Here is the scoop: I need to provide access to multiple log files spread across multiple directories of multiple machines. For example - the JBoss log files and nohup.out, ATG log files, and so on - so that the testers can see what happened on server side when something looks fishy on front end.

One option would be to write a document that contails IP’s of the machines, create user accounts, make sure that they have just enough access rights to see the files but not disturb anything else …

Other option is to leverage the already installed Python across all the servers. I wish it was Ruby, but one cannot have everything.

On each machine, I created directory - e.g.

~/webaccess

and made symbolic links to all log files or log directories required.

Then I placed this python script into the directory:

#!/usr/bin/python

import SimpleHTTPServer
import SocketServer

# minimal web server.  serves files relative to the
# current directory.

PORT = 9999

Handler = SimpleHTTPServer.SimpleHTTPRequestHandler

Handler.extensions_map.update({
'': 'application/octet-stream', # Default
'.out': 'text/plain',
'.log': 'text/plain'
})
httpd = SocketServer.TCPServer(("", PORT), Handler)

print "serving at port", PORT
httpd.serve_forever()

and started it as

nohup ./simpleserver.py &

From this moment on, all files linked (actually all files in subtree of server directory) are accessible by going to

http://SERVERNAME:9999/

  • which shows directory listing for linked files.