version 5.2.4

- When os_info arrives with no owner field, apply default_owner from server config
- Stop applying default_owner unconditionally in get_host_access (now deferred to os_info handling)
- os_info plugin logs debug message when injecting owner from client config

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

docs/PLUGIN_DEVELOPMENT.md

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ This guide explains how to create custom plugins for the Heartbeat monitoring sy
 - [Plugin Types](#plugin-types)
 - [Creating a Plugin](#creating-a-plugin)
 - [Plugin Lifecycle](#plugin-lifecycle)
+- [Server-initiated InfoPlugin refresh](#server-initiated-infoplugin-refresh)
 - [Configuration](#configuration)
 - [Best Practices](#best-practices)
 - [Examples](#examples)
@@ -250,6 +251,28 @@ Understanding the plugin lifecycle helps you implement plugins correctly:
    └─> Plugin releases resources, closes connections
 ```
 
+## Server-initiated InfoPlugin refresh
+
+When a heartbeat packet arrives from a host the server has no plugin data for (e.g. after a server restart), the server sets `request_update = 1` in the ACK reply. The client detects this flag and immediately re-runs all InfoPlugins — clearing their cached results first — then resends the data as PLG messages.
+
+This means InfoPlugin data will always reach the server as soon as possible without requiring a client restart. No action is needed from plugin authors: the framework handles cache invalidation and re-collection automatically.
+
+The lifecycle for this case looks like:
+
+```
+Server restarts, host reconnects
+   └─> hbd receives HTB with no existing plugin_data for host
+   └─> hbd sets request_update=1 in ACK
+
+Client receives ACK
+   └─> Detects request_update flag
+   └─> Clears _cache on every registered InfoPlugin
+   └─> Calls collect() on each InfoPlugin
+   └─> Sends fresh PLG messages to server
+```
+
+If you write an `InfoPlugin` with side effects in `_collect_info()` (opening connections, writing files, etc.), be aware it may be called more than once per client session when this mechanism triggers.
+
 ## Configuration
 
 ### Plugin-Specific Configuration

docs/USERS.md

@@ -46,6 +46,24 @@ default_owner: andreas            # owns hosts with no explicit owner
                                   # falls back to the first admin user if omitted
 ```
 
+### Client-declared host ownership
+
+A host can declare its own owner directly in the hbc or hbc_mini client configuration. This is useful for hosts that are not listed in the server config, or during initial setup before a server-side config entry has been created.
+
+**`~/.hbc.yaml`** (hbc):
+```yaml
+owner: andreas
+```
+
+**`~/.hbc.json`** (hbc_mini):
+```json
+{ "owner": "andreas" }
+```
+
+When set, the value is included in the `os_info` plugin data sent to the server. The server applies it as `host.owner` the first time `os_info` arrives, provided no owner has been configured server-side for that host. Server-configured ownership always takes precedence.
+
+---
+
 ### Assigning roles to hosts
 
 ```yaml

hbd/__init__.py

@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ Install options:
 """
 
 __all__ = ["__version__"]
-__version__ = "5.2.3"
+__version__ = "5.2.4"

hbd/client/config.py

@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ CLIENT_DEFAULTS = {
     "hb_port": 50003,          # Port where hbd servers listen
     "interval": 10,             # Heartbeat interval in seconds
 
+    # Host identity
+    "owner": None,             # Optional username to set as this host's owner on the server
+
     # Runtime flags
     "foreground": False,
     "verbose": False,

hbd/client/main.py

@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class AsyncConnection:
         self._dead = False
         self._ever_opened = False
         self._open_fail_count = 0   # consecutive failures before first success
+        self.request_info_event: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
 
         self.logger = logging.getLogger(f"hbc.conn.{addr}")
 
@@ -138,6 +139,9 @@ class AsyncConnection:
         
         self.ackcount += 1
         self.logger.debug(f"ACK received, RTT: {rtt:.1f}ms")
+        if msg.get("request_update"):
+            self.logger.info("server requested plugin info refresh")
+            self.request_info_event.set()
 
 
 class HeartbeatProtocol(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
@@ -338,6 +342,26 @@ async def heartbeat_sender(conn: AsyncConnection, interval: int):
             raise
 
 
+async def _info_plugin_refresh_loop(conn: AsyncConnection, info_plugins: List):
+    """Wait for server requests to re-send InfoPlugin data."""
