v0.5.3: hub hardening — hard ssh timeout, parallel probes, sticky DOWN cache

Three fixes addressing the recurring "hub wedges on offline backends" class
of failures (2 incidents in 24h, root-caused to single-threaded Lua + an
uninterruptible os.execute ssh call):

1. Hard wall-clock cap on ssh fallback via GNU `timeout --kill-after=2 30`.
   ConnectTimeout alone only bounds TCP connect; a half-dead sshd (auth
   stall, remote bash-s hang) used to freeze the whole event loop
   indefinitely. Configurable via LMCP_HUB_SSH_HARD_TIMEOUT. Also adds
   ServerAliveInterval=5/Count=2 so an established-but-dead tunnel dies.

2. Parallel lmcp probes for remote_list_hosts. Shells out a single bash
   fan-out of curl -m 3 calls, bounded by PROBE_BUDGET. Wall clock for a
   full 12-backend probe went from ~28 s (sum of per-host ssh connect
   timeouts) to ~3 s.

3. Probe is lmcp-only — ssh is no longer used as health check. The hub
   exists to absorb lots of offline hosts, so an expensive ssh per probe
   was the exact wrong tradeoff. Actual remote_* tool calls still fall
   through to ssh fallback when lmcp is down.

4. Sticky DOWN cache with exponential backoff: 60 → 120 → 240 → 480 →
   900 s. Prevents a sleeping fleet from burning probe budget on every
   health check. UP hosts still use 30 s TTL. Tunable via
   LMCP_HUB_PROBE_TTL_{UP,DOWN_MIN,DOWN_MAX}.

5. Per-request logging to stderr (tool, host, via, elapsed) — invisible
   before, now captured in journal for the next hang's RCA.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

hub.lua

@@ -25,9 +25,26 @@ local socket = require('socket')
 -- ---- Backend registry ---------------------------------------------------
 
 local CONF_PATH = os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_BACKENDS") or "/opt/herding/etc/hub-backends.conf"
-local PROBE_TTL = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_PROBE_TTL") or "30")
+local PROBE_TTL_UP = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_PROBE_TTL_UP") or "30")
+local PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MIN = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MIN") or "60")
+local PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MAX = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MAX") or "900")
+local PROBE_BUDGET = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_PROBE_BUDGET") or "3")
 local LMCP_TIMEOUT = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_LMCP_TIMEOUT") or "6")
 local SSH_TIMEOUT = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_SSH_TIMEOUT") or "10")
+local SSH_HARD_TIMEOUT = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_SSH_HARD_TIMEOUT") or "30")
+local LOG_REQUESTS = (os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_LOG") or "1") ~= "0"
+
+local function logreq(fmt, ...)
+    if not LOG_REQUESTS then return end
+    io.stderr:write(string.format("[hub %s] " .. fmt .. "\n",
+        os.date("%H:%M:%S"), ...))
+    io.stderr:flush()
+end
+
+local function monotonic()
+    local ok, s = pcall(socket.gettime)
+    return ok and s or os.time()
+end
 
 local backends = {}  -- name -> { name, ssh_host, lmcp_url, token }
 local status = {}    -- name -> { up=bool, via="lmcp"|"ssh"|nil, checked=t, err=... }
@@ -160,12 +177,17 @@ local function ssh_run_script(ssh_host, script)
     local spath, perr = tmpwrite(script)
     if not spath then return nil, perr, -1 end
     local outpath = spath .. ".out"
+    -- Hard-cap wall time with GNU `timeout` — ssh's ConnectTimeout only
+    -- bounds TCP connect, not the session. Without this, a half-dead sshd
+    -- (auth stall, remote bash-s hang) locks the hub event loop indefinitely.
     local cmd = string.format(
-        "ssh -o ConnectTimeout=%d -o BatchMode=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new %s 'bash -s' < %s > %s 2>&1; echo $? > %s.rc",
-        SSH_TIMEOUT, shell_quote(ssh_host), shell_quote(spath),
+        "timeout --kill-after=2 %d ssh -o ConnectTimeout=%d -o ServerAliveInterval=5 -o ServerAliveCountMax=2 -o BatchMode=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new %s 'bash -s' < %s > %s 2>&1; echo $? > %s.rc",
+        SSH_HARD_TIMEOUT, SSH_TIMEOUT, shell_quote(ssh_host), shell_quote(spath),
         shell_quote(outpath), shell_quote(spath)
     )
+    local t0 = monotonic()
     os.execute(cmd)
+    local dt = monotonic() - t0
     local rc_f = io.open(spath .. ".rc", "r")
     local rc = -1
     if rc_f then
@@ -178,42 +200,123 @@ local function ssh_run_script(ssh_host, script)
     local output = out_f and out_f:read("*a") or ""
     if out_f then out_f:close() end
     os.remove(spath); os.remove(outpath); os.remove(spath .. ".rc")
+    -- timeout(1) exits 124 on wall-clock expiry, 137 on SIGKILL. Surface it.
+    if rc == 124 or rc == 137 then
+        logreq("ssh HARD-TIMEOUT host=%s after=%.2fs rc=%d", ssh_host, dt, rc)
+        return nil, string.format("ssh hard-timeout after %ds", SSH_HARD_TIMEOUT), rc
+    end
+    logreq("ssh host=%s elapsed=%.2fs rc=%d bytes=%d", ssh_host, dt, rc, #output)
     return output, nil, rc
 end
 
