NAME

RAS::PortMaster.pm - PERL Interface to Livingston PortMaster 2

Version 1.00, November 25, 1999

Gregor Mosheh (stigmata@blackangel.net)

SYNOPSIS

RAS::PortMaster is a PERL 5 module for interfacing with a Livingston PortMaster remote access server. Using this module, one can very easily construct programs to find a particular user in a bank of PMs, disconnect users, get usage statistics, or execute arbitrary commands on a PM.

PREREQUISITES AND INSTALLATION

This module uses Jay Rogers' Net::Telnet module. If you don't have Net::Telnet, get it from CPAN or this module won't do much for you.

Installation is easy, thanks to MakeMaker:

1. "perl Makefile.PL && make && make install"

2. Check out the Example directory for examples on how you'd want to use this module.

DESCRIPTION

At this time, the following methods are implemented:

creating an object with new

Call the new method while supplying the "hostname", "login", and "password" hash, and you'll get an object reference returned.

Example:
   use RAS::PortMaster;
   $foo = new PortMaster(
      hostname => 'dialup1.example.com',
      login => '!root',
      password => 'mysecret'
   );

printenv

This is for debugging only. It prints to STDOUT a list of its configuration hash, e.g. the hostname, login, and password. The printenv method does not return a value.

Example:
   $foo->printenv;

run_command

This takes a list of commands to be executed on the PortMaster, connects to the PM and executes the commands, and returns a list of references to arrays containg the text of each command's output.

Repeat: It doesn't return an array, it returns an array of references to arrays. Each array contains the text output of each command. Think of it as an array-enhanced version of PERL's `backtick` operator.

Example:
   # Execute a command and print the output
   $command = 'sho ses';
   ($x) = $foo->run_command($command);
   print "Output of command \'$command\':\n", @$x ;

Example:
   # Execute a string of commands
   # and show the output from one of them
   (@output) = $foo->run_command('reset S15','sho ses');
   print @$output[1] ;

usergrep

Supply a username as an argument, and usergrep will return an array of ports on which that user was found. Internally, this does a run_command("sho ses") and parses the output.

Example:
   @ports = $foo->usergrep('gregor');
   print "User gregor was found on ports @ports\n";

userkill

This does a usergrep, but with a twist: it disconnects the user by resetting the modem on which they're connected. Like usergrep, it returns an array of ports to which the user was connected before they were reset. This is safe to use if the specified user is not logged in. Also, you can userkill a username of "-" to reset all idle modems or "PPP" all users who are still negotiating a connection.

Examples:
   @foo = $foo->userkill('gregor');
   print "Gregor was on ports @foo - HA HA!\n" if @ports ;

   @duh = $foo->userkill('-');
   print "There were ", scalar(@duh), " ports open.\n";

portusage

This returns an array consisting of 2 items: The 1st element is the number of ports. The rest is a list of users who are currently online.

Examples:
   ($ports,@people) = $foo->portusage;
   print "There are $ports total ports.\n";
   print "There are ", scalar(@people), "people online.\n";
   print "They are: @people\n";

   ($ports,@people) = $foo->portusage;
   print "Ports free: ", $ports - scalar(@people), "\n";
   print "Ports used: ", scalar(@people), "\n";
   print "Ports total: ", $ports, "\n";

BUGS

This is my first try at doing PERL 5 stuff, having been satisfied for so many years with using only the PERL 4 features. Though this module seems to work without any problems, the code is probably kinda weak in places and could stand optimization. Any suggestions will be appreciated and credit will be given.

I work for an ISP where all user management is done via RADIUS. As such, we have no use for the user management functions of the PM. If you need such code, I may work on it in my spare time. Alternately, you can write it yourself and send it in and I'll gladly incorporate it and give credit. And there's always the run_command method.

LICENSE AND WARRANTY

Where would we be if Larry Wall were tight-fisted with PERL itself? For God's sake, it's PERL code. It's free!

This software is hereby released into the Public Domain, where it may be freely distributed, modified, plagiarized, used, abused, and deleted without regard for the original author.

Bug reports and feature requests will be handled ASAP, but without guarantee. The warranty is the same as for most freeware: It Works For Me, Your Mileage May Vary.