Re: [PATCH] iproute2: hide devices starting with period by default

From: David Ahern <redacted>
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2017 18:07:07 -0700

On 2/23/17 5:30 PM, Stephen Hemminger wrote:

quoted

On Thu, 23 Feb 2017 16:39:52 -0700
David Ahern [off-list ref] wrote:

quoted

On 2/23/17 12:50 PM, Stephen Hemminger wrote:

quoted

Some use cases create Linux networking devices which are not intended for use
by normal networking. This is an enhancement to ip command to hide network
devices starting with period (like files in normal directory).  Interfaces whose
name start with "." are not shown by default, and the -a (or -all) flag must
be used to show these devices.  

Agree that some devices need to be hidden by default -- not just from
users but also other processes.

This solution is very narrow, only affecting iproute2 users. Any other
programs that use netlink or /proc files will continue to see those devices.

I want solution that works broadly. And this works for sysfs already.

for 'ls' maybe, but not general walking of /sys. It does not hide
devices from snmpd, from ifconfig, etc., etc.

I agree, that this is a pretty poor assumption.

And relying upon tool specific behavior to provide this facility
is even more special purpose.

This really need to be a fundamental facility, so that it transparently
works for NetworkManager, router daemons, everything.  Not just iproute2
and "ls".