---
name: "broctl"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "broctl"
version: "1.4-1"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/broctl"
---

# broctl(8)

interactive shell for managing Bro installations

## NAME

**broctl** - interactive shell for managing Bro installations

## SYNOPSIS

**broctl** \<command\>

## DESCRIPTION

**broctl** is an interactive interface for managing a Bro installation which allows you to, e.g., start/stop the monitoring or update its configuration.

Before actually running **broctl** you first need to edit the **broctl.cfg** , **node.cfg** , and **networks.cfg** files. In the **broctl.cfg** file, you should review the **broctl** options and make sure the options are set correctly for your environment. Next, edit the **node.cfg** file and specify the nodes that you will be running. Finally, edit the **networks.cfg** file and list each network (see the examples in the file for the format to use) that is considered local to the monitored environment.

## OPTIONS

- **capstats \[\<nodes\>\] \[\<secs\>\]**

  Report interface statistics with capstats

- **check \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Check configuration before installing it

- **cleanup \[--all\] \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Delete working dirs (flush state) on nodes

- **config**

  Print broctl configuration

- **cron \[--no-watch\]**

  Perform jobs intended to run from cron

- **cron enable\|disable\|?**

  Enable/disable "cron" jobs

- **df \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Print nodes' current disk usage

- **diag \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Output diagnostics for nodes

- **exec \<shell cmd\>**

  Execute shell command on all hosts

- **install**

  Update broctl installation/configuration

- **netstats \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Print nodes' current packet counters

- **nodes**

  Print node configuration

- **peerstatus \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Print status of nodes' remote connections

- **print \<id\> \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Print values of script variable at nodes

- **process \<trace\> \[\<op\>\] \[-- \<sc\>\]**

  Run Bro (with options and scripts) on trace

- **restart \[--clean\] \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Stop and then restart processing

- **scripts \[-c\] \[\<nodes\>\]**

  List the Bro scripts the nodes will load

- **start \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Start processing

- **status \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Summarize node status

- **stop \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Stop processing

- **top \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Show Bro processes ala top

- **update \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Update configuration of nodes on the fly

Commands provided by plugins:

- **ps.bro \[\<nodes\>\]**

  Show Bro processes on nodes' systems

## AUTHOR

**broctl** was written by The Bro Project \<info@bro.org\>.

This manual page was written by Raúl Benencia \<rul@kalgan.cc\> for the Debian project (but may be used by others).