exec() to check a remote box?

johncal

Hello all,
Thanks in advance for reading.

I am working on a "network status" site
(sort of a graphical version of Big Brother)
and I am having trouble with the

system()

function.
An example would be
Code:

 system("uname -a")

So, the issue is I need this

 system()

function to give me info
about another server on the network, NOT the server that this php function
is already physically on.

Using something like
system("free -m")
correctly gives me the
memory info, however this info is for the webserver the code is on.
Again, I need to get info about
another webserver on the same network.

Also, all the boxes on the network are linux.
If I am still being vague, please let me know.

Thanks again for any input!

best regards,

dalecosp

OK, you said any input.

First, seems like a real potential for a security disaster. We're talking about giving (a web page?) the ability to open a remote shell.... the sysadmin part of me hears alarm bells dinging....

Next, you're going to have to write quite a script for that. You might wanna do some hard time looking around the net for something like this already written.

The acronym SNMP comes to mind. IIRC, php has extensions so it can speak that protocol.

Lastly, you might do something with some socket programming and telnet; however, most people don't open telnet anymore, so you've gotta do SSH, and that'd be even tricker, I'd think.

Your page will probably be communicating with a script that does the job; it might do it directly, though.

I'm sure it can be done. I can't really tell ya how, though, other than a few vague concept/ideas and, "do your homework and flow charting"...

LordShryku

I did something like this with the help of expect. It required ssh connections and multiple scripts, but if it's important, you do what ya gotta do...