+    logger = logging.getLogger("hbc.plugins")
+    while running:
+        await conn.request_info_event.wait()
+        if not running:
+            break
+        conn.request_info_event.clear()
+        logger.info("refreshing InfoPlugins on server request")
+        for plugin in info_plugins:
+            plugin._cache = None
+            try:
+                data = await plugin.collect()
+                if data:
+                    await conn.sendto({"plugin": plugin.name, **data}, "PLG")
+                    logger.info(f"Resent {plugin.name} data")
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"Error re-collecting {plugin.name}: {e}", exc_info=True)
+
+
 async def plugin_collector(conn: AsyncConnection, registry: PluginRegistry):
     """Collect and send plugin data.
 
@@ -369,24 +393,21 @@ async def plugin_collector(conn: AsyncConnection, registry: PluginRegistry):
     for plugin in monitor_plugins:
         by_interval[plugin.interval].append(plugin)
 
-    # Create tasks for each interval
+    # Create tasks for each interval; always include the info-refresh watcher
-    tasks = []
+    tasks = [asyncio.create_task(_info_plugin_refresh_loop(conn, info_plugins))]
     for interval, plugins in by_interval.items():
-        task = asyncio.create_task(
+        tasks.append(asyncio.create_task(
             plugin_collector_interval(conn, plugins, interval)
-        )
+        ))
-        tasks.append(task)
 
-    # Wait for all tasks
+    try:
-    if tasks:
+        await asyncio.gather(*tasks, return_exceptions=True)
-        try:
+    except asyncio.CancelledError:
-            await asyncio.gather(*tasks, return_exceptions=True)
+        logger.debug("Plugin collector cancelled, cancelling sub-tasks")
-        except asyncio.CancelledError:
+        for task in tasks:
-            logger.debug("Plugin collector cancelled, cancelling sub-tasks")
+            if not task.done():
-            for task in tasks:
+                task.cancel()
-                if not task.done():
+        raise
-                    task.cancel()
-            raise
 
 
 async def plugin_collector_interval(
@@ -495,9 +516,7 @@ async def async_main(args, config):
     hb_port = config.get("hb_port", PORT)
     interval = config.get("interval", INTERVAL)
     
-    logger.info(f"hbc {__version__} starting on {iam}")
+    logger.info(f"hbc {__version__} on {iam} -> {hb_hosts} port={hb_port}, interval={interval}s")
-    logger.info(f"Starting hbc for {iam} -> {hb_hosts}")
-    logger.info(f"Port: {hb_port}, Interval: {interval}s")
     
     # Create connections
     connections = []

hbd/client/plugin.py

@@ -364,7 +364,10 @@ class PluginLoader:
                     
                     # Instantiate plugin with config — check plugins subdict first,
                     # then top-level keys (e.g. nagios_runner: ... at root of config).
-                    plugin_instance_config = plugins_subconfig.get(obj.name) or raw_config.get(obj.name, {})
+                    plugin_instance_config = dict(plugins_subconfig.get(obj.name) or raw_config.get(obj.name) or {})
+                    # Propagate top-level owner so os_info (and any future plugin) can report it.
