SSH From Windows Server to Linux Server - Invoke-SSHCommand

I am using an SSH Module - GitHub - darkoperator/Posh-SSH: PowerShell Module for automating tasks on remote systems using SSH - to connect to a Linux Server, then attempting to run curl -v : against both Windows Target Servers and Linux Target Servers.

The purpose of this is to test, as needed, if Linux Job Servers can connect via Port 4750 to Target Servers running both Windows & Linux OS…

I am trying to create this simple test using PowerShell which will be made available to all users via a Web Console. This way if they are having issues they can ensure that the Linux Job Servers can connect to the Agent via assigned Port 4750.

I first set my credentials-

PS C:\>$Global:Cred = ( Get-Credential -Message "(Windows) AD Credential are required for access" -UserName ([Environment]::UserDomainName + {\} + [Environment]::UserName))


Then I create a new SSH session to a Linux Server (One of the Linux Job Servers) -

$LinuxServer = 'LinuxServerA'

$IndexID = New-SSHSession -ComputerName $LinuxServer -Credential $Cred

SessionId  Host                                                      Connected
---------        ----                                                         ---------
    2          LinuxServerA                                           True


When I run a curl -v command against a Windows Target Server I get the expected results-

PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v WinServerA:4750"

Host       : WinServerA
Output     : {00000006-1;7530000001180;65;0;850;850;0}
ExitStatus : 0


But when I run the same curl -v command against a Linux Target Server LinuxServerB I am getting these results -

PS C:\Users\TIM> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v LinuxServerB:4750"


Host       : LinuxServerB
Output     : {}
ExitStatus : 52


When I run the same curl -v command while connected to LinuxServerA via a Putty Session I get these results -

[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$ curl -v WindowsServerA:4750
* About to connect() to WindowsServerA port 4750
*   Trying 10.10.10.10... connected
* Connected to WindowsServerA (10.10.10.10) port 4750
> GET / HTTP/1.1
> User-Agent: curl/7.15.5 (x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu) libcurl/7.15.5 OpenSSL/0.9.8b zlib/1.2.3 libidn/0.6.5
> Host: WindowsServerA:4750
> Accept: */*
>10.97.69.44
Connection #0 to host WindowsServerA left intact
* Closing connection #0
00000006-1;7530000001180;65;0;850;850;0[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$

[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$ curl -v LinuxServerB:4750
* About to connect() to LinuxServerB port 4750
*   Trying 10.10.10.11... connected
* Connected to LinuxServerB (10.10.10.11) port 4750
> GET / HTTP/1.1
> User-Agent: curl/7.15.5 (x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu) libcurl/7.15.5 OpenSSL/0.9.8b zlib/1.2.3 libidn/0.6.5
> Host: LinuxServerB:4750
> Accept: */*
>
* Empty reply from server
* Connection #0 to host LinuxServerB left intact
curl: (52) Empty reply from server
* Closing connection #0

[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$


I also tried using telnet within the command curl -v telnet://servername:port, again via a Putty Session.

[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$ curl -v telnet://WindowsServerA:4750
* About to connect() to WindowsServerA port 4750
*   Trying 10.10.10.10... connected
* Connected to WindowsServerA (10.10.10.10) port 4750

* Closing connection #0
00000006-1;7530000001180;65;0;850;850;0[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$

[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$ curl -v telnet://LinuxServerB:4750
* About to connect() to LinuxServerB port 4750
*   Trying 10.10.10.11... connected
* Connected to LinuxServerB (10.10.10.11) port 4750

* Closing connection #0
[u1234567@LinuxServerA ~]$


However, when I try this using the SSH Session it will timeout.

PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://WindowsServerA:4750"
Exception calling "EndExecute" with "1" argument(s): "Command 'curl -v telnet://WindowsServerA:4750' has timed out."
At C:\Users\TIM\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\Posh-SSH\Posh-SSH.psm1:265 char:25
+                         $Output = $_.cmd.EndExecute($_.Async)
+                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : SshOperationTimeoutException

Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {}
ExitStatus : 0


PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://LinuxServerB:4750"
Exception calling "EndExecute" with "1" argument(s): "Command 'curl -v telnet://LinuxServerB:4750' has timed out."
At C:\Users\TIM\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\Posh-SSH\Posh-SSH.psm1:265 char:25
+                         $Output = $_.cmd.EndExecute($_.Async)
+                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : SshOperationTimeoutException

Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {}
ExitStatus : 0


If there is a better SSH Module or Method to complete this I am completely open to trying them. I just do not understand why this is not working…

Thanks to my brilliant co-worker Ramesh Podila, we have sorted this out…

I now have two methods to use. One using the & sleep 2; kill $! and another redirecting stderr to stdout – 2>&1 & sleep 2; kill $!

Using 2 seconds seems to work for all of the test servers which is why it is being used.

PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://WindowsServerA:4750& sleep 2; kill $!"


Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {}
ExitStatus : 0



PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://LinuxServerB:4750& sleep 2; kill $!
"


Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {}
ExitStatus : 0



PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://WindowsServerA:4750 2>&1 & sleep 2; kill $!"


Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {* About to connect() to WindowsServerA port 4750, *   Trying 10.10.10.10... connected, * Connected to
             WindowsServerA (10.10.10.10) port 4750}
ExitStatus : 0



PS C:\> Invoke-SSHCommand $IndexID.SessionID -command "curl -v telnet://LinuxServerB:4750 2>&1 & sleep 2; kill $!"


Host       : LinuxServerA
Output     : {* About to connect() to LinuxServerB port 4750, *   Trying 10.10.10.11... connected, * Connected to
             LinuxServerB (10.10.10.11) port 4750}
ExitStatus : 0

Now I can create my Function with all of the Linux Job Servers that will be used to test Port 4750 connectivity to both Windows and Linux Target Servers.