First blog post for a long time, let’s try post interesting stuffs I find during my work as GNU/Linux system administrator at Inuits.

I was looking for a clean and easy way to manage network interface configuration on Debian-like system (the /etc/network/interfaces file) using Puppet.

Puppet currently doesn’t have a resource type to handle network interfaces and unlike Redhat-like systems where the network configuration is split in a different file per interface, the ”interfaces” configuration file under Debian is monolithic making it difficult to manage.

So here comes Augeas to the rescue. Augeas is a configuration file parser that map a configuration file into a tree. Puppet provides a native Resource type you can work with it in your puppet recipes.

Let’s say you want to generate the following stanza in ”/etc/network/interfaces” (this create a bond interface):

auto bond0
iface bond0 inet static
    address 192.168.110.42
    netmask 255.255.255.0
    network 192.168.110.0
    gateway 192.168.110.240
    slaves eth0 eth1
    bound_mode active-backup
    bond_miimon 100
    bond_downdelay 200
    bond_updelay 200

You can define the following ressource:

augeas{ "bond_interface" :
    context => "/files/etc/network/interfaces",
    changes => [
        "set auto[child::1 = 'bond0']/1 bond0",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0'] bond0",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/family inet",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/method static",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/address 192.168.110.42",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/netmask 255.255.255.0",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/network 192.168.110.0",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/gateway 192.168.110.240",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/slaves 'eth0 eth1'",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/bound_mode active-backup",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/bond_miimon 100",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/bond_downdelay 200",
        "set iface[. = 'bond0']/bond_updelay 200",
    ],
}
and Puppet will take care of creating the resource and updating it. Be aware that the interfaces and options not managed by puppet are left untouched.

The Belgian senator Philippe Monfils (MR) has presented a few weeks ago a project (in french) for a HADOPI¹-like law in Belgium. This law aims at condemning people who share copyrighted works without going to court. If an internet user’s connexion is used for illegal filesharing, she will first receive a warning, then a fine. The third step proposes a limitation of bandwidth. The last one is the complete suppression of that person’s internet connection (but she still has to pay for that connection).

In the facts this arises a lot of questions and fears about the freedom to access the Internet but also about the means used to prove the facts. An IP address isn’t enough to prove anything, considering how easy it is to break into a WiFi access point, even a secured one. It also raises the problem of the conviction that will affect a group of people (whole families, businesses,…) for the crime of a single person. There is also a chances of double penalty (the obligation to continue to pay the fees for a suspended Internet access) and there is also the possibility that somebody gets convicted for counteracting while his neighbour only gets a warnings for the same infraction and thus breaking an equal justice.

Also, will such a law really help artists (or the entertainment industry)? There is no proof that it will encourage people to buy more discs and moreover how can anybody buy anything from legal sources without an internet access? What is sure is that this will cost lot of money for results that are not proven.

Hadopi Mayonnaise is a group of concerned citizens that want to open the dialogue about this law. If you want to help them you can visit NURPA² website. They are currently looking for translation for both websites in Dutch.

1. “Haute autorité pour la diffusion des œuvres et la protection des droits sur internet”, name of the law that has made lot of noises in France ↩︎
2. the association behind Hadopi Mayonnaise ↩︎