On Thu, Aug 22, 2013 at 1:06 PM, Stefan <netfort...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've been toying with Live distros (CD, then USB) for many years, in > support of security toolsets, to which I kept adding my own stuff, or > customizing existing components. > > I am now trying to "build" a network toolset LiveCD/USB, but this time with > a completely different purpose: I would like to put it in the hands of all > remote offices we have on our network, and use it to have local systems > boot out of it, and help us then run troubleshooting tools, from the > central office, by SSH/X-ing into the remote live system (e.g. iperf, > hping3, httping, tcping, mtr, tcpdump, voip tools, some "thin" > clients/apps, synthetic transactions scripted to run at diff time > intervals, and report back to us the "health" seen form the remotes, etc.). > Has anybody used a "base" network tools Live CD/USB that they would > recommend, having used as "basis" for such a "network probe" functionality? > > NOTE: I assume *nix based (Linux or BSD flavors), not Windows ... > > TIA, > ***Stefan > I use Voyage Linux: http://linux.voyage.hk/ In several modes: - Bootable USB flash drive - On PC Engines ALIX boards from Compact Flash - And in a few instances on servers with spinning disks, and desktop with minimal window system The bootable USB stick has been used extensively for iperf + tcpdump + analysis from PCs are remote locations. We either have people copy an image to the USB stick, or mail them a stick. Then they can turn (almost) any PC into a network analysis tool. We have the system report it's IP address at boot time, and then we ssh in. Jon