[systemd-devel] [RFC][PATCH] networkd: add a basic network daemon

[Lennart Poettering]

On Thu, 07.11.13 01:45, Tom Gundersen (teg at jklm.no) wrote:

> 
> On Wed, Nov 6, 2013 at 7:56 AM, Holger Winkelmann [TP]
> <hw at travelping.com> wrote:
> > We really like to see this direct, how ever would it not better to join
> > efforts for network management. I.e. arch Linux claims with netctl [1]
> > to do network management "the systems way. and there are a few other
> > attempts to do network managent. I.e. netconfd [2] of openWRT is doing
> > network management (kind of monolitic) as a daemon as well which can
> > be configured via Bus RPC. (OK ubus in this case). Not to mention
> > the desktop centric network manager.
> 
> We have looked at and discussed various alternatives, in particular
> with the connman guys. However, none of the existing solutions seem
> amendable to what we want for the server/initrd, some are too
> simplistic and e.g. does not really allow for handling the global
> state that we will need, or compartmentalizes too much the different
> protocols/state machines, whilst others simply have a different focus
> (see Marcel's email in this thread as to why connman's focus is
> different from networkd's and why it makes sense to keep them
> separate).

To clarify this: systemd-networkd is supposed to cover the initrd,
container, server and (some) embedded usecases. However, use NM or
connman for the "interactive" stuff (like wlans and suchlike) you need
on laptops/desktops and mobile.

The idea is that this can work jointly with NM/connman in some ways or
another. For example you can make use of .link files even with
interfaces that otherwise are handled by connman/NM, but for IP config
you have to chose one.

Lennart

-- 
Lennart Poettering, Red Hat