writing a tool to collect workstation events

greatshots has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

respected monks,

I have a server say 'SAMPLE'. it has 10 workstations in it. I would like to write a perl code, which has to get all the events generted in this 10 workstations and create a log for each workstations in server 'SAMPLE'
server 'SAMPLE' has to have the log files for these 10 workstation with the action recorded in it.
could any one of you give me some start point to use the correct module to complete this task.
UPDATE: I would like to do this in windows. I would like to keep track of all the events such as what is happening in Excel appliation, what is happeing in notepad, etc.. etc

2006-09-29 Retitled by planetscape, as per Monastery guidelines

( keep:1 edit:21 reap:0 )

Original title: 'what is the start point to use perl modules'

Comment on writing a tool to collect workstation events

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Re: writing a tool to collect workstation events by Corion (Patriarch) on Sep 27, 2006 at 07:10 UTC
You don't tell us the network structure, the operating systems or the event sources, so it's hard to give you a pointer in the right direction. If your operating systems are Windows, there is the WMI which allows you to remotely query the event logs. If your operating systems are unixish, there is the `syslogd` package, which allows you to forward all log events to remote machines. If your programs log their events neither into the Win32 Event Log nor via `syslogd`, you will either have to write adapters from whatever logging mechanism your programs use into whatever logging mechanism you use to collect the messages (say, a named pipe instead of a file), or you will have to write your own collection mechanism. But as you don't tell us how your programs log, it's hard to give you specific pointers. Please read How (Not) To Ask A Question.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: writing a tool to collect workstation events by ww (Archbishop) on Sep 27, 2006 at 14:24 UTC
Are you trying to develop an ap to check on employee time-useage/conduct/productivity by recording ALL uses of those workstations? In other words, do you care more about how long Excel is open than about whether the user cranked up sol.exe? and if yes to the above, do you have some sort schema for determining the utility of whatever product the user creates with Excel (and, for example, whether Excel's "save" events occur because of user input or mere scheduled_backup_saves)? I guess it's your use of "all the events" that troubles me; if you can't evaluate employee performance by means more effective than event_logging, your question needs answers from an MBA, not a japh. FWIW, I don't assume the above is your intent, but suggest you update your post with a clear explanation of what you are trying to do.	[reply]
Re: writing a tool to collect workstation events by MonkE (Hermit) on Sep 27, 2006 at 13:12 UTC
In addition to what Corion said, I would also add that you should also consider searching for modules, because -- for me anyhow -- that is the "start point" for modules. I say this only because you're new to Perl Monks.	[reply]