---
title: Creating a file based access log publisher
description: The PingDirectory server supports different types of log publishers that can be used to provide monitoring information for operations, access, debug, and error messages that occur during normal server processing.
component: pingdirectory
version: 11.0
page_id: pingdirectory:pingdirectory_server_administration_guide:pd_ds_new_log_publisher_console
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingdirectory/11.0/pingdirectory_server_administration_guide/pd_ds_new_log_publisher_console.html
revdate: September 13, 2023
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
---

# Creating a file based access log publisher

The PingDirectory server supports different types of log publishers that can be used to provide monitoring information for operations, access, debug, and error messages that occur during normal server processing.

## About this task

The server provides a standard set of default log files as well as mechanisms to configure custom log publishers with their own log rotation and retention policies. The filed based access log publisher publishes access messages with information about the operations processed by the server. For more information, see [Types of log publishers](pd_ds_types_of_log_pubs.html).

## Steps

1. Sign on to the admin console.

2. In the sidebar, select **Configuration**, and in the **Logging, Monitoring, and Notifications** section, select **Log Retention Policies**.

   ![Screen capture showing the Logging, Monitoring, and Notifications section of the Configuration menu with the Log Retention Policies highlighted.](_images/admin-console-log-retention.png)

   1. Click **[icon: plus, set=fa]New Log Retention Policy** and select your desired policy.

   2. Fill out the fields according to the tooltips and click **Save**.

3. Return to the **Logging, Monitoring, and Notifications** section and select **Log Rotation Policies**.

   1. Click **[icon: plus, set=fa]New Log Rotation Policy** and select your desired policy.

   2. Fill out the fields according to the tooltips and click **Save**.

4. Return to the **Logging, Monitoring, and Notifications** section and select **Log Publishers**.

   1. Click **[icon: plus, set=fa]New Log Publisher** and select **File Based Access Log Publisher**.

   2. Fill out the fields according to the tooltips.

   3. In the **Rotation Policy** list of the **Log File Management** section, select your desired rotation policy.

   4. In the **Retention Policy** list, select your desired rotation policy.

   5. Click **Save**.