---
name: "Smokeping_probes_SSH"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "smokeping"
version: "2.9.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Smokeping_probes_SSH"
---

# Smokeping\_probes\_SSH(3)

Secure Shell Probe for SmokePing

## NAME

Smokeping::probes::SSH - Secure Shell Probe for SmokePing

## SYNOPSIS

```
 *** Probes ***
 +SSH
 binary = /usr/bin/ssh-keyscan # mandatory
 forks = 5
 init_host = 127.0.0.1
 offset = 50%
 step = 300
 timeout = 15
 # The following variables can be overridden in each target section
 /^influx_.+/ = influx_location = In the basement
 keytype = dsa
 pings = 5
 port = 5000
 ssh_af = 4
 # [...]
 *** Targets ***
 probe = SSH # if this should be the default probe
 # [...]
 + mytarget
 # probe = SSH # if the default probe is something else
 host = my.host
 /^influx_.+/ = influx_location = In the basement
 keytype = dsa
 pings = 5
 port = 5000
 ssh_af = 4
```

## DESCRIPTION

Integrates ssh-keyscan as a probe into smokeping. The variable **binary** must point to your copy of the ssh-keyscan program. If it is not installed on your system yet, you should install openssh \>= 3.8p1

The Probe asks the given host n-times for it's public key, where n is the amount specified in the config File.

As part of the initialization, the probe asks 127.0.0.1 for it's public key and tries to parse the output. This is to ensure that the specified ssh-keyscan binary provides output in the expected formatm before relying on it.Make sure you have SSH running on the localhost as well, or specify an alternative  init\_host target to test against, that is expected to be available during any  smokeping restart.

## VARIABLES

Supported probe-specific variables:

- binary

  The location of your ssh-keyscan binary.

  Example value: /usr/bin/ssh-keyscan

  This setting is mandatory.

- forks

  Run this many concurrent processes at maximum

  Example value: 5

  Default value: 5

- init\_host

  Host to use for initialization, defaults to IPv4 localhost of 127.0.0.1

  Example value: 127.0.0.1

  Default value: 127.0.0.1

- 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 acquisition is initiated. (This variable is only applicable if the variable 'concurrentprobes' is set in the 'General' section.)

  Example value: 50%

- 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

  How long a single 'ping' takes at maximum

  Example value: 15

  Default value: 5

Supported target-specific variables:

- /^influx\_.+/

  This is a tag that will be sent to influxdb and has no impact on the probe measurement. The tag name will be sent without the "influx\_" prefix, which will be replaced with "tag\_" instead. Tags can be used for filtering.

  Example value: influx\_location = In the basement

- keytype

  Type of key, used in ssh-keyscan -t *keytype*

  Example value: dsa

  Default value: rsa

- 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

  Port to use when testing the ssh connection -p *port*

  Example value: 5000

  Default value: 22

- ssh\_af

  Address family (IPv4/IPV6) to use when testing the ssh connection, specify 4 or 6.  Specify 0 to reset to default system preference, instead of inheriting the value from parent sections.

  Example value: 4

  Default value: 0

## AUTHORS

Christian Recktenwald \<smokeping-contact@citecs.de\>