Please refer the below to know the key fles in WAS.

WebSphere stores its confguration to set of XML fles. When we use

the Admin console to confgure WebSphere certain XML fles are
updated internally.
CELL-scope
! admin-authz.xml
"ontains the roles set for administration of the Admin console.
#profle$root%&appsr'()&confg&cells&#cell$name%&
! profleRegistry.xml
"ontains a list of profles and profle confguration data
! resources.xml
*efnes operating cell scope en'ironmental resources including +*,"
+MS +a'aMail -.L end point confguration and so on.
! security.xml
"ontains security data including all user /* and password information.
! virtualhosts.xml
"ontains 'irtual host and Multipurpose /nternet Mail 01tensions 2M/M034
type confgurations.
! variables.xml
"ontains cell le'el WebSphere 'ariables
! wimconfg.xml
"ontains the federated repository confgurations for global security
#profle$root%&confg&cells&#cell$name%&wim&confg&
N!E-scope
! namestore.xml
Pro'ides persistent +5*/ namespace binding data
! resources.xml
*efnes node scope en'ironmental resources including +*," +MS
+a'aMail -.L end point confguration and so on
! serverindex.xml
Specifes all the ports used by ser'ers on this node
! variables.xml
"ontains node le'el WebSphere 'ariables
"ER#ER-scope
! resources.xml
"ontains the confguration of resources such as +*," +MS +a'aMail
and -.L end points at ser'er scope
! server.xml
"ontains application ser'er confguration data
! variables.xml
"ontains ser'er le'el 'ariables
properties fles
/f the global security is enabled WebSphere Application Ser'er cell you
need to manually enter the username and password e'ery time you
run the wsadmin tool. ,y editing the sas.client.props and the
soap.client.props fles you can specify the username and password
you ha'e confgured for global security so you are not prompted to
enter the username and password e'ery time you run administrati'e
scripts.
soap.client.props fle
com.ibm.S6AP.security0nabled7#true%
com.ibm.S6AP.login-serid7#username%
com.ibm.S6AP.loginPassword7#password%
6ptionally set the following property8
com.ibm.S6AP.loginSource7none
sas.client.props fle
com.ibm."6.,A.login-serid7
com.ibm."6.,A.loginPassword7
Also set the following property8
com.ibm."6.,A.loginSource7properties
Log $iles
%#& logs
native_stderr.log,native_stdout.log
stdout and stderr streams are redirected to log fles at application
ser'er startup which contain te1t written to the stdout and stderr
streams by nati'e modules that is Linu1 Modules and so on. /n
normal error4free operations these logs fles are typically empty.
startServer.log

/t is created in your logs directory when the ser'er starts up. 9his log is
'ery useful to determine +:M parameters used in the start4up process
the ser'er;s process id and also the date and time in which the ser'er
was started. /f there are errors e1perienced during the start4up 2for
e1ample security confguration errors where the application ser'er
cannot start3 then log information will e1ist for problem determination.
stopServer.log

when ser'er was stopped 'ia a command line the log will be written to
this. /f the ser'er has trouble stopping then +a'a stack traces will be
written to the log which can be used in determining why a gi'en
application ser'er failed to stop.
SystemErr.log

contains +a'a e1ceptions and stack traces. An empty System0rr.log fle
does not necessarily indicate a successfully running application ser'er
+:M. <ou may need to consult the other logs in this directory.
SystemOut.log

9his log fle contains messages as generated by the +:M during
runtime. Some messages are informational some are warnings or
status updates. Applications can be confgured to write to the log and
so it is 'ery common for the System6ut.log to be your frst port of call
in application debugging.
<server_name>.pid

contains the process id of the ser'er. /n Linu1 this is the actual process
id assigned to the +:M process.
$$!C logs
==*" directory contains detailed logs of e1ceptions found during the
runtime of the WebSphere Application Ser'er. "an be found at
WAS$.669&profles&logs&>dc