 -- ---- Health probe ------------------------------------------------------
+--
+-- Design notes:
+--   - Probe is lmcp-only. SSH is NOT checked here: it's expensive (3-6s per
+--     offline host) and the hub exists specifically to absorb lots of
+--     offline hosts. Hosts with lmcp down but ssh up show as DOWN in the
+--     health list, but actual remote_* calls still fall through to ssh
+--     fallback correctly.
+--   - Sticky DOWN cache with exponential backoff: a DOWN host is re-probed
+--     at intervals that grow from PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MIN (default 60s) up to
+--     PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MAX (default 900s). Prevents a sleeping fleet from
+--     burning probe budget every health check.
+--   - `remote_list_hosts` uses a parallel curl fan-out for all hosts at
+--     once so wall-clock is bounded by PROBE_BUDGET (default 3s), not the
+--     sum of per-host timeouts.
 
+local function cache_fresh(s, now)
+    if not s then return false end
+    local ttl
+    if s.up then
+        ttl = PROBE_TTL_UP
+    else
+        ttl = math.min(PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MAX, PROBE_TTL_DOWN_MIN * (2 ^ (s.down_streak or 0)))
+    end
+    return (now - s.checked) < ttl
+end
+
+local function apply_probe_result(name, up, err, via, tool_count)
+    local prev = status[name]
+    local new_s = {
+        checked = os.time(),
+        up = up,
+        via = up and (via or "lmcp") or nil,
+        err = err,
+        tool_count = tool_count,
+        down_streak = up and 0 or ((prev and prev.down_streak or 0) + 1),
+    }
+    status[name] = new_s
+    return new_s
+end
+
+-- Fallback single-host probe used only when a caller explicitly needs a
+-- status refresh outside the parallel path (currently only
+-- remote_list_hosts when a single host is looked up). lmcp-only.
 local function probe(name, force)
     local b = backends[name]
     if not b then return { up = false, err = "unknown host" } end
-    local now = os.time()
     local s = status[name]
-    if not force and s and (now - s.checked) < PROBE_TTL then
-        return s
+    if not force and cache_fresh(s, os.time()) then return s end
+    if not b.lmcp_url then
+        return apply_probe_result(name, false, "no lmcp url", nil, nil)
     end
-    local new_s = { checked = now, up = false, via = nil, err = nil }
-    if b.lmcp_url then
-        local result, err = jsonrpc_call(b.lmcp_url, b.token, "tools/list", {})
-        if result and result.tools then
-            new_s.up = true
-            new_s.via = "lmcp"
-            new_s.tool_count = #result.tools
-        else
-            new_s.err = "lmcp: " .. tostring(err)
+    local result, err = jsonrpc_call(b.lmcp_url, b.token, "tools/list", {})
+    if result and result.tools then
+        return apply_probe_result(name, true, nil, "lmcp", #result.tools)
+    end
+    return apply_probe_result(name, false, "lmcp: " .. tostring(err), nil, nil)
+end
+
+-- Parallel lmcp probe for every backend with an lmcp_url, via a single
+-- bash fan-out of curl calls. Total wall clock ≈ PROBE_BUDGET.
+local function probe_all_parallel(force)
+    local now = os.time()
+    local need = {}
+    for name, b in pairs(backends) do
+        if b.lmcp_url and (force or not cache_fresh(status[name], now)) then
+            need[#need+1] = b
         end
     end
-    if not new_s.up and b.ssh_host then
-        local _, _, rc = ssh_run_script(b.ssh_host, "exit 0\n")
-        if rc == 0 then
-            new_s.up = true
-            new_s.via = "ssh"
-            new_s.err = nil
-        else
-            new_s.err = (new_s.err or "") .. "; ssh: rc=" .. tostring(rc)
+    if #need == 0 then return end
+
+    local script_parts = {}
+    for _, b in ipairs(need) do
+        local auth = b.token and (" -H 'Authorization: Bearer " .. b.token .. "'") or ""
+        local url = b.lmcp_url:gsub("'", "'\\''")
+        script_parts[#script_parts+1] = string.format(
+            "(curl --max-time %d -s -o /dev/null -w '%s %%{http_code} %%{time_total}\\n' -X POST%s -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{\"jsonrpc\":\"2.0\",\"id\":1,\"method\":\"tools/list\",\"params\":{}}' '%s' || echo '%s ERR 0') &",
+            PROBE_BUDGET, b.name, auth, url, b.name
+        )
+    end
+    script_parts[#script_parts+1] = "wait"
+
+    local t0 = monotonic()
+    local p = io.popen(table.concat(script_parts, "\n"))
+    local out = p and p:read("*a") or ""
+    if p then p:close() end
+    local dt = monotonic() - t0
+
+    local seen = {}
+    for line in out:gmatch("[^\n]+") do
+        local name, code, t = line:match("^(%S+)%s+(%S+)%s+([%d%.]+)")
+        if name then
+            seen[name] = true
+            local is_up = (code == "200")
+            if is_up then
+                apply_probe_result(name, true, nil, "lmcp", nil)
+            else
+                apply_probe_result(name, false, "lmcp code=" .. code, nil, nil)
+            end
         end
     end
-    status[name] = new_s
-    return new_s
+    -- Hosts with no output (fan-out error): mark DOWN
+    for _, b in ipairs(need) do
+        if not seen[b.name] then
+            apply_probe_result(b.name, false, "probe fan-out missing", nil, nil)
+        end
+    end
+    logreq("probe_all_parallel n=%d elapsed=%.2fs", #need, dt)
 end
 
