safe_ssh 5 wpgux001_sw sleep 20

SSH appears to be hung.
kill -15 934072
Output is:
This is a private computer facility.  Access to the facility must be
specifically authorized.  If you are not authorized, your continued
access and further inquiry expose you to criminal and/or civil
proceedings.

RET_CODE: 255

safe_ssh 25 wpgux001_sw sleep 20

Output is:
This is a private computer facility.  Access to the facility must be
specifically authorized.  If you are not authorized, your continued
access and further inquiry expose you to criminal and/or civil
proceedings.

RET_CODE: 0

safe_ssh 25 wpgux00a_sw sleep 20

Output is:
ssh: Could not resolve hostname wpgux00a_sw: Hostname and service name not provided or found
RET_CODE: 1

safe_ssh () {

  SLEEP_WAIT=$1
  shift

  #############################################################################
  # Check that the first parameter is an integer.                             #
  #############################################################################
  if [[ ! -z $(echo $SLEEP_WAIT | sed 's/[0-9]//g') ]]
  then
    echo "Usage error safe_ssh"
    echo "The first parameter must be an integer representing the timeout "
    echo "duration in seconds."
    exit 1
  fi

  #############################################################################
  # Set up the SSH thread to run the command. This will also run in the       #
  # background.                                                               #
  #############################################################################
  ssh $@ 1>/tmp/ssh.$$ 2>&1 &
  ssh_pid=$!

  # sleep
  sleep $SLEEP_WAIT

  #############################################################################
  # check if ssh is still running, if it is, kill it
  #############################################################################
  if (( $(ps -ef | egrep -v "ps|grep" | grep -cw $ssh_pid) > 0 ))
  then
     echo "SSH appears to be hung."
     echo "kill -15 $ssh_pid"
     RET_CODE=255

  else
     RET_CODE=$(egrep -ci "error|fail|ssh:" /tmp/ssh.$$)

  fi

  echo "Output is:"
  cat /tmp/ssh.$$

}