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

[Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk]

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.
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------
> > Enterprise Linux Forum Conference & Expo, June 4-6, 2003, Santa Clara
> > The only event dedicated to issues related to Linux
> > enterprise solutions
> > www.enterpriselinuxforum.com
> >
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> >
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>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Enterprise Linux Forum Conference & Expo, June 4-6, 2003, Santa Clara
> The only event dedicated to issues related to Linux enterprise solutions
> www.enterpriselinuxforum.com
>
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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.



-------------------------------------------------------
Enterprise Linux Forum Conference & Expo, June 4-6, 2003, Santa Clara
The only event dedicated to issues related to Linux enterprise solutions
www.enterpriselinuxforum.com

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