Editing the Hosts List [/etc/hosts]

[Jennifer Hardesty]

Greetings,

I would like to be able to add some hosts (aka aliases for multiply used ip addresses) to the hosts list field pop-up.  Since I couldn’t find anything in the documentation, I did some digging around in the file structure and here on the forum, and I finally came to the conclusion that the file in question that needs to be edited is /etc/hosts.  

Of course, our security guys don’t want to give me or any of the non-security folks permission to do anything with that file; something about the dangers and evils of misdirected DNS and it being a possible security breach.  Our security guy suggested that since it’s “just a file” I find a way to have Cloverleaf point to a different file.

So that is where I am at.  We are on AIX and Cloverleaf 5.4 and I am looking for a way to add som hosts to the hosts list without causing some sort of international incident.  Can anyone help me?

Jennifer Hardesty

Systems Integration Specialist

Maine Medical Center

Topic

[Rob Abbott]

The list is created from /etc/hosts on the server.  There is currently no way to point the GUI at another file.

Rob Abbott
Cloverleaf Emeritus

[Jim Kosloskey]

Jennifer,

My rant:

Don’t you just love the security Nazis ?  😈

In my experience, most of what they gave you is just nonsense.

We use the /etc/hosts and /etc services (for ports) here without any incidents – and have for many years.

In my experience most of these wonks cannot keep their DNS catalogs straight so in defense I use the /etc/hosts file and make sure AIX searches it first.

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

[Robert Milfajt]

Is there some type of change process in place to request changes to /etc/services?  If so, I would give it to them in bits and pieces, one port at a time, until they change their mind and decide to trust you.  Like a buzzing bee!

I have it good in that I am the system admininstrator and a Cloverleaf programmer!   8)

Robert Milfajt
Northwestern Medicine
Chicago, IL

[Jennifer Hardesty]

No, I can’t even ask them to make changes to the files.

I find the whole thing absolutely ridiculous.  It’s like I bought a house but still have a landlord telling me I can’t put my bike on the back porch.

[Jim Kosloskey]

Sounds like it’s time for a little ‘wall-to-wall counseling’  😀

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

[Robert Milfajt]

Wow, they will not even change these files!  Do you have any potential to argue up the food chain and go over their heads?  At the very least, question them in front of their superiors, and let them feel some heat.

Of course this tact will irritate the nazis and make your life miserable down the road, especially in the short run.  It depends on whether you think the drama will eventually build better communication eventually.

Bob

Robert Milfajt
Northwestern Medicine
Chicago, IL

[Jennifer Hardesty]

Oh, they got their super paranoid superior who already doesn’t like me because I frequently have said to my superiors that some of his other employees haven’t been doing their work properly and I caught him in a budget lie after he told the higher ups that we had software that already did what my boss was requesting for me — and once the budget was set, it turned out there was no actual server monitoring software (for Windows) that could monitor actual running processes and CPU memory and email someone if something when wrong…

I wouldn’t need that software if his employees were doing there jobs in the first place…

Anyway, my manager is supposedly going to talk to his manager.  I somehow doubt this will be resolved.

[Author]

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