Using Perl to connect a Linux box to Linux/Windows boxes

[Krishna Chaitanya]

Hi all,

Is there any way in Perl to connect from a Linux box to other Linux/
Windows boxes to do 2 things - (a) copying files to these boxes and
(b) execute commands on those boxes and monitor the progress ? It is
good if this can be done with "plain vanilla" boxes......i.e. boxes
with factory-made OSes without too many extra programs installed on
them...

These are the 2 basic operations underlying a "push" installation of
software.....i've been trying to solve this problem but I don't know
the entire gamut of options available for use.......any open-source or
Perl modules available to do this for the most part? What protocols/
programs can be used?

Thanks for your time & help.

 

[Krishna Chaitanya]

Linux->Linux : key exchange is not in my hands.....the client's
network admin will most probably not allow that practice. I've to do
the expect-like thing to get around authentication. Will checkout
sudo ...

Linux->Windows: Again, I have no control on what is present on the
Windows boxes in the client's network. This push installer has to work
in most cases which would kinda leave sshd out of picture as normally
Windows network admins rely on the domain controller's power.

Would it help to know that this installer has to work for plain-
vanilla windows boxes without any sshd server or so running on
them....any way?

Thanks, Ben.

-Chaitanya