Troubleshooting: Enabling Additional Exception Logging for a WebService Realm Error

Version Affected: All
 
 

Overview

A Web Service multi-datastore realm's debug log shows an exception ending in: "The server was unable to process the request due to an internal error. For more information about the error, either turn on IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults... or turn on tracing..." The underlying error is hidden because Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) does not reveal internal details about what the service does by default.

 

Cause

By default, a WCF service does not send back any information explaining what happened internally when a request fails. For more information, see Microsoft's Specifying and Handling Faults in Contracts and Services article.

 

Resolution

Enable additional exception logging by editing web.config for the data store realm (for example, AD or SQL) that generated the exception — this is not the same realm shown in the original log message (the realm using a WebService data source), but the affected realm can usually be identified from that same log entry.

1. Decrypt web.config: open the Admin Console, click the SecureAuth logo, then go to Tools | Decrypt Web Config.
2. Select the relevant realm and click Decrypt.
3. Go to the realm's folder — for example, D:\SecureAuth\SecureAuthXX — and make a copy of the web.config file.
4. Edit web.config in a text editor and add the following line inside the <serviceBehaviors> tag:

<serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />

5. Reproduce the fault. The exception details should now appear in the Debug log of the WebService realm.
6. When troubleshooting is complete, revert the web.config change made in step 4 using the copy made in step 3.

SecureAuth Knowledge Base Articles provide information based on specific use cases and may not apply to all appliances or configurations. Be advised that these instructions could cause harm to the environment if not followed correctly or if they do not apply to the current use case.

Customers are responsible for their own due diligence prior to utilizing this information and agree that SecureAuth is not liable for any issues caused by misconfiguration directly or indirectly related to SecureAuth products.