[collectd] [PATCH] make traffic plugin only create rrds for selected interfaces

[Zhuang Yuyao]

Hi,

Florian Forster wrote:
> Hi :)
> 
> On Thu, Jun 29, 2006 at 08:18:28AM +0800, Zhuang Yuyao wrote:
>> Yes, I am the one who sent you that patch :-). The mail server on
>> xianan.com.cn is not stable, sorry for the inconvenience.
> 
> I think is wasn't a stability problem, but the fact that the MX record
> for the domain is an IP address, not a domain name:
> 
>>>   zhuangyy at xianan.com.cn
>>>     It appears that the DNS operator for xianan.com.cn
>>> has installed an invalid MX record with an IP address
>>> instead of a domain name on the right hand side.
> 
>  octo at huhu:~ $ host -t MX xianan.com.cn
>  xianan.com.cn mail is handled by 1 211.162.16.122.

Oh, I'll send this message to our network administrator, let's see how 
soon he will solve this problem :-)

> 
>> Maybe we should add a "Reverse Selection" entry in traffic config to
>> let user to choose either ignore specified devices or just monitor
>> those devices, because in my special circumstance, the latter is more
>> suitable.
> 
> Since we have to maintain a list of `selected' (either for inclusion or
> exclusion) we might as well let the user decide how to use that list..
> Changing the meaning of a config key based on another config key is not
> that great, though. I'd suggest using `Include <if>', `Exclude <if>' and
> `ByDefault {include|exclude}'. That should be quite obvious how to use.
> 

No, I do not think it's a good idea. Since you can not control how 
people write the config, imaging some users typed  the configs like the 
following by mistake:
Not-So-Good config 1:
****
Include eth0
Include eth1
ByDefault include
****

Not-So-Good config 2:
****
Include eth0
exclude eth1
#no bydefault key
****

Not-So-Good config 3:
****
Include eth0
exclude eth1
ByDefault include
ByDefault exclude
****

Not-So-Good config 4:
****
Include eth0
exclude eth1
ByDefault include (or ByDefault exclude)
****

There are too much ambiguity in the config samples above. Collectd must 
either tell the user there are a syntax error in config or in some cases 
run different to the user's original purpose *SILENTLY*.
The latter is not acceptable, so we must add syntax check to config 
handler functions, I am a lazy programmer so I do not want to write 
those tiresome codes :-)
I still think a neutral key such as 'DEV' and a reverse selection 
indicator will do the same with less coding and the meaning of the keys 
are simpler to understand.

> If you want to work on that, I've copied the patch to the following URL,
> since my reply destroyed the patch for you. I don't know if I have the
> time to have a look at it soonish, since I have a project to finish up
> and I'm already two days late, so I'll have a _very_ busy weekend.
> 
> URL of the patch: http://collectd.org/files/patches/
> 
> Regards,
> -octo