How to: Open Log File Viewer
You can use Log File Viewer in SQL Server Management Studio to access information about errors and events that are captured in the following logs:
Audit Collection
Data Collection
Database Mail
Job History
Maintenance Plans
Remote Maintenance Plans
SQL Server
SQL Server Agent
Windows NT (These are Windows events that can also be accessed from Event Viewer.)
You can open Log File Viewer in several ways, depending on the information that you want to view.
To view logs that are related to general SQL Server activity
In Object Explorer, expand Management.
Do either of the following:
Right-click SQL Server Logs, point to View, and then click either SQL Server Log or SQL Server and Windows Log.
Expand SQL Server Logs, right-click any log file, and then click View SQL Server Log. You can also double-click any log file.
The logs include Database Mail, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, and Windows NT.
To view logs that are related to jobs
To view job history, in Object Explorer, expand SQL Server Agent, right-click Jobs, and then click View History.
The logs include Database Mail, Job History, and SQL Server Agent.
Another way to view the SQL Server Agent log is to expand SQL Server Agent, expand Error Logs, right-click a log file, and then click View Agent Log.
The logs include Database Mail, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, and Windows NT.
To view logs that are related to maintenance plans
In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Maintenance Plans, and then click View History.
The logs include Database Mail, Job History, Maintenance Plans, Remote Maintenance Plans, and SQL Server Agent.
To view logs that are related to Data Collection
In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Data Collection, and then click View Logs.
The logs include Data Collection, Job History, and SQL Server Agent.
To view logs that are related to Database Mail
In Object Explorer, expand Management, right-click Database Mail, and then click View Database Mail Log.
The logs include Database Mail, Job History, Maintenance Plans, Remote Maintenance Plans, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, and Windows NT.
To view logs that are related to audits collections
In Object Explorer, expand Security, expand Audits, right-click an audit, and then click View Audit Logs.
The logs include Audit Collection and Windows NT.
Security
Requires membership in the securityadmin fixed server role.