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Network management with the IPRoute2 toolbox
A Well-Stocked Toolbox
IPRoute2 is the successor to the net-tools
networking utilities, including ifconfig and route. Instead of having to use a separate tool for every aspect of network management, with IPRoute2, administrators now have a unified interface. Although IPRoute2 has been available for some time, the toolbox has struggled to replace the legacy tools.
Feature Scope
IPRoute2 [1] lets the admin manage most aspects of the network, including:
- IP configuration of interfaces
- Adding and deleting entries in the routing table
- Adjusting the ARP cache settings or NDISC (Neighbor Discovery)
- Managing network tunnels
- Displaying the link-layer information (MAC addresses, etc.)
- Configuring Quality of Service (QoS)
Management features cover both IPv4 and IPv6, and new features are implemented in a timely manner. For example, 6rd tunnel management [2] has already been added. IPRoute2 is now part of the basic install set for all major Linux distributions and is fundamental to many of the advanced network features. For example, IPRoute2 is required for some routing and gateway functions. Even the Gnome desktop cannot communicate on the network without IPRoute2.
IPRoute2 Programs and Files
Usually the configuration files for the individual tools are located in /etc/iproute2 and contain some values that are required only in advanced scenarios. Most of the programs provided by IPRoute2 have a special task, and all of them play a specific role in managing network functions:
/sbin/ip– The main program, with which most network aspects of the Linux kernel can be controlled./sbin/cbq
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