 -- ---- Call-tool dispatcher ----------------------------------------------
@@ -221,16 +324,20 @@ end
 -- `allow_ssh`: whether the tool has an SSH fallback path
 -- `ssh_impl`: function(backend, args) -> output string, or nil + error
 local function call_remote(tool, args, allow_ssh, ssh_impl)
+    local t_start = monotonic()
     local host = args.host
     if type(host) ~= "string" or host == "" then
+        logreq("tool=%s ERR missing-host", tool)
         return "Error: missing `host` parameter"
     end
     local b = backends[host]
     if not b then
+        logreq("tool=%s host=%s ERR unknown-host", tool, host)
         return string.format("Error: unknown host %q (registry: %s)", host, CONF_PATH)
     end
 
     local errs = {}
+    local via = nil
 
     -- Try lmcp first
     if b.lmcp_url then
@@ -239,6 +346,8 @@ local function call_remote(tool, args, allow_ssh, ssh_impl)
         local result, err = jsonrpc_call(b.lmcp_url, b.token, "tools/call",
             { name = tool, arguments = args_pass })
         if result then
+            via = "lmcp"
+            logreq("tool=%s host=%s via=lmcp elapsed=%.2fs", tool, host, monotonic() - t_start)
             -- Propagate backend's content, extract first text block
             if type(result.content) == "table" and result.content[1] and result.content[1].text then
                 local prefix = result.isError and "[lmcp isError] " or ""
@@ -254,12 +363,16 @@ local function call_remote(tool, args, allow_ssh, ssh_impl)
     -- Fallback to ssh
     if allow_ssh and ssh_impl and b.ssh_host then
         local out, serr = ssh_impl(b, args)
-        if out ~= nil then return "[via ssh fallback]\n" .. out end
+        if out ~= nil then
+            logreq("tool=%s host=%s via=ssh elapsed=%.2fs", tool, host, monotonic() - t_start)
+            return "[via ssh fallback]\n" .. out
+        end
         errs[#errs+1] = "ssh: " .. tostring(serr)
     elseif allow_ssh and not b.ssh_host then
         errs[#errs+1] = "ssh: no host configured"
     end
 
+    logreq("tool=%s host=%s FAIL elapsed=%.2fs err=%s", tool, host, monotonic() - t_start, table.concat(errs, " | "):sub(1, 200))
     return "Error: " .. table.concat(errs, " | ")
 end
 
