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History

2003/02/24	Title: NodeBrain User’s Guide Author: Ed Trettevik <eat@nodebrain.org> Publisher: The Boeing Company

	Release 0.5 · Released online through the NodeBrain open source project on SourceForge.net. · This document, like the software it describes, is a “prototype” version. Revisions will be made in response to user feedback.

2003/03/18	Release 0.5.2 · Included reference to RANK command for agent configuration. · Reference to GRANT permission removed---not yet supported. · Context prefix syntax adjusted to match current program behavior. · Cache interval syntax included with EXPERT definition.

2003/07/24	Release 0.5.4 · Removed a section on an unimplemented feature for remotely reading queues. · Included short section (1.13) on using NodeBrain over SSH tunnels. · Added software change summary.

2003/10/26	Release 0.5.5 [Software not released---rolled into 0.6.0] · Brain declaration section explains how to specify persistent connections. · Calendar declaration syntax revised to match new implementation. · Time condition deficiency warnings removed---now fully implemented. · ASSERT syntax updated to show shorthand notation for term=1 and term=0. · Time sequences are introduced. · Sequence rules are introduced.

2004/04/16	Release 0.6.0 · Revised syntax descriptions · Changed shebang line in examples to #!/usr/local/bin/nb · Included Chapter 6, Rules · Revised Chapter 10, Commands · Included Chapter 12, Source File Directives · Revised Chapter 13, Symbolic Substitution · Included Chapter 14, API Functions · Included Chapter 15, Expert Skill Module API · Revised Appendix A, Special Symbols · Included Appendix D, Sample Skill Modules

2005/04/04	Release 0.6.1 and 0.6.2 · The content of chapters titled API Functions and Expert Skill Module API was moved to a new document titled NodeBrain API Reference. The API has been revised, so there are several updates and additions to the content as well. · The content of sections related to cache tables and Sample Skill Modules was moved to a new document titled NodeBrain Module Reference. New modules have been added and are covered in that document. · Chapter 10, Commands o DEFINE IF, ON, and WHEN rules – action priority added o WINDOWS command syntax – SHOWENV verb added · Chapter 13, Symbolic Substitution o Cell expression substitution replaces “term substitution expressions” · Appendix D, Transitional Features · Appendix E, Release News – replaces “Software Change Summary”.

2005/05/13	Release 0.6.3 [Software not released---rolled into 0.6.4] · Moved major portions (the majority) of this document to other documents to create a document set. This document will now focus on configuration and various ways to use NodeBrain as a client or agent. The new documents include: NodeBrain Tutorial NodeBrain Language Reference NodeBrain Module Reference NodeBrain API Reference

2006/04/01	Title: NodeBrain User Guide Release 0.6.4 · Title changed from NodeBrain User’s Guide to NodeBrain User Guide. · Replaced the term “skull” with “servant”. We now use “skull program” to mean any program with an imbedded NodeBrain interpreter, and “skull process” to mean any process executing a skull program. We use the shorter form of “skull” when the context is understood. We use the term “servant” to mean any child process spawned by the NodeBrain interpreter, or a program or script designed to run as a servant. The interpreter may also run as a servant to a parent process, in which case the interpreter is both a “skull” and a “servant”.

Preface

The NodeBrain language and interpreter were originally developed by The Boeing Company in 1998 for Unix and Linux system monitoring. It started as an informal development project targeted first at non-critical lab and test systems, environments where a need for monitoring existed but where it was difficult to justify the expense of commercial monitoring products. In this application, the NodeBrain interpreter was the decision making component of a kit that included Perl scripts for state probes and condition response actions.

In 2000, NodeBrain was used in a second experimental Boeing application, this time for enterprise wide security event correlation to augment the functionality of commercial intrusion detection products. This application stretched the capabilities of NodeBrain, requiring several enhancements to handle the higher volume and poor quality of events found in intrusion detection at that time.

In September of 2002, the Boeing Intellectual Property Council approved the release of NodeBrain source code to an open source project. This decision was based on a desire to contribute to the open source community and tap into the energy of this community to evolve NodeBrain further.

The NodeBrain program, nb, was released as a “working prototype” (version 0.5) in February 2003 under the GNU General Public License. NodeBrain development is now managed as an open source project on SourceForge.net.

In March 2004, a second prototype (version 0.6) was released with an Expert Skill Module API that enables programmers to extend NodeBrain functionality without modification to nb. This was done in response to a request, but also because it is a convenient feature for extensions that address Boeing specific requirements that are not appropriate for release to the open source project. The API was refined a bit through June of 2005 with the 0.6.1 and 0.6.2 releases. In January 2006, version 0.6.4 was released with a “servant” feature providing a simple interface for scripting languages via STDIN, STDOUT and STDERR.

See www.nodebrain.org for more information and the latest update to this document.

Documents:

NodeBrain User Guide

NodeBrain Tutorial

NodeBrain Language Reference

NodeBrain Module Reference

NodeBrain API Reference