Useful resources and utilities

Command-line utilities. The following is a list of command-line utilities which will likely be useful to WinSSHD 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 WinSSHD. 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 WinSSHD settings.) Execute 'bvRun /?' from your WinSSHD directory for help.
• LinkD. Included with the Windows Resource Kit Tools. Allows creation of virtual NTFS directories pointing to other NTFS directories in the local file system, using NTFS junctions. Practical for SFTP sites aiming to grant users access to a number of unrelated local folders as if from a single parent directory. Execute 'linkd /?' or open All Programs : Windows Resource Kit Tools : W.R.K.T. Help after installing the Windows Resource Kit Tools for your platform. On Windows XP, install the Windows 2003 Server Resource Kit Tools.
• Junction. Functionality similar to LinkD, but can be downloaded individually rather than as part of a whole Resource Kit.
• MkLink. Windows Vista comes with a built-in MkLink utility which can create symbolic links to files and directories, as well as junctions.
• SchTasks and At. Included with Windows. These commands allow Cron-like scheduling of tasks from the Windows command line. SchTasks is more capable and is a replacement for At in Windows XP. Documentation can be found online at Microsoft's site in the Windows XP Command-Line Reference A-Z.

There are plenty other useful utilities that can be found both already present in Windows or among the Windows Resource Kit Tools.

Resources:

• Microsoft's Command-Line Reference A-Z documents the command-line utilities available in the latest versions of Windows.
• The Command-Line Reference A-Z also links to 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.
• Very useful is Rick Lively's comprehensive Commands reference, which contains detailed information about the majority of Windows command-line utilities, and in particular their availability in different versions of Windows.