Description

This article explains the meaning of the cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf' log message that is generated every 30 seconds on the virtual chassis of EX series switches and sent to customers' syslog servers, and indicates whether any action is required to resolve the log message.

Symptoms

The following log messages are continuously generated and sent to the syslog server: 

08/11/2019 09:45:50 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41359]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'
08/11/2019 09:45:20 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41356]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'
08/11/2019 09:44:49 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41347]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'
08/11/2019 09:44:19 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41344]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'
08/11/2019 09:43:49 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41341]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'
08/11/2019 09:43:20 <Switch hostname> Debug <Switch hostname>: rshd[41328]: root@re1 as root: cmd='ls -i /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf'

Note: These log messages are not recorded on switches locally so we may not able to see them in any local logs.

Solution

Under normal conditions, when graceful Routing Engine switchover (GRES) is enabled, the above message is seen periodically. It means that the backup RE is trying to check connectivity with the primary RE every 30 seconds (in addition to the regular GRES keepalives). The message does not appear when GRES is not enabled.

The logging is done by the RSHD tool at a frequency of 30 seconds to make sure that the filter template between the primary and the backup REs is in sync. The periodic task can be considered as an internal integrity check performed on the firewall filter configuration.

Note: The firewall filter configuration file is stored at /var/etc/filters/filter-define.conf .

The log message is harmless and can safely be ignored. If required, the logging can be modified by changing the severity level for authorization from any to info as follows: 

{MASTER}
User@EX-re0> show configuration system syslog host X.X.X.X    <===Syslog server address
any any;
authorization info;
user emergency;
interactive-commands any;
log-prefix <Switch hostname>;
source-address X.X.X.X;       <====Switch VC address
 

Modification History

2021-03-25: Updated the article terminology to align with Juniper's Inclusion & Diversity initiatives
2019-12-13: Minor edit in Solution section

Related Information