Default Hostname --- Ask to Change before registration?

[cojohnson]

Hey FOG,

Occasionally, when I log into the FOG server, I check the currently registered hosts and I see multiple “Generic” hostnames (Primarily Wireless Laptops). I would like to have the FOG client prompt the user before registering with a “Generic” name. When somebody gets bored.

I would like to see the FOG Client to have the capability to give the user an error / notification that the hostname of a newly imaged / computer that just started talking to the FOG server is the default hostname (DESKTOP-ABCDEF, LAPTOP-ABCDEF, and in my case after imaging a computer, the hostname defaults to “Generic-PC”)

What i am picturing in my head is:
1.) The administrator (BEFORE HAND) has the ability to define “Generic” Hostnames potentially with wildcard characters on the Server…
2.) the host has not been registered OR has been registered before with the default hostname.
2.) Ask the user if they want to change the hostname. If yes, enter your fog server credentials and then specify a hostname. If no, the Fog Client will register / continue to use the default hostname.

Have this be done ONLY the first time the Client communicates with the Server so End-Users cant set their own hostname?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for all of your work,
Corey Johnson

[Wayne Workman]

Firstly, suggestions are always welcome - this is some of the stuff that makes open source so awesome.

My first thoughts of this request is the complexity involved. So many additional pieces here - the fog client now is prompting users for input, the fog server is now having to record generic hostnames and pass that to the client before the client is even accepted by the server, and all the UI & client changes and communications that need implemented to make that happen. This is a large request.

How about instead - clients should report in with whatever hostname they have - and this not be a unique identifier for pending hosts. Then, in the pending hosts area, require the admin to specify a new hostname right there if there are conflicts with hostnames before the pending hosts can be accepted.

[cojohnson]

I see that is how FOG does it now! FOG client will put the host in a “pending” state on the server… THIS IS 100% HOW IT SHOULD BE!

How about an option to globally enable on the server that will have the FOG client give you a prompt of some sort that the FOG client is pending registration?
Similar to the prompt FOG uses before the Client reboots the computer to change hostname or join the domain. That would be just as good.

Something like this will inform admins / users ( The Techs setting up the device! ) that a host hasn’t been configured / verified yet in FOG

[Joe Schmitt]

@cojohnson That’s pretty straight forward. Using the tray icon would probably be the most effective yet least intrusive; for example it could have some kind of indicator color on the icon if its pending.

[THEMCV]

@joe-schmitt I like this idea very much.