Server monitoring script

monitor.py

#!/usr/bin/python

from twisted.internet import task
from twisted.internet import reactor
from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT

logfile = open('status.txt', 'a')

def runEverySecond():
    output = Popen(["ssh", "user@host", "date"], stdout=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT).communicate()[0]
    logfile.write(output)
    output = Popen(["ssh", "user@host", "date"], stdout=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT).communicate()[0]
    logfile.write(output)
    logfile.flush()

l = task.LoopingCall(runEverySecond)
l.start(60.0) # call every second

# l.stop() will stop the looping calls
reactor.run()