevent duplicate file names) and scheduling your script to run daily / hourly or whenever. Just tell the task scheduler service to end the task if it runs for X number of hours, where X is right before it is scheduled to start again. This should give you the intended result of a new file on the schedule you decide is best. This also ensures your script continues running even if the computer reboots.
If the size of the log file is your main issue, then I would suggest starting a new file based on the file size and not the date. This way you can choose exactly what size files you want to work with.
To do this, just change while($true) to while((Get-Item $log_file).Length -lt "100000") where the length is the size in bytes that you want the script to stop at.
To make your script create a new log file when the while statement is triggered, just wrap it in a function and then call the function using another while $true statement.
Here is the change:
function NetworkLogging {
$log_file = "$PSScriptRoot\network_" + (Get-Date -f yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss) + ".log"
$server = "server.com"
$gateway = (Get-wmiObject Win32_networkAdapterConfiguration | ?{$_.IPEnabled}).DefaultIPGateway
& ipconfig /all >> $log_file
while((Get-Item $log_file).Length -lt "100000") {
$timestamp = "rnrn[" + (Get-Date -f yyyy-MM-dd) + " " +(Get-Date -f HH:mm:ss) + "]"
$timestamp >> $log_file
"rnrn" >> $log_file
"ping to $server)" >> $log_file
& ping $server >> $log_file
}
}
while ($true){NetworkLogging}

Answer 3

You might consider the Log-Entry framework (also on GitHub) I published awhile ago:
It has basically all the features were you ask for:
File is automatically truncated if it grows over ~100Kb (default)
Time stamps
Inline logging
Proper type casting (e.g. notice that the $gateway has also a $Null property in my case)
Function Main {
Log -File ".\Network.log"
$server = Log "Server:" "192.168.1.1" ?
$gateway = Log "Gateway:" (Get-wmiObject Win32_networkAdapterConfiguration | ?{$_.IPEnabled}).DefaultIPGateway ?
Log "IP Config:" ((& ipconfig /all) -Join "`r`n")
Log "Ping to $Server" ((& ping $server) -Join "`r`n")
}
The log will look like this:
2017-06-08 Test (version: 01.00.02, PowerShell version: 5.X.X5063.296)
09:13:14.01 C:\Users\User\Network.ps1
15:28:14.67 Server: 192.168.X.X
15:28:14.75 Gateway: #($Null, "192.168.X.X")
15:28:14.78 IP Config: Windows IP Configuration
Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Computer
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : lan
Ethernet adapter Ethernet:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : XXXX::XXXX:XXXX:XXXX:XXXX%8(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.X.X(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, June 8, 2017 9:08:58 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, June 9, 2017 9:08:57 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.X.X
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.X.X
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 9808.X.X
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.X.X
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Ethernet adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Network:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : XXXX::XXXX:XXXX:XXXX:XXXX%5(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.X.X(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 420085799
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : XXXX:0:0:XXXX:.X.X
XXXX:0:0:XXXX::2%1
XXXX:0:0:XXXX::3%1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : lan
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) AdvancXX-N 6235
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 2:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : XX-XX-XX-XX-XX-XX
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
15:28:17.82 Ping to 192.168.X.X Pinging 192.168.X.X with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.X.X: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.X.X: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.X.X: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.X.X: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Ping statistics for 192.168.X.X:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 0ms
15:28:17.84 End