NSS-MYHOSTNAME(8) nss-myhostname NSS-MYHOSTNAME(8)
NAME
nss-myhostname, libnss_myhostname.so.2 - Provide hostname resolution
for the locally configured system hostname.
SYNOPSIS
libnss_myhostname.so.2
DESCRIPTION
nss-myhostname is a plugin for the GNU Name Service Switch (NSS)
functionality of the GNU C Library (glibc) primarily providing hostname
resolution for the locally configured system hostname as returned by
gethostname(2). The precise hostnames resolved by this module are:
o The local, configured hostname is resolved to all locally
configured IP addresses ordered by their scope, or -- if none are
configured -- the IPv4 address 127.0.0.2 (which is on the local
loopback) and the IPv6 address ::1 (which is the local host).
o The hostname "localhost" is resolved to the IP addresses 127.0.0.1
and ::1.
o The hostname "gateway" is resolved to all current default routing
gateway addresses, ordered by their metric. This assigns a stable
hostname to the current gateway, useful for referencing it
independently of the current network configuration state.
Various software relies on an always-resolvable local hostname. When
using dynamic hostnames, this is traditionally achieved by patching
/etc/hosts at the same time as changing the hostname. This is
problematic since it requires a writable /etc file system and is
fragile because the file might be edited by the administrator at the
same time. With nss-myhostname enabled changing /etc/hosts is
unncessary, and on many systems the file becomes entirely optional.
To activate the NSS modules, "myhostname" has to be added to the line
starting with "hosts:" in /etc/nsswitch.conf.
It is recommended to place "myhostname" last in the nsswitch.conf line
to make sure that this mapping is only used as fallback, and any DNS or
/etc/hosts based mapping takes precedence.
EXAMPLE
Here's an example /etc/nsswitch.conf file, that enables myhostname
correctly:
passwd: compat
group: compat
shadow: compat
hosts: files dns mymachines myhostname
networks: files
protocols: db files
services: db files
ethers: db files
rpc: db files
netgroup: nis
To test, use glibc's getent tool:
$ getent ahosts `hostname`
::1 STREAM omega
::1 DGRAM
::1 RAW
127.0.0.2 STREAM
127.0.0.2 DGRAM
127.0.0.2 RAW
In this case the local hostname is omega.
SEE ALSO
systemd(1), nss-mymachines(8), nsswitch.conf(5), getent(1)
systemd 219 NSS-MYHOSTNAME(8)