NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ (was: Rewriting nscli ent? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))

[Randal, Phil]

The security hole is careless admins and stupid default security
settings. That's why I quite like the installation of precompiled,
limited applications.

I guess being a Windows admin makes one paranoid ;-)

Phil

---------------------------------------------
Phil Randal
Network Engineer
Herefordshire Council
Hereford, UK 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk [mailto:roy at karlsbakk.net]
> Sent: 13 May 2003 14:45
> To: Randal, Phil; nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ (was: Rewriting
> nscli ent? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))
> 
> 
> Phil,
> 
> You are too paranoid!
> 
> Perl isn't listening to anything, and is not a part of 
> windoze scripting host, 
> and thus no security hole or anything like that
> 
> On Tuesday 13 May 2003 15:16, Randal, Phil wrote:
> > Maybe I'm paranoid but I wouldn't be too happy about having a
> > Perl interpreter sitting on our NT boxes waiting for malicious
> > Perl scripts to happen along ;-)
> >
> > I'd suggest that the C or C++ stuff for Windows should be
> > written to be compiled under MinGW
> > (http://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/) and Dev-CPP
> > (http://sourceforge.net/projects/dev-cpp/).
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Phil
> > ---------------------------------------------
> > Phil Randal
> > Network Engineer
> > Herefordshire Council
> > Hereford, UK
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk [mailto:roy at karlsbakk.net]
> > > Sent: 13 May 2003 13:16
> > > To: Michael.Wirtgen at miwi-dv.com; sghosh at sghosh.org;
> > > nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> > > Subject: Re: [Nagios-users] NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ 
> (was: Rewriting
> > > nscli ent? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))
> > >
> > >
> > > ok.
> > > So why not:
> > > 	- Rewrite nsclient in C or C++ (and perhaps renaming it?)
> > > 	- Rewrite NRPE in perl to allow it to work in any environment
> > >
> > > Whaddayathink?
> > >
> > > On Tuesday 13 May 2003 12:46, Michael.Wirtgen at miwi-dv.com wrote:
> > > > hi all,
> > > >
> > > > just some thoughts and ideas for comments...
> > > >
> > > > - Perl for services
> > > > Even if the idea of using perl with a wrapper for this is
> > >
> > > tempting, wearing
> > >
> > > > my windows hat, I'd always prefer something really
> > >
> > > "talking" to the SCM
> > >
> > > > instead of using a wrapper. I've done that several times in
> > >
> > > the past, using
> > >
> > > > svcany an the like, results were mixed. I think it can be
> > >
> > > done, but if
> > >
> > > > someone is taking the effort for a rewrite, why not use C
> > >
> > > and accommodate
> > >
> > > > the existing sources to compile on non UX platforms.
> > > >
> > > > - "Porting" NRPE to windows
> > > > While putting together nrpe_nt (my attempt at "porting"
> > >
> > > nrpe), I found that
> > >
> > > > there is not TOO much stuff to be changed. Before
> > >
> > > attempting a complete
> > >
> > > > rewrite I'd suggest to review the existing sources, and
> > >
> > > split up nrpe.c
> > >
> > > > into two files, a generic one, and a platform dependent
> > >
> > > one. The platform
> > >
> > > > dependent file would (for windows) roughly contain: main(),
> > > > wait_for_connections() and handle_connection(), plus some
> > >
> > > additional code
> > >
> > > > to make stuff like services work.
> > > > (Talk to the SCM etc.). stuff like utils.c and common.h
> > >
> > > compiled on win
> > >
> > > > with ~4-5 one line patches.
> > > >
> > > > - Integrating nrpe with nsclient functionality
> > > > Personally, I think nsclient and nrpe serve different
> > >
> > > purposes on windows
> > >
> > > > (or could do so in a "clean" design):
> > > > nsclient is platform specific to windows, and not easily
> > >
> > > modified to allow
> > >
> > > > for custom plugins.
> > > > nrpe allows only for plugins, doesn't care for specific
> > >
> > > checks at all, just
> > >
> > > > executes them.
> > > >
> > > > The way I would like to use both, would be:
> > > > nsclient as a local agent, running continuous checks for
> > >
> > > stuff, that has to
> > >
> > > > be checked local and/or requires activity, that can't be
> > >
> > > done in a plugin
> > >
> > > > (eg. register callback to some windows functions like
> > >
> > > spooler/filesystem
> > >
> > > > events etc). These could be reported back passive checks.
> > > >
> > > > nrpe as a "gateway" to windows checks, to either local or
> > >
> > > remote windows
> > >
> > > > hosts.
> > > > This allows distributed active checks, without the need for
> > >
> > > an agent like
> > >
> > > > nsclient on every monitored host. (A lot of my 
> customers are really
> > > > reluctant to install any additional agent "only for 
> monitoring").
> > > >
> > > > It would be possible to integrate nrpe functions with
> > >
> > > nsclient, but you
> > >
> > > > would either:
> > > >
> > > > - Start with from the delphi nsclient sources
> > > > Roys arguments about which languages to be used applies
> > >
> > > here, as in fact
> > >
> > > > not too much people use delphi these days.
> > > > Also, it would make nsclient an even more complex beast 
> to maintain.
> > > >
> > > > - Start a complete rewrite in perl
> > > > If you'd add all nsclient functionality, the code would 
> be platform
> > > > specific to windows again, wasting the initial reason to do
> > >
> > > a rewrite.
> > >
> > > > Pheew, that has become a little lengthy...
> > > > So in summary I'd suggest:
> > > > a) don't mix functionality between nsclient and nrpe, 
> as they serve
> > > > different purposes
> > > > b) If someone is willing to start a rewrite, don't go with
> > >
> > > perl easily
> > >
> > > > because "it's platform independent". It may bite back later...
> > > >
> > > > thanks for your attention
> > > > cheers
> > > > MiWi
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk [mailto:roy at karlsbakk.net]
> > > > Sent: Dienstag, 13. Mai 2003 10:48
> > > > To: Subhendu Ghosh; nagios-users at lists.sourceforge.net
> > > > Subject: [Nagios-users] NSClient + NRPE == NRPE+ (was: Rewriting
> > > > nsclient? (was NSClient 1.0.8.0 Installation Problem))
> > > >
> > > > On Friday 09 May 2003 18:50, Subhendu Ghosh wrote:
> > > > > ActiveState has a perl to binary/service converter.
> > > >
> > > > hi all.
> > > >
> > > > As Ghosh says above, we can use perl to write services. Is
> > >
> > > it only me, or
> > >
> > > > would this allow us to standardize on perl for a new NRPE+
> > >
> > > with NRPE +
> > >
> > > > NSClient functionality? I guess we can read Windoze
> > >
> > > counters from perl
> > >
> > > > without problems?
> > > >
> > > > roy
> > >
> > > --
> > > Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk, Datavaktmester
> > > ProntoTV AS - http://www.pronto.tv/
> > > Tel: +47 9801 3356
> > >
> > > Computers are like air conditioners.
> > > They stop working when you open Windows.
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> > -------------------------------------------------------
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> Santa Clara
> > The only event dedicated to issues related to Linux 
> enterprise solutions
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> >
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> -- 
> Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk, Datavaktmester
> ProntoTV AS - http://www.pronto.tv/
> Tel: +47 9801 3356
> 
> Computers are like air conditioners.
> They stop working when you open Windows.
> 


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