Troubleshooting
Lesson status
This lesson is a focused outline. Expand with the linked IBM docs.
When a service misbehaves, DataPower gives you powerful built-in tools to see exactly what happened to a message as it flowed through the policy.
The toolbox
| Tool | Use it to… |
|---|---|
| Probe (Multistep Probe) | Capture a transaction and step through each action, inspecting the message and variables at every context |
| Packet capture | Capture network traffic on an interface for protocol/TLS issues |
| Error report | Generate a full diagnostic bundle for IBM support |
| Logs | The first place to look — category/priority filtered |
| Status providers | Check op-state, connections, memory |
Probe in production
The Probe adds overhead and stores message data. Enable it to reproduce an issue, then turn it off — don't leave it running in production.
A practical debugging workflow
- Check op-state first (enabled ≠ up).
- Read the logs for the error code and message.
- Reproduce with the Probe and step through actions/contexts to find where the message goes wrong.
- Packet capture for transport/TLS-level problems.
- Error report if you need IBM support.
Common culprits
- Action wiring (reading INPUT instead of the previous output).
- Namespace mismatches in XSLT matches.
- Certificate expiry / trust gaps taking TLS down.
- Port conflicts leaving a handler enabled-but-down.
Reference
- IBM Docs: Troubleshooting, Multistep Probe, and Packet capture in the DataPower documentation.
Knowledge Check
Which built-in tool lets you step through each action of a captured transaction and inspect the message at every context?