From: Ron Fox <fox@...>
Date: 2008-05-27T20:39:18+09:00
Subject: Re: TCP Server/GServer

How about dsh (distributed shell), seems to be available for with AIX:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/clresctr/vxrx/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.cluster.csm16.cmds.doc/am7cm_dsh.html

RF

Victor Reyes wrote:
> [Note:  parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]
> 
> Team,
> 
> Let me begin by stating that I am still a Ruby novice, although I've written
> some simple appls (sudoku, TCP and UDP servers and other mundane appls) with
> the input of the team.
> 
> I worked with AIX and I support more than a hundred servers in a complex and
> secured??? environment.
> Although some vendors have packages to perform "distributed" remote support,
> it is not allowed in my environment.
> At first tried to design my own poor-man distributed package using what is
> allowed, ssh (port 22).
> But this did not provide the flexibility to manage all the servers from one
> centralized location.
> 
> So, I went ahead and designed in Ruby a TCP Client/Server that works as
> follows:
> 
> On every server I have a server listening on a predefined port.
> The server gets started from the cron and every 10 minutes the cron checks
> to ensure that the server is running.
> 
> Lets say the client wants to execute a remote command like creating a userid
> on all servers or just checking paging or memory consumption, etc.
> It sends a request to the server and the server executes the command and
> returns the output to the client.
> 
> So the client can:
> 
> shc -s hostname cmd
> shc -p full_path_of_a_file_with_list_of_servers
> hsc -a cmd   (This version uses a file /etc/servers with the list of all
> servers)
> 
> I also have another client named shp with the same flags as above and which
> uses the same TCP server and which is listening on the same port.
> The shp program is used to push files to one or multiple or all servers.
> 
> All the UNIX admin actually love the application. BTW, the shc  shp are only
> executable by root.
> 
> However, although we are behind multiple firewalls (at least 6) a scanning
> tool detected the listener (TCP Server) and marked it as a security risk on
> a particular server.
> I was asked and of course I complied, to shutdown the server on that host.
> I was also asked to redesign the tool adding a bit more security and they
> would allow it. They suggested "handshaking" between client and server, the
> initial comm or perhaps all comm should be encrypted. I was asked if Ruby
> has encryption
> So here is where I am looking for some recommendations.
> 
> Reading a new book I just acquired I came across a package called GServer. I
> was wondering if this will be suitable for what I need.
> Also, what type of encryption should I use?
> 
> They were talking something like:
> 
> Client sends connection request
> Server replies with client's hostname and time
> Client sends back the time received from server together with the command
> which the client wants to execute at the remote server.
> Server executes command if it is "happy" with the reply from the client.
> 
> Of course all communication must be ciphered.
> 
> Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Victor
>