014.01.38.10. Explain the concept of dispatching in NetworkManager configuration, particularly how additional system actions are specified when a network interface goes up or down. What role do dispatcher scripts play, and how might their location vary among different Linux distributions?
Dispatching relates to specifying additional system actions for when a network interface goes up or down. Some network daemons, e.g. ssh daemon need to know when to start or stop listening on an interface to work correctly. When a system's network interface changes, it runs everything in /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d with an argument such as up or down. Many distributions have thier own network control scripts so they don't place the individual dispatcher scripts in this directory. For e.g Ubuntu has its script 01ifupdown placed in the directory /etc/network whereas fedora doesn't have any network directory in /etc.
Dispatching in NetworkManager configuration involves specifying additional system actions when a network interface goes up or down. Dispatcher scripts play a crucial role in this process. When a network interface state changes, NetworkManager executes scripts located in the /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d directory, passing arguments like "up" or "down" to these scripts.
While the dispatcher scripts directory is a common location, the exact location may vary among Linux distributions.
For example, Ubuntu typically uses /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d, while Fedora may also use a similar location. Ubuntu has its script 01ifupdown placed in the directory /etc/network whereas fedora doesn't have any network directory in /etc.
It's important to note that individual distributions might have their own network control scripts or configurations, but the dispatcher scripts directory remains a key part of NetworkManager's flexibility in responding to network interface events.