@@ -355,7 +468,7 @@ math.randomseed(os.time())
 
 local server = lmcp.new(os.getenv("LMCP_NAME") or "hub-tools", {
     port = tonumber(os.getenv("LMCP_PORT") or arg[1]) or 8090,
-    version = "0.5.0",
+    version = "0.5.3",
     conf = os.getenv("LMCP_HUB_CONF") or "/opt/herding/etc/lmcp-hub.conf",
 })
 
@@ -371,13 +484,14 @@ server:tool("remote_list_hosts",
     } },
     function(a)
         local force = a and a.force or false
+        probe_all_parallel(force)
         local lines = {}
         local names = {}
         for n in pairs(backends) do names[#names+1] = n end
         table.sort(names)
         for _, n in ipairs(names) do
             local b = backends[n]
-            local s = probe(n, force)
+            local s = status[n] or { up = false, err = "no probe result" }
             local paths = {}
             if b.lmcp_url then paths[#paths+1] = "lmcp" end
             if b.ssh_host then paths[#paths+1] = "ssh" end
@@ -433,6 +547,17 @@ server:tool("remote_edit_file",
     function(a) return call_remote("edit_file", a, false, nil) end
 )
 
+server:tool("remote_shell_bg",
+    "Launch a detached background command on a fleet host (Linux). Returns PID + log path immediately. Requires backend lmcp v0.5.2+.",
+    { type = "object", properties = {
+        host = HOST_ARG,
+        command = { type = "string", description = "Shell command" },
+        cwd = { type = "string" },
+        log = { type = "string", description = "Log file path" },
+    }, required = { "host", "command" } },
+    function(a) return call_remote("shell_bg", a, false, nil) end
+)
+
 server:tool("remote_list_dir", "List directory entries on a fleet host.",
     { type = "object", properties = {
         host = HOST_ARG,

server.lua

@@ -170,6 +170,49 @@ server:tool("shell", "Execute a shell command.", {
     return run(cmd, a.timeout or 120)
 end)
 
+server:tool("shell_bg",
+    "Fire-and-forget shell command (Linux-only). Fully detaches via setsid+nohup+stdio-redirect and returns immediately with PID and log path. Use for daemons that must outlive the lmcp request.",
+    {
+        type = "object",
+        properties = {
+            command = { type = "string", description = "Shell command to launch" },
+            cwd     = { type = "string", description = "Working directory" },
+            log     = { type = "string", description = "Log file (stdout+stderr). Default: /tmp/lmcp-bg-<ts>-<rand>.log" },
+        },
+        required = { "command" },
+    },
+    function(a)
+        if WINDOWS then
+            return "Error: shell_bg is Linux-only (Windows Start-Process equivalent TBD)"
+        end
+        if type(a.command) ~= "string" or a.command == "" then
+            return "Error: command required"
+        end
+        local log = a.log
+        if not log or log == "" then
+            log = string.format("/tmp/lmcp-bg-%d-%d.log", os.time(), math.random(1000, 9999))
+        end
+        local pid_file = log .. ".pid"
+        local inner = a.command
+        if a.cwd and a.cwd ~= "" then
+            inner = "cd '" .. a.cwd:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "' && " .. inner
+        end
+        local sq = function(s) return "'" .. s:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "'" end
+        local full = string.format(
+            "setsid nohup sh -c %s </dev/null >%s 2>&1 & echo $! > %s",
+            sq(inner), sq(log), sq(pid_file)
+        )
+        os.execute(full)
+        local f = io.open(pid_file, 'r')
+        local pid = "?"
+        if f then
+            pid = (f:read('*a') or ""):match("(%d+)") or "?"
+            f:close()
+            os.remove(pid_file)
+        end
+        return string.format("launched pid=%s log=%s", pid, log)
+    end)
+
 server:tool("read_file", "Read a file.", {
     type = "object",
     properties = { path = { type = "string" } },
@@ -272,7 +315,10 @@ server:tool("search_files", "Search for files by pattern.", {
     if WINDOWS then
         return run('dir /b /s "' .. path .. '\\' .. a.pattern .. '"', 30)
     else
-        return run("find '" .. path:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "' -name '" .. a.pattern:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "' 2>/dev/null", 30)
+        -- -L: follow symlinks on the start path. macOS BSD find otherwise
+        -- silently emits nothing when the start path is itself a symlink
+        -- (common on Homebrew, e.g. /usr/local/share/lua -> Cellar/…/share/lua).
+        return run("find -L '" .. path:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "' -name '" .. a.pattern:gsub("'", "'\\''") .. "' 2>/dev/null", 30)
     end
 end)