streamfwd command line options

The streamfwd binary that comes with Splunk_TA_stream includes command line options that let you read packets from pcap files, send pcap file data to Splunk indexers, find Windows and Linux network interfaces, and perform several configuration tasks.

The streamfwd command line options override the streamfwd.xml configuration file, which by default captures data from all network devices. The streamfwd command line options also override any <Capture> clauses in streamfwd.xml.

Note: You do not need root privileges to run streamfwd commands.

Location of configuration file

Use this option to specify the location of the streamfwd.xml configuration file:

-c <CONFIG_FILE>

This overrides the default behavior of the streamfwd binary, which looks for streamfwd.xml in these locations:

• Current working directory
• $CWD/etc/local
• $CWD/config (for legacy purposes)
• /etc/streamfwd/local
• $STREAMFWD_PATH/etc/local
• $STREAMFWD_PATH/../../etc/local (this location is typically used for a Splunk_TA_stream deployment).

Note: On Windows, the -c <CONFIG_FILE> option, does not look in /etc/streamfwd/local.

Note: On Windows, the app reports service errors (such as configuration file not found) to the Windows Event log.

List network interfaces on Windows and Linux

Use this option to view all network interfaces on Windows or Linux machines:

--iflist

For example, on a Windows machine:

C:\Splunk_Home\etc\apps\Splunk_TA_stream\windows_x86_64\bin>streamfwd.exe --iflist
<Sniffer>
  <Interface>
    <Name>\Device\NPF_{D6995D00-B75C-48DB-99AA-69F0150126BC}</Name>
    <Alias>Local Area Connection</Alias>
    <Description>Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection</Description>
  </Interface>
</Sniffer>

Read pcap files

Use this option to read the contents of a pcap file:

-r <PCAP_FILE>

For example:

./streamfwd -r my.pcap

You can use the -r option multiple times to specify multiple pcap files to read in parallel.

Note: The -r option is implied if one of your arguments is a valid pcap file name. The following is functionally equivalent to the above example:

./streamfwd my.pcap

Also, if you provide a pcap file without an -s option (see below), streamfwd assumes "-s localhost:8889". Both of these examples send the data contained in the pcap file to the streamfwd modular input process running on the same server.

Set the bitrate

Use this option to set a bitrate for how fast each pcap file is read:

-b <BITS_PER_SECOND>

By default, the bitrate is 10 Mbps if --repeat (see below) is enabled, otherwise it is unlimited (as fast as possible).

Use system time

This option causes streamfwd to use the system clock time for each packet read, instead of using the timestamps within pcap files.

--systime

Repeat pcap files

Use this option to cause streamfwd to continuously repeat pcap files until it is terminated:

--repeat

For example, to continuously repeat two pcap files at the rate of 1 Mbps each (2 Mbps total):

./streamfwd -r my.pcap -r your.pcap -b 1048576 --repeat

Send pcap data

Use this option to send pcap data to one or more servers:

-s <SERVER>

<SERVER> can take these formats:

• https://<HOST>:<PORT>
• http://<HOST>:<PORT>
• <HOST>:<PORT> (uses the default of unencrypted).

For example, to read a pcap file and send it to a server running on the same machine:

./streamfwd -r my.pcap -s http://localhost:8889

Note: The pcap data that streamfwd sends to Splunk indexers is structured event data, not raw packet data.

Get streamfwd version

Use this option to get the current streamfwd version:

--version

./streamfwd --version
streamfwd version 6.0.0 build 450

Run as a modular input

By default, streamfwd runs as a modular input if there are no command line arguments.

To run streamfwd as a modular input even when command line arguments are given:

--modinput

To run streamfwd stand-alone (not as a modular input) even when there are no (other) command line arguments:

--nomodinput

Modular input scheme

Use this option to print the modular input scheme:

--scheme

./streamfwd --scheme
<scheme><title>Wire data</title><description>Passively capture wire data from network traffic.</description><use_external_validation>true</use_external_validation><use_single_instance>true</use_single_instance><streaming_mode>xml</streaming_mode><endpoint><args><arg name="splunk_stream_app_location"><title>Splunk App for Stream Location</title><description>URI including full path to splunk_app_stream installation (i.e. http://localhost:8000/dj/en-us/splunk_app_stream)</description><validation>validate(match('splunk_stream_app_location', '^https?://.+'), 'Location must start with http:// or https://')</validation></arg></args></endpoint></scheme>

Validate modular input arguments

Use this option to validate modular input arguments passed via STDIN:

--validate-arguments

Manage SSL keys

Use this option to view existing SSL keys:

--sslkeylist

Use this option to add new SSL keys:

--addsslkey

Use this option to delete existing SSL keys:

--deletesslkey

Note: --sslkeylist and --addsslkey options create local/keystore.db if it does not already exist.