My env is facter 1.5.7, puppet 0.25.1. I am trying to (without resorting to exec) manage my hosts file so that I remove the "loghost" alias which is associated with the system hostname. For example on a stock Solaris install you''ll see this line in the hosts file 172.33.12.2 dev-sandbox loghost Then when you decide to send log''s off host you''d break out the above line to be 172.33.12.2 dev-sandbox 172.33.12.19 loghost So based off some other posts on this topic and the handy docs I thought I was clever with the following puppet bits. While this does what I want the first time. Each following run it appears to remove the invisible alias "" and modifies the hosts file each run. node dev-sandbox { $my_syslog_server = "1.1.1.1" host { "loghost_hosts_entry": ensure => "present", ip => "$my_syslog_server", name => "loghost", } # Remove the default loghost alias if we point loghost off host host { "loghost_hosts_alias": alias => "", name => "$hostname", ip => "$ipaddress", ensure => "present", } } Here is the output from running the above script a few times. grep loghost /etc/inet/hosts 172.33.12.2 dev-sandbox loghost puppet loghost.pp info: Applying configuration version ''1265821768'' debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_entry]: Changing ensure debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_entry]: 1 change(s) notice: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_entry]/ensure: created debug: Flushing host provider target /etc/inet/hosts debug: Finishing transaction 76312890 with 0 changes info: Filebucket[/var/puppet/clientbucket]: Adding /etc/inet/ hosts(6b5a890ed909eb6ea5911e8975d3118b) debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]: Changing alias debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]: 1 change(s) notice: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]/alias: alias changed ''loghost'' to '''' debug: Flushing host provider target /etc/inet/hosts debug: Finishing transaction 69468620 with 2 changes the related lines in the hosts file now read 172.33.12.2 dev-sandbox 1.1.1.1 loghost Running puppet again modifies the hosts file puppet loghost.pp info: Applying configuration version ''1265821808'' debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]: Changing alias debug: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]: 1 change(s) notice: //Node[dev-sandbox]/Host[loghost_hosts_alias]/alias: alias changed ''absent'' to '''' debug: Flushing host provider target /etc/inet/hosts debug: Finishing transaction 76308800 with 0 changes The only actual content that is getting changed in the hosts file is the header line but I would prefer that not happen. This was the closest I could get to the desired functionality and I''m wondering if someone could point out my failings? TIA. Derek. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Puppet Users" group. To post to this group, send email to puppet-users@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to puppet-users+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/puppet-users?hl=en.