4.9.2 Unix Session Server Daemon
Description: Unix Session Server Daemon
Keywords: albatross

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4.9.2 Unix Session Server Daemon

In the `session-server` directory of the source distribution is a Unix daemon version of the `simpleserver.py` session server, called `al-session-daemon`.

Long running server processes under Unix need to be backgrounded, and disassociated from the terminal device on which they were started. `al-session-daemon` provides these functions, as well as recording the process ID of the daemon so as to allow it to be easily shut-down.

Note that the daemon does not need to run as `root`, provided it listens on a port above 1024, and can write to it's pid and log directories. If possible, you should run it under a user ID not shared by any other processes (and not `nobody`). You should also ensure that only authorised clients can connect to your session server, as the protocol provides no authentication or authorisation mechanisms.

    Usage: al-session-daemon [options]... <command>

    Where [options] are:
      -D, --debug                   Write debugging to log
      -h, --help                    Display this help and exit
      -k <pid-file>,                Record server pid in <pid-file>, default is
        --pidfile=<pid-file>        /var/run/al-session-daemon.pid
      -p <port>, --port=<port>      Listen on <port>, default is 34343
      -l <log-file>,                Write log to <log-file>, default is
        --log=<log-file>            /var/log/al-session-daemon.log

    <command> is one of:
      start    start a new daemon
      stop     kill the current daemon
      status   request the daemon's status