Systemctl enable won't work on tftp & dnsmasq

[Artur]

Server

• FOG Version: 1.3.4 SVN revision 6066
• OS: CentOS Linux release 7.3.1611 (Core)

Client

• Service Version: N/A
• OS: N/A

Description

I restarted fog today to discover a hidden problem. tftp & dnsmasq didn’t turn on by default. After running

systemctl enable tftp
systemctl enable dnsmasq

both command said that they create the syslink.

TFTP: /etc/systemd/system/sockets.target.wants/tftp.socket to /usr/lib/systemd/system/tftp.socket.
dnsmasq: /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/dnsmasq.service to /usr/lib/systemd/system/dnsmasq.service.

Rebooted the system, and after checking the status they were still off.

I ran

systemctl is-enabled tftp
systemctl is-enabled dnsmasq

both return a value of “indirect” After some googling I found that it means,

“The unit file itself is not enabled, but it has a non-empty Also= setting in the “[Install]” unit file section, listing other unit files that might be enabled”

so I tried disable to clear it. The syslink was removed but when I checked, it still returned “indirect”

Right now I just have a script running

systemctl start tftp
systemctl start dnsmasq

on bootup, but I hate technical debt and unsolved mysteries. Anyone either, A know why, or B how to fix it, cleanly? preferably both but I’ll settle for B alone.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.

[Tom Elliott]

@Artur I may be wrong, but I believe these use the rpcbind system. Is this set to enabled?

Typically, on redhat, there are services that are indirectly running. Meaning when a request comes in the service “hears” it and hands out whatever is needed. So a systemctl -l status tftp dnsmasq will likely be a more accurate thing to be displayed here. I’m going to guess that the ‘inderect’ portion is just a means to tell rpcbind to open the ‘listeners’.

Was there a problem doing or anything or just something you noticed?