External Trace (ACS)

External Trace manages the external tracing configuration for ACS, allowing operators to configure the tracing protocol and manage the list of traced methods for ACS and CPE directions.

When to use it

Use External Trace when you need to:

  • configure the protocol and URL for external tracing (SYSLOG or SOAP),

  • enable or disable tracing for specific RPC methods,

  • add a new method to the trace list,

  • manage methods for ACS → CPE and CPE → ACS directions separately,

  • export tracing configuration before making changes,

  • import updated configuration with a dry-run preview.

Prerequisites

Before working with External Trace:

  • Confirm you are logged into the correct environment.

  • Confirm your permissions:

    • VIEWER — browse configuration and Export.

    • EDITOR / ADMIN — edit settings, manage methods, and Import.

VIEWER accounts run in read-only mode. Write actions (Edit/Import/Enable/Toggle) are blocked.

Fields

Configuration fields

Field Type Required Validation

Trace URL

String

No

Pattern-based URL of the tracing server

Trace Protocol

Enum

Yes

Must be SYSLOG or SOAP

Method fields

Field Type Required Validation

Direction

Enum

Yes

ACS (ACS → CPE) or CPE (CPE → ACS)

Method Name

String

Yes

RPC method name (e.g., GetParameterValues); must be unique per direction

Enabled

Boolean

Yes

Toggle to enable/disable tracing for this method

Available operations

  • Update configuration — change the trace protocol and URL.

  • Create method — add a new RPC method to the trace list for a specific direction.

  • Enable/disable method — toggle tracing for individual methods.

  • Delete method — remove a method (must be disabled first).

  • Import — upload a .properties file (dry-run required before apply).

  • Export — download configuration and all methods as a .properties file.

Display

Methods are organized into ACS and CPE tabs for direction-based grouping. Each tab shows counters for total and enabled methods.

Typical workflow

  1. Navigate to the ACS dashboard and select External Trace.

  2. Review the current trace protocol and URL in the Configuration section.

  3. Edit the configuration if needed (select protocol, enter URL, click Save Configuration).

  4. Switch between ACS and CPE tabs to view methods for each direction.

  5. Click Enable Method to add a new RPC method with a direction and name.

  6. Use the Enabled toggle to activate or deactivate tracing for specific methods.

  7. To delete a method, disable it first, then click the delete button and confirm.

  8. Export the configuration for backup before making bulk changes.

Configure tracing settings

The External Trace configuration contains core connection parameters:

Trace Protocol

Protocol for sending trace data. Allowed values: SYSLOG or SOAP.

Trace URL

URL of the tracing server. Optional field, can be empty.

Edit configuration (EDITOR/ADMIN)

  1. In the Configuration section, change field values:

    • Select the protocol from the dropdown.

    • Enter the URL (if required).

  2. Click Save Configuration.

Expected outcomes:

  • On success, the snapshot updates and a notification appears.

  • The Save Configuration button is disabled if there are no changes or the form is invalid.

Manage trace methods

Trace methods define which RPC calls are tracked by the system. Each method is bound to a direction:

ACS

Methods called by ACS on CPE (ACS → CPE).

CPE

Methods called by CPE on ACS (CPE → ACS).

Browse methods

  1. Use the ACS and CPE tabs to switch between directions.

  2. Review the methods table:

    • Name — RPC method name.

    • Updated At — last change time (relative).

    • Enabled — toggle to enable/disable.

    • Actions — delete button.

At the top, counters display:

  • Total — total number of methods.

  • Enabled — number of enabled methods.

Search methods

Use the search field to filter methods by name:

  1. Enter text in the search field.

  2. The list automatically filters as you type.

  3. Search is performed only in the current tab (ACS or CPE).

Enable a new method (EDITOR/ADMIN)

  1. Click Enable Method.

  2. In the dialog:

    • Select Direction (ACS or CPE).

    • Enter Method Name (e.g., GetParameterValues).

  3. Click Enable.

Expected outcomes:

  • The method is added to the list and automatically enabled.

  • Duplicates are not allowed (validated on backend).

Enable/disable a method (EDITOR/ADMIN)

  1. Find the method in the table.

  2. Use the Enabled toggle to enable or disable the method.

The toggle is unavailable during update (loading indicator is shown).

Delete a method (EDITOR/ADMIN)

  1. Find the method in the table.

  2. Click the delete button (trash icon).

  3. Confirm deletion in the dialog.

Only disabled methods can be deleted. Enabled methods must be disabled first.

Export configuration

Export downloads a properties file with current External Trace settings.

  1. Click Export.

  2. Save the downloaded file.

What is exported:

  • Configuration parameters (protocol, URL).

  • List of all trace methods for both directions.

  • Format: .properties.

Import with dry-run (mandatory)

Import requires a mandatory preview before applying changes.

  1. Click Import.

  2. Select or drag-and-drop a properties file.

  3. Wait for the dry-run analysis.

  4. Review the diff table and the change details panel:

    • Summary counts (to add / update / delete / skip).

    • Details per method, grouped by status.

    • Errors and warnings.

  5. If warnings exist, check Apply despite warnings.

  6. Click Apply import.

Expected outcomes:

  • Dry-run runs automatically after file selection.

  • Warnings require explicit confirmation before apply.

  • Errors block apply until resolved.

Import safety checklist

  1. Confirm you are in the correct environment.

  2. Confirm your selected context (for example, client type) matches the file.

  3. Export a snapshot before changes.

  4. Run Dry-run and review:

    • errors (must be resolved),

    • warnings (understand impact),

    • create/update/delete counts.

  5. If using REPLACE, confirm you accept deletions shown in the dry-run plan.

  6. Apply import and immediately verify by refreshing and re-opening the affected entries.

Refresh snapshot

  1. Click Refresh to reload the current configuration snapshot.

  2. Use refresh after imports or after changes by other operators.

Troubleshooting

Edit actions are disabled

Confirm your role is EDITOR or ADMIN.

Cannot enable method

Ensure that:

  • A method with this name does not exist in the selected direction.

  • The method name is entered correctly.

Cannot delete method

The method must be disabled first. Toggle Enabled to off, then delete.

Import apply is blocked

Review dry-run warnings/errors and resolve issues in the properties file.

Configuration not found

Click Refresh or import a properties file to create a snapshot.

Error loading snapshot

Check error details in the banner and click Retry. If the problem persists, contact an administrator.

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