[Kea-users] Question about a custom configuration file

[Scott LaCroix]

Hello all,

We're trying to create a custom configuration file for the kea-dhcp4-server in our deployment. Currently what I've tried is a simple systemd dropin:

$ cat /etc/systemd/system/kea-dhcp4-server.service.d/override.conf
[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=/usr/sbin/kea-dhcp4 -c /etc/kea/kea-dhcp4-gw.conf

When I try using that, I get failure to create the PID file:

$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl restart kea-dhcp4-server
$ sudo systemctl status kea-dhcp4-server
× kea-dhcp4-server.service - Kea IPv4 DHCP daemon
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/kea-dhcp4-server.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
    Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/kea-dhcp4-server.service.d
             └─override.conf
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2025-02-13 18:13:21 GMT; 7s ago
   Duration: 25ms
       Docs: man:kea-dhcp4(8)
    Process: 448823 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/kea-dhcp4 -c /etc/kea/kea-dhcp4-gw.conf (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
   Main PID: 448823 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 24ms

Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 systemd[1]: Started kea-dhcp4-server.service - Kea IPv4 DHCP daemon.
Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 kea-dhcp4[448823]: 2025-02-13 18:13:21.928 INFO  [kea-dhcp4.dhcp4/448823.134556786268608] DHCP4_STARTING Kea DHCPv4 server version 2.4.1 (stable) starting
Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 kea-dhcp4[448823]: kea-dhcp4: Fatal error during start up: Unable to open PID file '/run/kea/kea-dhcp4-gw.kea-dhcp4.pid' for write
Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 kea-dhcp4[448823]: 2025-02-13 18:13:21.928 FATAL [kea-dhcp4.dhcp4/448823.134556786268608] DHCP4_SERVER_FAILED server failed: Unable to open PID file '/run/kea/kea-dhcp4-gw.kea-dhcp4.pid' for write
Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 systemd[1]: kea-dhcp4-server.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Feb 13 18:13:21 71077345 systemd[1]: kea-dhcp4-server.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.


Everything I've tried in an effort to switch the server to a custom config file has failed in similar ways. Clearly I'm missing something in the systemd service config... any help here is appreciated.



Scott LaCroix

Software Engineer

Building Technologies & Solutions

Johnson Controls



scott.lacroix at jci.com<mailto:scott.lacroix at jci.com>

www.johnsoncontrols.com<http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/>

www.americandynamics.net<http://www.americandynamics.net/>

Johnson Controls
6 Technology Park Drive
Westford, MA 01886
USA

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