# Packaging logs and working support cases

*Tableau Server Administrator Study Guide · Troubleshooting · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator/troubleshooting/packaging-logs-and-working-support-cases*

How to package Tableau Server logs with tsm maintenance ziplogs or a TSM web UI snapshot (date ranges, optional data, archive location), keep archives before cleanup, and send logs and other files to a Tableau Support case.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Server Administrator
- Exam section: Troubleshooting
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> 4.2 Understand how to: 4.2.1 Reset passwords for a Tableau user or Tableau Run-As Service account; 4.2.2 Package log files for reporting; 4.2.3 Use tsm to validate site resources; 4.2.4 Rebuild the search index; 4.2.5 Use maintenance analysis reports; 4.2.6 Create/open support requests.

## What the exam expects

- Build a `tsm maintenance ziplogs` command for a given time window, set of optional data and file name.
- Generate, download, upload or delete a log file snapshot from the TSM web UI Maintenance tab.
- Find and change the folder where log archives are written, and archive logs safely before cleanup.
- Upload an archive to an existing Tableau Support case with `send-logs`, including its network prerequisite.
- Choose how to send any file to Tableau Support by its size and type.

Key terms:
- **ziplogs:** the `tsm maintenance` command that creates a zip archive of Tableau Server log files.
- **Log file snapshot:** the archive ziplogs or the TSM web UI produces for archival or for Tableau Support.
- **`basefilepath.log_archive`:** the TSM configuration key naming the folder where snapshots are written.
- **send-logs:** the `tsm maintenance` command that uploads an archive to Tableau and links it to a support case.
- **Egnyte link:** the secure file transfer link a support engineer provides for large non-log files.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ziplogs with no dates | At most two days of logs, starting 00:00 GMT | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| `--startdate`/`--enddate` time | Quoted, read as GMT; files keep local time | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| `--minimumdate` | Not with `--startdate`, `--enddate` or `--all` | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| `--all` | msinfo, netstat, latest dump; no PostgreSQL data | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| Same file name exists | ziplogs fails unless `-o` | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| Default archive folder | `basefilepath.log_archive`, `...\tabsvc\files\log-archives` | [Log File Snapshots](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/logs_archive.htm) |
| Changing a basefilepath | Existing files are not moved | [tsm File Paths](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_default_filepaths_tsm.htm) |
| send-logs | `-c`, `-e` and `-f` all required | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| send-logs network | Outbound to `report-issue.tableau.com:443` and listed hosts | [Communicating with the Internet](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/plan_network.htm) |
| Direct case attachment | Up to 2 GB per file | [Sending Files to Tableau Support](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001537676&type=1) |
| Egnyte upload | Up to 25 GB per file; split larger files | [Sending Files to Tableau Support](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001537676&type=1) |

## Check yourself

- When ziplogs runs without `-f`, what is the archive called?
- How long does ziplogs wait for the command to finish by default?
- When did the `H:mm` time option for `--startdate` and `--enddate` arrive?
- What naming advice does Tableau give for a ziplogs archive file?

## Sources

- [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm)
- [Log File Snapshots (Archive Logs)](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/logs_archive.htm)
- [tsm File Paths](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_default_filepaths_tsm.htm)
- [Communicating with the Internet](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/plan_network.htm)
- [Sending Files to Tableau Support](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=001537676&type=1)
- [Troubleshoot Tableau Server Install and Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/trouble_install_upgrade.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 12 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Server Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams