[RFE] dhclient(8) should send hostname

[Frank Behrens]

Brooks Davis <brooks at one-eyed-alien.net> wrote on 17 Mar 2006 11:20:
> > >On Fri, Mar 17, 2006 at 04:02:17PM +0100, Frank Behrens wrote:
> > >>I propose a change, that dhclient sends always the current hostname 
> > >>to the server, the value can be overwritten in dhclient.conf. I see 
> > >>no negative impact, because the server has always the possibility to 
> > >>reject the name and to choose another one. It would simplify the 
> > >>setup and lead to the same behaviour as in other (operating) systems.
> > >>A possible (I'm sure not the best) solution I appended as attachment. 
> > >
> I'm inclined to add this feature, possibly with an option to turn it
> off.  It seems like a useful default and it's what other OSes do.  I
> don't believe the objection above has much relevance since the actual
> update if any is only performed if the DHCP server is configured to make
> one.  Incorrect DHCP packets sent by DHCP servers are my problem.  Side
> effects caused by misconfiguration is not.

Yes, this is my intention. The dhcp server gets from a client always 
the MAC address and - with my proposal - the clients host name as 
additional information. The decision what to make with this 
information has to make the dhcp server (administrator). It can make 
dynamic DNS updates or not.

> The actual patch leaves a bit to be desired in that it uses a magic
> value for the array size and uses sysctl rather than the perfectly
> adequate POSIX gethostname().

You are right, thanks for your enhancement proposal.


Conclusion for me:
1. I will investigate what other OS send in a DHCPREQUEST message by 
default.
2. I will improve the patch.
3. I will post a summary of this information here and create a PR.

Thanks for your suggestions. Regards,
   Frank
-- 
Frank Behrens, Osterwieck, Germany
PGP-key 0x5B7C47ED on public servers available.