+                    if "owner" in raw_config and "owner" not in plugin_instance_config:
+                        plugin_instance_config["owner"] = raw_config["owner"]
                     plugin = obj(config=plugin_instance_config)
                     
                     # Initialize plugin

hbd/client/plugins/os_info.py

@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ class OSInfoPlugin(InfoPlugin):
                 "hbc_version": hbc_version,
                 "hbc_type": "full",
             }
+            if self.config.get("owner"):
+                self.logger.debug(f"Adding owner from config: {self.config['owner']}")
+                data["owner"] = self.config["owner"]
             
             # Add Linux-specific distribution info
             if platform.system() == "Linux":

hbd/server/config.py

@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ def get_host_access(config, hostname) -> dict:
     """
     host_cfg = get_host_config(config, hostname)
 
-    owner = host_cfg.get("owner") or get_default_owner(config)
+    owner = host_cfg.get("owner") # or get_default_owner(config)
 
     managers = host_cfg.get("managers", [])
     if isinstance(managers, str):

hbd/server/notify.py

@@ -106,11 +106,18 @@ def closelog():
 
 def eventlog(host, lvl, m, service=None):
     ts = time.time()
+    msg = {
+        "ts": ts,
+        "host": host or None,
+        "level": lvl,
+        "service": service,
+        "message": m,
+    }
+    data.msgs.append(msg)
     s = f"{time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', time.localtime(ts))} {lvl} "
     if host:
         s += f"{host} "
     s += m
-    data.msgs.append(s)
     logger.info(s)
     if logf:
         try:
@@ -118,7 +125,7 @@ def eventlog(host, lvl, m, service=None):
             logf.flush()
         except Exception as e:
             logger.warning("failed to write to logfile: %s", e)
-    msg_to_websockets("message", s)
+    msg_to_websockets("message", msg)
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -209,7 +216,7 @@ def _send_mattermost(channel_cfg: dict, notif: Notification) -> bool:
         return False
     text = f"**{notif.title}**\n{notif.body}"
     if notif.url:
-        text += f"\n[Plugin metrics]({notif.url})"
+        text += f"\n[Plugin metrics] {notif.url}"
     ses = {"url": host, "scheme": "http", "basepath": "/api/v4", "port": 8065}
     mm = Driver(ses)
     payload: dict = {"text": text, "channel": channel, "username": channel_cfg.get("username", "hbd")}

hbd/server/templates/alerts.html

@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@
               <div class="alert-header">
                 <span class="alert-level ${level}">${alert.level}</span>
                 <a class="alert-hostname" href="/plugins#${alert.hostname}">${alert.hostname}</a>
-                <span class="alert-metric">${alert.metric_path.includes('.') ? alert.metric_path.slice(alert.metric_path.indexOf('.') + 1) : alert.metric_path}</span>
+                <span class="alert-metric">${(alert.metric_path.includes('.') ? alert.metric_path.slice(alert.metric_path.indexOf('.') + 1) : alert.metric_path).replace(/_status_code$/, '')}</span>
               </div>
               <div class="alert-details">
                 <span>${valueText}</span>

hbd/server/templates/head.html

@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
         ctx.restore();
       }
 
-      hand((m + s / 60) / 60 * Math.PI * 2 - Math.PI / 2,
+      hand((sFrac >= 58.5 ? m + 1 : m) / 60 * Math.PI * 2 - Math.PI / 2,
            R * 0.88, -R * 0.12, SIZE * 0.027, '#222');           /* minute */
       hand((h + m / 60) / 12 * Math.PI * 2 - Math.PI / 2,
            R * 0.58, -R * 0.12, SIZE * 0.039, '#222');           /* hour   */

hbd/server/templates/live.html

@@ -183,11 +183,24 @@
       line-height: 1.0;
     }
 
-    #messages div {
+    #messages .log-entry {
       padding: 5px 0;
       border-bottom: 1px solid #f0f0f0;
+      display: flex;
+      gap: 0.5em;
+      align-items: baseline;
     }
 
+    .log-ts { color: #888; white-space: nowrap; }
+    .log-level { font-weight: bold; min-width: 6em; }
+    .log-host { font-weight: 600; }
+    .log-service { color: #888; }
+
+    .log-warning .log-level  { color: #b8860b; }
+    .log-critical .log-level { color: #c00; }
+    .log-recover .log-level  { color: #2a7a2a; }
+    .log-info .log-level     { color: #555; }
+
     /* Modal for connection status messages */
     .connection-modal {
       display: none;
@@ -460,7 +473,20 @@
             update_table(state.data);
           } else if (state.type == "message") {
             var msgs = document.getElementById("messages");
-            msgs.insertAdjacentHTML("afterbegin", "<div>" + state.data + "</div>");
+            var msg = state.data;
+            var _d = new Date(msg.ts * 1000);
