---
name: "sinfod"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "sinfo"
version: "0.0.48-2.1+b2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sinfod"
---

# sinfod(8)

a monitoring tool for networked computers

## NAME

sinfod - a monitoring tool for networked computers

## SYNOPSIS

**sinfod \[-F\] \[-q\] \[-V\] \[-b #.#.#.#\] \[-c\] \[-n** *card* **\] \[ -N** *nicevalue* **\] \[ -m** *marker* **\] \[ -i** *processname* **\] \[-s\]\[-W\]**

## DESCRIPTION

**sinfod** distributes system information to other  **sinfods** on your local network.

These Information include the system load, memory utilization  and the \`TOP-5' processes on every machine.

It's main advantage is, that these informations are broadcasted using the **[udp(7)](/udp/7.md)** protocol.

If each node broadcasts it's information in a cooperative manner, the network load is O(N), where N is the number of nodes in your network. Other systems to monitor your cluster load (e.g. **[rup(1)](/rup/1.md)** ) are using a polling scheme where every node has to ask every other node for the system information: In that case the network load is O(N\*\*2).

The task of **sinfod** is to broadcast the relevant information for the local node and to collect  broadcasts from other nodes. Other programs  ( **[sinfo(1)](/sinfo/1.md)** ) can get access to this information via a simple **[tcp(7)](/tcp/7.md)** connection that normally is routed through the local loopback interface.

## OPTIONS

- **-F/--foreground**

  Unlike normal operation, sinfod will not detach from the terminal when given this option. Some debugging informations will be visible.

- **-q/--quiet**

  Start quietly - for init scripts.

- **-V/--version**

  Print the version number and exit.

- **-b #.#.#.#/--bcastaddress=#.#.#.#**

  Set the broadcast address of the sinfod. Default is 255.255.255.255. In you want to run  **sinfod** without a network card "-b 127.0.0.1" may be necessary.

- **-c/--cmdline**

  Broadcast the full command line of a process instead of the command only.

- **-m marker/--marker=marker**

  Mark the machine with a name. e.g. laboratory, pool or cluster.

- **-i/--ignore \<process\>**

  Don't broadcast any information on \<process\> ; --ignore may be set multiple times.

- **-t/--top \<count\>**

  Broadcast information on the top \<count\> processes; default: 5

- **-n card/--networkcard=card**

  Set the name of the network card whose informations will be broadcasted. (e.g. eth0). Default is the network card that saw the most traffic at the start of sinfod.

- **-N nicevalue/--nice=nicevalue**

  Set the priority of this demon to nicevalue. Default is 15.

- **-s/--spymode**

  Deactivate the TCP interface and the collection of received packets. The demon starts in a broadcast-only mode.

- **-W/--watchdog**

  Start with simple watchdog.

## AUTHOR

Juergen Rinas \<jrinas@gmx.de\>

## SEE ALSO

[**sinfo**(1)](/sinfo/1.md),**sshallsinfo**(1),