netreport Command in Linux
The netreport command in Unix/Linux systems is used for generating reports related to network status and activity. It is primarily used to request notifications of network interface status changes. It is also useful for network management scripts that respond promptly to network interface status changes.
- When netreport is called, it instructs the network management scripts to send a SIGIO signal to the process that invoked netreport whenever there is a change in the status of any network interface. This allows the calling process to handle network events in real-time.
- If a program does not call netreport with the "-r" option before it exits, and another process is created with the same PID before any interface status changes occur, the new process may receive an unintended SIGIO.
- You can use netreport to monitor the status of network interfaces and respond to changes, such as link status changes (up/down), speed changes, or errors.
In addition, you can use scripts with netreport to be notified of network interface changes and take actions like logging, sending alerts, or adjusting configurations.
Table of Contents
Here is a comprehensive guide to the options available with the netreport command −
Syntax of netreport Command
The Syntax for the netreport Command is as follows −
netreport [-r]
netreport Command Options
The netreport command doesn't come with an extensive set of options, however here is the one available −
| Options | Description |
|---|---|
| -r | Remove the current request (if any) for the calling process. |
Examples of netreport Command in Linux
The following are some practical examples of how you might use the netreport command to manage network interface status changes −
Request Notification for Network Interface Changes
To be notified when any network interface status, you can use the following basic command −
sudo netreport
This command monitors the status of all network interfaces and sends a notification if any status change occurs, such as when an interface goes up or down. It's a simple way to track network interface activity in real-time.
Remove Notification Request
To remove a notification request and stop receiving further notifications about network interface status changes, you can simply use the "-r" flag with the netreport command as shown below −
sudo netreport -r
This command removes the current request for the calling process, ensuring that no SIGIO signal is sent after your process exits.
Note − As of this writing, netreport is deprecated in most Linux distributions, including Ubuntu. Instead, you can use alternative tools like nmcli (NetworkManager Command Line Interface), which provides a comprehensive command-line interface for managing network connections.
nmcli allows you to easily check the status of network interfaces, bring interfaces up or down, and troubleshoot network issues. For instance, to check the status of your network interfaces using nmcli, you can simply run the following command −
nmcli device status
In addition, tools such as ip from the iproute2 suite, systemd-networkd, and ethtool offer robust features for managing network interfaces and monitoring status changes in real-time. These tools are supported and more actively maintained across modern Linux systems.
Conclusion
While the netreport command was once a valuable tool for network administrators and script developers to monitor and manage network interface changes, it is now deprecated in most modern Linux distributions.
As the need for efficient network management continues, tools like nmcli, ip, systemd-networkd, and ethtool have become essential for handling network status changes and configurations.
These tools not only provide enhanced functionality but are also better supported and maintained. If you're looking to manage network interfaces on Linux systems, transitioning to these modern alternatives ensures a more reliable and up-to-date approach to network management.