+            function _p(n) { return n < 10 ? '0' + n : '' + n; }
+            var ts_str = _d.getFullYear() + '-' + _p(_d.getMonth()+1) + '-' + _p(_d.getDate())
+                       + ' ' + _p(_d.getHours()) + ':' + _p(_d.getMinutes()) + ':' + _p(_d.getSeconds());
+            var lvl = (msg.level || "INFO").toLowerCase();
+            var html = '<div class="log-entry log-' + lvl + '">';
+            html += '<span class="log-ts">' + ts_str + '</span>';
+            html += '<span class="log-level">' + (msg.level || "") + '</span>';
+            if (msg.host) html += '<span class="log-host">' + msg.host + '</span>';
+            if (msg.service) html += '<span class="log-service">' + msg.service + '</span>';
+            html += '<span class="log-msg">' + msg.message + '</span>';
+            html += '</div>';
+            msgs.insertAdjacentHTML("afterbegin", html);
           }
           cnt++;
         };

hbd/server/threshold.py

@@ -1044,8 +1044,8 @@ class ThresholdChecker:
         # Format operator symbol
         op_symbol = threshold.operator.value
 
-        # Short metric label: strip the plugin-name prefix for readability
+        # Short metric label: strip the plugin-name prefix and _status_code suffix
-        short_path = metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path
+        short_path = (metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path).removesuffix("_status_code")
 
         # Use a display-friendly value (inf is the sentinel for "overdue")
         import math
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ class ThresholdChecker:
         if host is not None and not host.watched:
             eventlog(host_name, lvl, message, service="threshold")
             return
-        short_path = metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path
+        short_path = (metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path).removesuffix("_status_code")
         title = f"[{lvl}] {host_name}  {short_path}"
         # Strip the "metric = " prefix from message so body is just the value/detail
         prefix = short_path + " = "
@@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ class ThresholdChecker:
             
             # Format operator symbol
             op_symbol = threshold.operator.value
-            short_path = metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path
+            short_path = (metric_path.partition(".")[2] or metric_path).removesuffix("_status_code")
 
             # Time to re-notify
             if threshold_value is not None:

hbd/server/udp.py

@@ -350,8 +350,10 @@ def handle_datagram(msg: dict, addr, transport, ctx: dict):
 
     if msg.get("ID") == "HTB":
         host.doesack = msg.get("acks", -1)
-        # send ACK back
+        # send ACK back; ask client to resend plugin info when we have none yet
         rmsg = {"time": time.time()}
+        if not host.plugin_data:
+            rmsg["request_update"] = 1
         opkt = dicttos("ACK", rmsg)
         try:
             transport.sendto(opkt, addr)
@@ -368,6 +370,11 @@ def handle_datagram(msg: dict, addr, transport, ctx: dict):
                            if k not in ("ID", "plugin", "id", "name")}
             # Store plugin data with timestamp
             host.add_plugin_data(plugin_name, plugin_data, timestamp=now)
+
+            # If os_info reports an owner and none is configured server-side, apply it
+            if plugin_name == "os_info":
+                if not host.owner:
+                    host.owner = plugin_data.get("owner", config_mod.get_default_owner(cfg))
             if DEBUG > 1:
                 print(f"Stored plugin data for {uname}: {plugin_name}")
             

hbd/server/ws.py

@@ -85,11 +85,13 @@ async def handler(request):
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("Error sending initial hosts: %s", e)
 
-        # Send recent messages
+        # Send recent messages, filtered to hosts this user may see
         if data.msgs:
             try:
                 for m in data.msgs:
-                    await ws.send_str(json.dumps({"type": "message", "data": m}))
+                    host_name = m.get("host") if isinstance(m, dict) else None
+                    if not host_name or _user_can_see_host(user, host_name):
+                        await ws.send_str(json.dumps({"type": "message", "data": m}))
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("Error sending initial messages: %s", e)
 
@@ -128,6 +130,8 @@ def broadcast(typ: str, payload) -> bool:
     host_name: Optional[str] = None
     if typ in ("host", "plugin"):
         host_name = payload.get("raw_name") or payload.get("host") or payload.get("name")
+    elif typ == "message" and isinstance(payload, dict):
+        host_name = payload.get("host")
 
     jmsg = json.dumps({"type": typ, "data": payload})
 

pyproject.toml

