1BROKER(1) User Commands BROKER(1)
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6 Broker - manual page for Broker 2.12.2
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9 C++Broker [options]
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12 This is the SBW Broker, version 2.12.2 (C++ Release,Linux running on
13 port: -1).
14 The SBW Broker runs as a background process on a computer to coordinate
16 the activities of SBW modules. It enables locating and starting mod‐
17 ules on demand. The SBW Broker should not normally need to be started
18 explicitly, because the SBW libraries start the Broker if it is not al‐
19 ready running. However, some functions (such as the --shutdown com‐
20 mand) do need to be invoked directly.
21 Options:
23 -a | --accept-address ADDRESS
25 This is for use with host-based (non-SSH) authentication and
27 when modules from other hosts are allowed to connect to the Bro‐
28 ker. This option adds the given ADDRESS to the list of host ad‐
29 dresses allowed to connect to this SBW Broker. The address must
30 be specified in IPv4 dotted quad notation: "123.123.123.123".
31 Any of the four fields can be replaced with the wildcard charac‐
32 ter '*' to indicate that any value for that field is acceptable.
33 So, for example, "132.215.42.*" indicates any host on the subnet
34 "132.215.42.*" may connect to the Broker. This option interacts
35 with the --deny-address option documented below in the following
36 way: addresses that are allowed, and not explicitly denied, are
37 permitted. (This option has no effect unless the options --re‐
38 mote-modules or --no-ssh are also given.)
39 -b | --broker-ports LOW-HIGH
41 By default, the Broker opens a port for inter-Broker communica‐
43 tions by searching for the first free port in the range 10102
44 through 10202, inclusive. This option allows you to specify a
45 different port range, from port number LOW through port number
46 HIGH, inclusive. For example, "--broker-ports 11000-12000"
47 would dictate that the Broker should look for a free port in the
48 range 10001 through 10010. You can force the Broker to try to
49 use one particular port by using the same number for LOW and
50 HIGH.
51 -d | --deny-address ADDRESS
53 This is for use with host-based (non-SSH) authentication and
55 when modules from other hosts are allowed to connect to the Bro‐
56 ker. This option the given ADDRESS to the list of host ad‐
57 dresses prevented from connecting to this SBW Broker. The ad‐
58 dress must be specified in IPv4 dotted quad notation:
59 "123.123.123.123". Any of the four fields can be replaced with
60 the wildcard character '*' to indicate that any value for that
61 field is acceptable. So, for example, "132.215.42.*" indicates
62 any host on the subnet "132.215.42.*" is denied from connecting
63 to the Broker. This option interacts with the --accept-address
64 option documented above in the following way: addresses that are
65 allowed, and not explicitly denied, are permitted. (This option
66 has no effect unless the options --remote-modules or --no-ssh
67 are also given.)
68 -e | --remote-modules
70 By default, only connections originating from the local host can
72 connect to the Broker. The --remote-modules flag enables mod‐
73 ules running on hosts other than the local host to connect to
74 this Broker. This flag is not needed in normal SBW use scenar‐
75 ios because a module running on a remote host should normally be
76 connected to a Broker running on that host. Also, note that
77 this flag only affects whether network connections from non-lo‐
78 cal hosts are permitted; a remote module will still be denied if
79 it does not have the same session key as is being used by the
80 Broker.
81 -g | --registry PATHNAME
83 This flag specifies that the file given by PATHNAME should be
85 used as the Broker's module registry file, instead of the Bro‐
86 ker's built-in default.
87 -h | --help
89 This flag tells the Broker to print this help text and exit.
91 -i | --info
93 This produces a description of the running state of the Broker
95 (if there is a Broker running on this computer) and then exits
96 without doing anything else or processing any other flags.
97 -k | --key-file PATHNAME
99 Use the file given by PATHNAME as the session key file instead
101 of the default pathname. The default session authentication key
102 is stored it in a private file inside the ".sbw" direc‐
103 tory/folder in the user's home directory.
104 -l | --reload-key
106 Normally, if a Broker is not already running on the local host
108 when a new Broker is started, the Broker generates a new session
109 authentication key and stores it in a private file inside the
110 ".sbw" directory/folder in the user's home directory. The
111 --reload-key flag tells the Broker to not generate a new key,
112 and instead to reuse the key in the key file. This flag should
113 not normally be used; it is primarily for use by remote Brokers.
114 -m | --module-ports LOW-HIGH
116 By default, the Broker opens a port for module connections by
118 searching for the first free port in the range 10002 through
119 10102, inclusive. This option allows you to specify a different
120 port range, from port number LOW through port number HIGH, in‐
121 clusive. For example, "--module-ports 11000-12000" would dic‐
122 tate that the Broker should look for a free port in the range
123 10001 through 10010. You can force the Broker to try to use one
124 particular port by using the same number for LOW and HIGH.
125 -o | --module-options "OPTIONS STRING"
127 Use the given options as command-line options to modules when
129 they are started up. THIS OPTION CURRENTLY DOES NOT WORK.
130 -R | --no-remote
132 By default, the Broker is always listening for connections from
134 other Brokers. This flag tells the Broker to disallow remote
135 Broker connections. It does this by not starting up the lis‐
136 tener thread.
137 -r | --remote-from HOSTNAME
139 Flag handed to a Broker when it is started remotely by another
141 Broker. The HOSTNAME is the host that started this Broker.
142 -S | --no-ssh
144 Disable the use of SSH for remote Broker communications.
146 It
147 will still be possible to connect Brokers manually, but there
149 will be no security on the communications channel and it will
150 require manually copying session key files between hosts and
151 starting the individual Brokers. Use of this option is not rec‐
152 ommended.
153 -s | --sbw-home PATHNAME
155 Change what is assumed to be the root directory of the SBW in‐
157 stallation to PATHNAME. By default, SBW uses various approaches
158 to determine the root of its installation; this flag allows you
159 to override them and explicitly set the path to the installation
160 directory.
161 -t | --trace
163 This flag can only be used with the debugging copy of the Broker
165 (i.e., file SBWBroker-debug.jar). It turns on tracing of activ‐
166 ities in the Broker and leads to copious debugging output.
167 -U | --shutdown
169 This shuts down a running Broker (if any) on the local host. A
171 new Broker is not started. This is the preferred method for
172 shutting down Brokers.
173 -u | --user-dir PATHNAME
175 By default, SBW stores information in a user-specific subdirec‐
177 tory/folder called ".sbw" in the user's home directory. This
178 flag allows you to override the default and set the user direc‐
179 tory to an explicit PATHNAME. This may be useful in distributed
180 computing environments where home directories are not where
181 they're expected.
182 -w | --module-wait INTEGER
184 The amount of time, in tenths of a second, that the Broker
186 should wait for a module to start up. The default is 600 (1
187 minute).
188 The SBW home page is http://www.sys-bio.org. Please send bug reports
190 and question to sysbio-team@caltech.edu
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193 The full documentation for Broker is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
194 If the info and Broker programs are properly installed at your site,
195 the command
196 info Broker
198 should give you access to the complete manual.
200Broker 2.12.2 July 2021 BROKER(1)