Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3) SmokePing Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3)NAME
Smokeping::probes::FTPtransfer - intrusive bandwidth probe
OVERVIEW
This probe send and retrieve files to or from an ftp server. It will
plot the bandwidth it could use.
SYNOPSIS
*** Probes ***
+FTPtransfer
destfile = path/to/destinationfile.xxx
forks = 5
min_interval = 1
mode = get # mandatory
offset = 50%
passwordfile = /some/place/secret
srcfile = src/path/mybig.pdf # mandatory
step = 300
timeout = 15 # mandatory
# The following variables can be overridden in each target section
localaddr = myhost-nat-if
passive = yes
password = test-password
pings = 5
port = 3255
timeout = 10
username = test-user
# [...]
*** Targets ***
probe = FTPtransfer # if this should be the default probe
# [...]
+ mytarget
# probe = FTPtransfer # if the default probe is something else
host = my.host
localaddr = myhost-nat-if
passive = yes
password = test-password
pings = 5
port = 3255
timeout = 10
username = test-user
DESCRIPTION
The probe uses the Net::FTP perl client to run performance tests using
an FTP server as a target. This probe is intrusive as it transfers real
data. By using real data we get a fair shot at figuring out what a link
is capable of when it comes to transfering actual files.
The password can be specified either (in order of precedence, with the
latter overriding the former) in the probe-specific variable
`password', in an external file or in the target-specific variable
`password'. The location of this external file is given in the probe-
specific variable `passwordfile'. See
Smokeping::probes::passwordchecker(3pm) for the format of this file
(summary: colon-separated triplets of the form
`<host>:<username>:<password>')
The probe tries to be nice to the server and waits at least X seconds
between starting filetransfers, where X is the value of the probe
specific `min_interval' variable (1 by default).
Many variables can be specified either in the probe or in the target
definition, the target-specific variable will override the prove-
specific variable.
If your transfer takes a lot of time, you may want to make sure to set
the timeout and max_rtt properly so that smokeping does not abort the
transfers of limit the graph size.
VARIABLES
Supported probe-specific variables:
destfile
Normally the destination filename is the same as the source
filename (without the path). If you want keep files in different
directories this may not work, and you have to specify destfile as
well.
Example value: path/to/destinationfile.xxx
forks
Run this many concurrent processes at maximum
Example value: 5
Default value: 5
min_interval
The minimum interval between each starting ftp sessions in seconds.
Default value: 1
mode
The ftp probe can be in either put or get mode. If it is in put
mode then it will send a file to the ftp server. In get mode it
will retrieve a file from the ftp server.
Example value: get
This setting is mandatory.
offset
If you run many probes concurrently you may want to prevent them
from hitting your network all at the same time. Using the probe-
specific offset parameter you can change the point in time when
each probe will be run. Offset is specified in % of total interval,
or alternatively as 'random', and the offset from the 'General'
section is used if nothing is specified here. Note that this does
NOT influence the rrds itself, it is just a matter of when data
acqusition is initiated. (This variable is only applicable if the
variable 'concurrentprobes' is set in the 'General' section.)
Example value: 50%
passwordfile
Location of the file containing usernames and passwords.
Example value: /some/place/secret
srcfile
The name of the source file. If the probe is in put mode, this file
has to be on the local machine, if the probe is in get mode then
this file should sit in the remote ftp account.
Example value: src/path/mybig.pdf
This setting is mandatory.
step
Duration of the base interval that this probe should use, if
different from the one specified in the 'Database' section. Note
that the step in the RRD files is fixed when they are originally
generated, and if you change the step parameter afterwards, you'll
have to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert them. (This
variable is only applicable if the variable 'concurrentprobes' is
set in the 'General' section.)
Example value: 300
timeout
The timeout is the maximum amount of time you will allow the probe
to transfer the file. If the probe does not succeed to transfer in
the time specified, it will get killed and a 'loss' will be loged.
Since FTPtransfer is an invasive probe you should make sure you do
not load the link for more than a few seconds anyway. Smokeping
curently has a hard limit of 180 seconds for any RTT.
Example value: 15
This setting is mandatory.
Supported target-specific variables:
localaddr
The local address to be used when making connections
Example value: myhost-nat-if
passive
Use passive FTP protocol
Example value: yes
password
The password for the user, if not present in the password file.
Example value: test-password
pings
How many pings should be sent to each target, if different from the
global value specified in the Database section. Note that the
number of pings in the RRD files is fixed when they are originally
generated, and if you change this parameter afterwards, you'll have
to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert them.
Example value: 5
port
A non-standard FTP port to be used
Example value: 3255
timeout
Timeout in seconds for the FTP transfer to complete.
Example value: 10
username
The username to be tested.
Example value: test-user
AUTHORS
Tobias Oetiker <tobi@oetiker.ch> sponsored by Virtela
BUGS
This probe has the capability for saturating your links, so don't use
it unless you know what you are doing.
The FTPtransfer probe measures bandwidth, but we report the number of
seconds it took to transfer the 'reference' file. This is because
curently the notion of Round Trip Time is at the core of the
application. It would take some re-engineering to split this out in
plugins and thus make it configurable ...
2.6.11 2016-02-19 Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3)
