NAME

       wd_keepalive - a simplified software watchdog daemon

SYNOPSIS

       wd_keepalive [-c filename|--config-file filename]

DESCRIPTION

       This is a simplified version of the watchdog daemon. If configured so it only opens
        .IR  /dev/watchdog  ,  and  keeps writing to it often enough to keep the kernel from resetting, at least
       once per minute. Each write delays the reboot time another minute.  After  a  minute  of  inactivity  the
       watchdog  hardware  will  cause  a reset. In the case of the software watchdog the ability to reboot will
       depend on the state of the machines and interrupts.

       The wd_keepalive daemon can be stopped without causing a reboot if the  device  /dev/watchdog  is  closed
       correctly, unless your kernel is compiled with the CONFIG_WATCHDOG_NOWAYOUT option enabled.

       Under  high  system  load  wd_keepalive might be swapped out of memory and may fail to make it back in in
       time. Under these circumstances the Linux kernel will reset the machine.  To  make  sure  you  won't  get
       unnecessary  reboots  make  sure  you  have  the  variable  realtime set to yes in the configuration file
       watchdog.conf.  This adds real time support to wd_keepalive: it will lock itself into  memory  and  there
       should  be no problem even under the highest of loads.

       On  system  running  out  of  memory  the  kernel  will try to free enough memory by killing process. The
       wd_keepalive daemon itself is exempted from this so-called out-of-memory killer.

OPTIONS

       Available command line options are the following:

       -c config-file, --config-file config-file
              Use config-file as the configuration file instead of the default /etc/watchdog.conf.

FILES

       /dev/watchdog
              The watchdog device.

       /var/run/wd_keepalive.pid
              The pid file of the running wd_keepalive.

SEE ALSO

       watchdog.conf(5)

       watchdog(8)

4th Berkeley Distribution                         January 2005                                   WD_KEEPALIVE(8)