I run several Linux AS servers, but one of them is giving me problems executing remote commands using RSH. Most of my Linux servers work in conjunction with SGI Origin servers running IRIX 6.5.21. But on this one particular Linux server, when I try to exectute a remote command such as, for example,

# rsh IntSever5 "ls -al /usr/people/guest" (with or without quotes returns the same result)

the error message I recieve is:

poll: protocol failure in circuit setup

I can use 'rsh' by itself to another machine just fine with no problems. The anomaly seems to occur only when attempting to execute a remote command. Also, when I try to use 'rcp' on this same machine, I get another error that says,

rcmd: IntServer5: short read

I'm not sure if the two errors are related, but since they both use the RSH protocols, so I have to wonder. The 'rsh' man page doesn't offer any insight into possible problems. Any suggestions?

I don't know what the problem is.

If you can't get rsh to work and rcp then try
ssh
and
scp
They are secure and have worked ok for me.

I do use ssh and scp for the most part. However, RSH is an integral function in some of the critical in-house software we use, and its not a simple matter to change it. Its only used behind the security barriers between trusted hosts, so encryption isn't a big issue. Its certainly not my preferred method, but as I said, its not a simple matter to change the software.