1Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3) SmokePing Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3)
2
6 Smokeping::probes::FTPtransfer - intrusive bandwidth probe
7
9 This probe send and retrieve files to or from an ftp server. It will
10 plot the bandwidth it could use.
11
13 *** Probes ***
14 +FTPtransfer
16 destfile = path/to/destinationfile.xxx
18 forks = 5
19 min_interval = 1
20 mode = get # mandatory
21 offset = 50%
22 passwordfile = /some/place/secret
23 srcfile = src/path/mybig.pdf # mandatory
24 step = 300
25 timeout = 15 # mandatory
26 # The following variables can be overridden in each target section
28 /^influx_.+/ = influx_location = In the basement
29 localaddr = myhost-nat-if
30 passive = yes
31 password = test-password
32 pings = 5
33 port = 3255
34 timeout = 10
35 username = test-user
36 # [...]
38 *** Targets ***
40 probe = FTPtransfer # if this should be the default probe
42 # [...]
44 + mytarget
46 # probe = FTPtransfer # if the default probe is something else
47 host = my.host
48 /^influx_.+/ = influx_location = In the basement
49 localaddr = myhost-nat-if
50 passive = yes
51 password = test-password
52 pings = 5
53 port = 3255
54 timeout = 10
55 username = test-user
56
58 The probe uses the Net::FTP perl client to run performance tests using
59 an FTP server as a target. This probe is intrusive as it transfers real
60 data. By using real data we get a fair shot at figuring out what a link
61 is capable of when it comes to transferring actual files.
62 The password can be specified either (in order of precedence, with the
64 latter overriding the former) in the probe-specific variable
65 `password', in an external file or in the target-specific variable
66 `password'. The location of this external file is given in the probe-
67 specific variable `passwordfile'. See
68 Smokeping::probes::passwordchecker(3pm) for the format of this file
69 (summary: colon-separated triplets of the form
70 `<host>:<username>:<password>')
71 The probe tries to be nice to the server and waits at least X seconds
73 between starting filetransfers, where X is the value of the probe
74 specific `min_interval' variable (1 by default).
75 Many variables can be specified either in the probe or in the target
77 definition, the target-specific variable will override the prove-
78 specific variable.
79 If your transfer takes a lot of time, you may want to make sure to set
81 the timeout and max_rtt properly so that smokeping does not abort the
82 transfers of limit the graph size.
83
85 Supported probe-specific variables:
86 destfile
88 Normally the destination filename is the same as the source
89 filename (without the path). If you want keep files in different
90 directories this may not work, and you have to specify destfile as
91 well.
92 Example value: path/to/destinationfile.xxx
94 forks
96 Run this many concurrent processes at maximum
97 Example value: 5
99 Default value: 5
101 min_interval
103 The minimum interval between each starting ftp sessions in seconds.
104 Default value: 1
106 mode
108 The ftp probe can be in either put or get mode. If it is in put
109 mode then it will send a file to the ftp server. In get mode it
110 will retrieve a file from the ftp server.
111 Example value: get
113 This setting is mandatory.
115 offset
117 If you run many probes concurrently you may want to prevent them
118 from hitting your network all at the same time. Using the probe-
119 specific offset parameter you can change the point in time when
120 each probe will be run. Offset is specified in % of total interval,
121 or alternatively as 'random', and the offset from the 'General'
122 section is used if nothing is specified here. Note that this does
123 NOT influence the rrds itself, it is just a matter of when data
124 acquisition is initiated. (This variable is only applicable if the
125 variable 'concurrentprobes' is set in the 'General' section.)
126 Example value: 50%
128 passwordfile
130 Location of the file containing usernames and passwords.
131 Example value: /some/place/secret
133 srcfile
135 The name of the source file. If the probe is in put mode, this file
136 has to be on the local machine, if the probe is in get mode then
137 this file should sit in the remote ftp account.
138 Example value: src/path/mybig.pdf
140 This setting is mandatory.
142 step
144 Duration of the base interval that this probe should use, if
145 different from the one specified in the 'Database' section. Note
146 that the step in the RRD files is fixed when they are originally
147 generated, and if you change the step parameter afterwards, you'll
148 have to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert them. (This
149 variable is only applicable if the variable 'concurrentprobes' is
150 set in the 'General' section.)
151 Example value: 300
153 timeout
155 The timeout is the maximum amount of time you will allow the probe
156 to transfer the file. If the probe does not succeed to transfer in
157 the time specified, it will get killed and a 'loss' will be logged.
158 Since FTPtransfer is an invasive probe you should make sure you do
160 not load the link for more than a few seconds anyway. Smokeping
161 currently has a hard limit of 180 seconds for any RTT.
162 Example value: 15
164 This setting is mandatory.
166 Supported target-specific variables:
168 /^influx_.+/
170 This is a tag that will be sent to influxdb and has no impact on
171 the probe measurement. The tag name will be sent without the
172 "influx_" prefix, which will be replaced with "tag_" instead. Tags
173 can be used for filtering.
174 Example value: influx_location = In the basement
176 localaddr
178 The local address to be used when making connections
179 Example value: myhost-nat-if
181 passive
183 Use passive FTP protocol
184 Example value: yes
186 password
188 The password for the user, if not present in the password file.
189 Example value: test-password
191 pings
193 How many pings should be sent to each target, if different from the
194 global value specified in the Database section. Note that the
195 number of pings in the RRD files is fixed when they are originally
196 generated, and if you change this parameter afterwards, you'll have
197 to delete the old RRD files or somehow convert them.
198 Example value: 5
200 port
202 A non-standard FTP port to be used
203 Example value: 3255
205 timeout
207 Timeout in seconds for the FTP transfer to complete.
208 Example value: 10
210 username
212 The username to be tested.
213 Example value: test-user
215
217 Tobias Oetiker <tobi@oetiker.ch> sponsored by Virtela
218
220 This probe has the capability for saturating your links, so don't use
221 it unless you know what you are doing.
222 The FTPtransfer probe measures bandwidth, but we report the number of
224 seconds it took to transfer the 'reference' file. This is because
225 currently the notion of Round Trip Time is at the core of the
226 application. It would take some re-engineering to split this out in
227 plugins and thus make it configurable ...
2282.8.2 2022-07-23 Smokeping_probes_FTPtransfer(3)