How to stop Apache access.log grooving every few seconds?

Question

I installed a fresh Ubuntu 12.04 Server + Zend Server CE (MySQL / PHPmyadmin) from deb http://repos.zend.com/zend-server/5.6.0_ubuntu1204/deb server non-free Repository.

My apache2/access.log looks like this and grooving every few seconds:

::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:27:59 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:27:59 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:27:59 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:00 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:00 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:00 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:00 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
::1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:00 +0200] "OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0" 200 126 "-" "Apache/2.2.22 (Ubuntu) (internal dummy connection)"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:08 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:13 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:18 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:23 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:28 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:33 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:38 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:43 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:48 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:53 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"
223.255.255.1 - - [06/Aug/2012:13:28:58 +0200] "HEAD / HTTP/1.1" 200 276 "-" "-"

Do you know why and how to prevent it?

Solution 1

You need to make some changes in /etc/apache2/apache2.conf, specifically:

1. Create some environment tests with SetEnvIf, and;

2. Then, use them on the CustomLog line.

As follows:

SetEnvIf Remote_Addr "127\.0\.0\.1" dontlog
SetEnvIf Remote_Addr "::1" dontlog
SetEnvIf User-Agent ".*internal dummy connection.*" dontlog

CustomLog /var/log/apache2/other_vhosts_access.log vhost_combined env=!dontlog

That last line should already be in the file, just without the last bit.

Note that this will set the dontlog environment variable if either of the 3 SetEnvIf conditions are true. To avoid this, well, it's complicated; but this blog seems to have a solution.

Solution 2

This is Apache own doing for keeping processes live.

http://wiki.apache.org/httpd/InternalDummyConnection

http://www.electrictoolbox.com/apache-stop-logging-internal-dummy-connection/

Solution 3

check here. http://www.cathaycenturies.com/blog/?p=420

I think you need modify

/etc/apache2/sites-available/default

in order to make it work.

Comments

[Eliah Kagan]

Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference.

[Salvatorelab]

instead of editing /etc/apache2/apache2.conf I've edited /etc/apache2/conf.d/other-vhosts-access-log because I didn't find "CustomLog" in the first config file. Thanks and hope it helps

[Eric Carvalho]

Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference.

[MarkHu]

Note one may have to add LoadModule setenvif_module and AddModule mod_setenvif.c to httpd.conf file--ref httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_setenvif.html