Configuring WebTrends to work with your Virtual Server

Configuring WebTrends to work with your Virtual Server is simple and easy. The directions below are based on version 3.0d of WebTrends, but they should apply to other versions of WebTrends, as well as Virtual WebTrends.

For each log file you want to analyze with WebTrends, you need to define a log profile so that WebTrends can properly process the log. WebTrends has several predefined sample log profiles which are visible in the main window of the program. Each one is titled "Sample Log..." and refer to sample log files included with the software or located at the WebTrends FTP site.

To create a new log profile for your Virtual Server's log files, do the following:

• Click the Add button on the WebTrends toolbar.

  

• The Add Log Profile -- Title,  URL dialog box will appear. In the Description, Report Title field enter a title/description for your log profile. In the Log File URL Path designate ftp:// as the transfer protocol and enter the domain name of your virtual server and the path and filename of your virtual web server's access log file. Click the Login... button (the Details... button in Virtual WebTrends) and enter your virtual server's login name and password. Set the Log  File Format to be Auto-detect log file type. Click the Next > button to continue.

  

  Your WebTrends is now configured to contact your Virtual Server via FTP and download your web server's transfer log file. WebTrends supports log file download via HTTP, but FTP is easier to work with. WebTrends will automatically detect the format of your web server's log files, either Apache or NCSA.

• In the next dialog box, Add Log Profile -- DNS  Lookup, set WebTrends to lookup IP addresses Automatically. If your web server is not currently doing reverse DNS lookups on the IP addresses it is logging, WebTrends will now do the lookups for you, so that your statistical reports will include the domain names of servers accessing your web site. Click the Next > button to continue.

• The Add Log Profile -- Home Page dialog box will appear next. In the Home Page Directory fields select http:// as the transfer protocol and enter your virtual server's domain name in the text field, followed by a "/". It is not necessary to enter a Login.... In the Home  Page field enter your virtual server's home page, which will probably be index.html. Click the Next > button to continue.

  

  The statistical report generated by WebTrends will include links back to pages at your web site, using the information above.

• You can just click the Next > button in the Add Log Profile -- Filters dialog box, since it is not necessary to setup any filters for normal operation of WebTrends. Click the Next  > button to continue.

• In the Add Log Profile -- Database and Real-Time dialog box, click the Finish button to complete the addition of the new log profile. This dialog box will not appear if you are using Virtual WebTrends.

  WebTrends is now configured to download your web server logfile and generate a statistical report of the traffic at your website. To create a statistical report of your Virtual web server traffic, do the following:

• Click the Report button on the WebTrends toolbar.

  

• Choose which type of report you want to generate from the Memorized Report Name drop down menu in the Create Report dialog box which will appear.

  

  Each of the predefined report types contain different information about your Virtual web server traffic. You may want to start by viewing the Quick Summary report to get an idea of what a predefined report contains. If you are using Virtual WebTrends you will not have these predefined report types.

• Click on the Start button to generate the report.

• Unless you specify otherwise, WebTrends will place the complete report on your PC. To setup the WebTrends to place the report on your website, click the Save As tab, choose ftp:// as the transfer protocol, and enter your virtual server domain name and the path to the destination file in the text field.

  

• Click the Memorize... button to save the new report setup.