Useful resources and utilities

Log analysis. Bitvise SSH Server records extensive textual log files in a machine-processable XML format. We recommend Microsoft Log Parser for analyzing the log files and extracting information you require. See also Interpreting SSH Server Log Files using Microsoft Log Parser.

Command-line utilities. The following is a list of command-line utilities which will likely be useful to Bitvise SSH Server users, along with short descriptions and links to documentation and/or source. If there is a utility you feel should be added to this list, let us know.

  • BvRun. Included with Bitvise SSH Server. Executes a process in a custom manner. In particular, allows an SSH user to run a process so that it will not be terminated when the SSH session terminates using the -brj parameter. (This requires the 'allow job breakaway' feature to be enabled in SSH server settings.) Execute 'bvRun /?' from your SSH server directory for help.

  • BvPwd. Included with Bitvise SSH Server. Allows a user to change their Windows password from a Command Prompt, in case they are using an SSH client that does not support password change. Execute 'bvPwd /?' from your SSH server directory for help.

  • BssStat. Included with Bitvise SSH Server. Displays SSH sessions currently connected to the SSH server, as well as their tunnelled TCP/IP connections. Also included is C++ source code which demonstrates obtaining this information programmatically. Execute 'BssStat' from your SSH server directory for help.

  • NetStat. Included with Windows. Run 'netstat -ano' for a list of active TCP/IP connections and listening ports, including PIDs of the processes using them. Valuable in diagnosing networking issues.

  • SchTasks. Included with Windows. This command allows Cron-like scheduling of tasks from the Windows command line. Documentation can be found in Microsoft's Command-Line Reference.

There are other useful utilities already present in Windows, or among the Windows Support Tools (available for installation as a Windows feature) or Resource Kit Tools (separate download for Windows Server 2003).

Resources:

  • Microsoft's Getting Started with Windows PowerShell.
  • Microsoft's Command-Line Reference documents the command-line utilities available in Windows.
  • Instructions for writing Windows batch files (command line shell scripts executed by Cmd.exe), a useful skill for any Windows server administrator - particularly when managing machines remotely via SSH and SFTP.