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "hbd"
-version = "5.2.3"
+version = "5.2.4"
 description = "Heartbeat monitoring system — client (hbc) and server (hbd)"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"

scripts/hbc_mini.py

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple
 
 # updated by scripts/bumpminor.sh
-__version__ = "5.2.3"
+__version__ = "5.2.4"
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Protocol  (mirrors hbd/common/proto.py)
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ def _stodict(data: bytes) -> Dict[str, Any]:
 _DEFAULTS: Dict[str, Any] = {
     "hb_port": 50003,
     "interval": 10,
+    "owner": None,
     "plugins": {},
 }
 
@@ -239,6 +240,8 @@ class OSInfoPlugin(InfoPlugin):
             "hbc_version": __version__,
             "hbc_type": "mini",
         }
+        if self.config.get("owner"):
+            data["owner"] = self.config["owner"]
         if platform.system() == "Linux":
             data.update(_linux_distro())
         elif platform.system() == "Darwin":
@@ -716,7 +719,9 @@ async def _load_plugins(cfg: Dict[str, Any]) -> List[Plugin]:
     plugins_cfg: Dict[str, Any] = cfg.get("plugins", {})
     loaded: List[Plugin] = []
     for cls in _ALL_PLUGIN_CLASSES:
-        plugin_cfg = plugins_cfg.get(cls.name) or cfg.get(cls.name, {})
+        plugin_cfg = dict(plugins_cfg.get(cls.name) or cfg.get(cls.name) or {})
+        if "owner" in cfg and "owner" not in plugin_cfg:
+            plugin_cfg["owner"] = cfg["owner"]
         plugin: Plugin = cls(config=plugin_cfg)
         try:
             ok = await plugin.initialize()
@@ -786,7 +791,7 @@ class _HeartbeatProtocol(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
             msg_id = msg.get("ID")
             now = time.time()
             if msg_id == "ACK":
-                self._conn._handle_ack(now)
+                self._conn._handle_ack(msg, now)
             elif msg_id == "CMD":
                 asyncio.create_task(_handle_command(self._conn, msg))
             elif msg_id == "UPD":
@@ -813,6 +818,7 @@ class AsyncConnection:
         self.rtts: List[float] = [0.0]
         self._transport: Optional[asyncio.DatagramTransport] = None
         self._dead = False
+        self._request_info: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
         self._log = logging.getLogger(f"hbc.conn.{addr}")
 
     async def open(self) -> bool:
@@ -831,12 +837,14 @@ class AsyncConnection:
             self._transport.close()
             self._transport = None
 
-    def _handle_ack(self, now: float):
+    def _handle_ack(self, msg: Dict[str, Any], now: float):
         rtt = (now - self.lastsend) * 1000.0
         self.rtts.append(rtt)
         if len(self.rtts) > 10:
             self.rtts.pop(0)
         self.ackcount += 1
+        if msg.get("request_update"):
+            self._request_info.set()
 
     async def sendto(self, msg: Dict[str, Any], msg_id: str = "HTB"):
         if self._dead:
@@ -969,6 +977,19 @@ async def _run_monitor_group(conn: AsyncConnection, plugins: List[Plugin], inter
         await _sleep(interval)
 
 
+async def _info_refresh_loop(conn: AsyncConnection, info: List[Plugin]):
+    log = logging.getLogger("hbc.plugins")
+    while _running:
+        await conn._request_info.wait()
+        if not _running:
+            break
+        conn._request_info.clear()
+        log.info("refreshing InfoPlugins on server request")
+        for plugin in info:
+            plugin._cache = None
+        await _run_info_plugins(conn, info)
+
+
 async def _plugin_collector(conn: AsyncConnection, plugins: List[Plugin]):
     info = [p for p in plugins if isinstance(p, InfoPlugin)]
     monitor = [p for p in plugins if isinstance(p, MonitorPlugin)]
@@ -979,12 +1000,10 @@ async def _plugin_collector(conn: AsyncConnection, plugins: List[Plugin]):
     for p in monitor:
         by_interval[p.interval].append(p)
 
-    if by_interval:
+    tasks = [asyncio.create_task(_info_refresh_loop(conn, info))]
-        await asyncio.gather(
+    tasks += [asyncio.create_task(_run_monitor_group(conn, grp, iv))
-            *[asyncio.create_task(_run_monitor_group(conn, grp, iv))
+              for iv, grp in by_interval.items()]
-              for iv, grp in by_interval.items()],
+    await asyncio.gather(*tasks, return_exceptions=True)
-            return_exceptions=True,
-        )
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1038,7 +1057,7 @@ async def _async_main(args, cfg: Dict[str, Any]) -> int:
     port = cfg.get("hb_port", PORT)
     interval = cfg.get("interval", INTERVAL)
 
-    log.info("starting hbc_mini %s on %s -> %s port=%d interval=%ds",__version__, iam, args.hosts, port, interval)
+    log.info("hbc_mini %s on %s -> %s port=%d interval=%ds",__version__, iam, args.hosts, port, interval)
 
     connections: List[AsyncConnection] = []
     conn_id = 1