Subject: Re: [PATCH] iproute2: enhance addr label validation

From: Joe Harvell <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 09:02:47 -0500

> Hi Joe,
>
> On Sat, Mar 21, 2015 at 03:14:53PM -0500, Joe Harvell wrote:
>> The ip addr command today rejects address labels that would break
>> ifconfig.  However, it allows some labels which still break it. Enhance
>> enforcement to reject all known incompatible labels, and allow the
>> existing -force option to allow someone to use a label even if it is not
>> ifconfig compatible
> I am concerned this will break existing users who are relying on setting
> labels that would now be rejected without using -force.
>
[snip]

Simon,

Good point.  I propose the following:

When a label is specified without -force, and that label begins with the 
interface
name but is followed by something other than a colon, accept the label 
but emit
a warning message indicating this label is incompatible with ifconfig 
and that later
versions of the 'ip address' command may reject it.  This message can 
also indicate
that -force can be specified to explicitly indicate a label that is non 
ifconfig compatible
is desired.

At some point in the future, the behavior could then be changed to 
reject such labels.

What do you think?

---
Joe