Analytics .usage files is not getting created

Question

I have tried to get the usage and health data collection working but without success. I've come to the conclusion the .usage files in the folders AnalyticsUsage and FileUsage are not created.

I have tested the, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Usage Data Import and Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Usage Data Processing both of which are marked as succesful, I have decreased their timers so they are being executed once every 30 minutes.

I have enabled the usage and health data collection and confirmed that the path to the log location is correct. I have also tried a lot of other stuff but nothing has helped.

Does someone know what the problem might be?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

This is a typical problem with not reading into what the Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Usage Data Import job actually does.

The job description in CA reads "Imports usage log files into the logging database." But what it does not mention is that the log files are automatically deleted after the import process is completed. If you want to actually retain the log files, disable the job itself.

Only official reference from MS, I found on that this job actually deletes log files was in a KB article where in SP 2010 the job was failing to delete log files and the fix corrected it!