Hostname configuration on DHCP/DNS server: /etc/hosts vs. /etc/hostname

[Chris G]

On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 10:11:52AM -0400, Tom H wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 9:49 AM, Chris G <cl at isbd.net> wrote:
> > On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 02:56:48PM +0200, Niki Kovacs wrote:
> >>
> >> I have a DHCP/DNS server (Ubuntu 10.04) running on my local network.
> >> The domain name is the dummy "presbytere.montpezat" for all the
> >> local machines. Of course the server has a static network
> >> configuration in /etc/network/interfaces.
> >>
> >> Here's how /etc/hosts is configured:
> >>
> >> 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
> >> 192.168.1.2 proliant.presbytere.montpezat proliant
> >>
> >> Now I wonder what I should put in /etc/hostname. I think it should
> >> only be this:
> >>
> >> proliant
> >>
> >> But now I wonder if I should put the FQDN in it, like this :
> >>
> >> proliant.presbytere.montpezat
> >>
> >> If I remember correctly, that's how my Red Hat servers were
> >> configured. Anybody knows the "right" (or at least the orthodox) way
> >> to do this?
> >>
> > I have a small home network with a local DNS/DHCP server too (it uses
> > dnsmasq).   All systems except the DNS server itself have just the
> > following:-
> >
> >    /etc/hosts
> >
> >        127.0.0.1       localhost
> >
> >    /etc/hostname
> >
> >        chris
> >
> > (of course you change the hostname 'chris' according to the host's name!)
> >
> > If you add all that localhost.localdomain stuff and the IP line then
> > things beging to break, in particular both apache2 and leafnode complain
> > that they can't find a FQDN for the host.
> 
> Please don't spread FUD!
> 
I'm spreading *simplicity*!  :-)  My /etc/hosts is simpler!

> I don't know about leafnode but apache2 doesn't break if you have
> "127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost" in "/etc/hosts".
> 
> You have to ensure that your box is set up with either "127.0.1.1
> myhost.mydomain myhost" for a dhcp box or "my_fixed_ip_address
> myhost.mydomain myhost" in "/etc/hosts".
> 
Why add all that complexity?

-- 
Chris Green