---
name: "softflowctl"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "softflowd"
version: "1.1.1-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/softflowctl"
---

# softflowctl(8)

Remote control program for softflowd

## NAME

**softflowctl** – Remote control program for softflowd

## SYNOPSIS

**softflowctl** \[**-h**\] \[**-c** *ctl\_sock*\] *command*

## DESCRIPTION

**softflowctl** is a remote control program used to control a running [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md) daemon.

The command line options are as follows:

- **-c** *ctlsock*

  Specify an alternate location for the remote control socket. Default is */var/run/softflowd.ctl*

- **-h**

  Display command line usage information.

## COMMANDS

- *shutdown*

  Ask [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md) to gracefully exit. This is equivalent to sending it a SIGTERM or SIGINT.

- *exit*

  Ask [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md) to immediately exit. No flow expiry processing or data export is performed.

- *expire-all*

  Immediately expire all tracked flows.

- *delete-all*

  Immediately delete all tracked flows. No flow expiry processing or data export is performed.

- *statistics*

  Return statistics collected by [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md) on expired flows.

- *debug+*

  Increase the debugging level of [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md)

- *debug-*

  Decrease the debugging level.

- *stop-gather*

  Stops network data collection by [softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md).

- *start-gather*

  Resumes network data collection.

- *dump-flows*

  Return information on all tracked flows.

- *timeouts*

  Print information on flow timeout parameters.

- *send-template*

  Resend a NetFlow v.9 template record before the next flow export. Has no effect for other flow export versions.

## BUGS

All times are unconditionally displayed in UTC, regardless of the system timezone.  Please report bugs in softflowctl to  https://github.com/irino/softflowd/issues

## AUTHORS

Damien Miller ⟨djm@mindrot.org⟩ Hitoshi Irino (current maintainer) ⟨irino@sfc.wide.ad.jp⟩

## SEE ALSO

[softflowd(8)](/softflowd/8.md)