You may get below error in Spotfire Server log files (catalina.log and server.log) if there is some issue with Action log database and because of which Spotfire Server is unable to start:
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SEVERE [localhost-startStop-1] org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart Exception sending context initialized event to listener instance of class [com.spotfire.server.lifecycle.SpotfireServerInitializer] org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException: Error creating bean with name 'actionLoggerMUX' defined in ServletContext resource [/WEB-INF/applicationContext.xml]: Bean instantiation via constructor failed; nested exception is org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate 
[com.spotfire.server.actionlog.ActionLoggerMUX]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is com.spotfire.server.ServerInitializationException: Unable to connect to the action log database
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Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.spotfire.server.actionlog.ActionLoggerMUX]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is com.spotfire.server.ServerInitializationException: Unable to connect to the action log database
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Caused by: com.spotfire.server.ServerInitializationException: Unable to connect to the action log database
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at org.springframework.beans.BeanUtils.instantiateClass(BeanUtils.java:142)
    ... 30 more
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All Supported OS

There could be multiple reasons for this error: "Unable to connect to the action log database"

Below are some of the points that you need to check on Spotfire Server machine and also on action log database server:

- Launch Spotfire server configuration tool on Spotfire Server machine(uiconfig.bat).
- Go to Configuration tab --> User Action Log 
- Click on "Test connection" button to check if you can establish connection to Action log database server from Spotfire Server machine.
- If test connection fails, then check below points:
       - Check if you are using valid credentials (username and password) for action log database.
       - Check if you are able to ping action log database server from Spotfire Server machine using ping/telnet command using command prompt e.g.   telnet  action_log_db_hostname DB_Port
       - Consult your DBA, to check if action log database is up and running and request to start the database if not running.
    
   

Unable to start TIBCO Spotfire Server because of action log database issue.