Hidden interfaces, last-seen pings, activity by subnet

- interfaces.exclude in steward.yaml (names or shell patterns) leaves
  interfaces out of GET /interfaces, the web UI's picker and
  'steward interface list'. Subnets on them are still served.
- With the ping check on, active leases are pinged every minute; a
  client that answers gets a last-seen time (leases.last_seen,
  migration 4). Not answering never takes a client offline.
- The activity log filters by subnet (--subnet, the Activity page,
  GET /events?subnet=).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ and a CLI, built the way Jarl is.
 - **Disabled reservations** (`steward reservation disable|enable`, Disable
   in the web UI): kept but ignored, so the client gets a pool address like
   any other. Subnets get Disable/Enable buttons in the web UI too.
+- **Hidden interfaces:** `interfaces.exclude` in `steward.yaml` (names or
+  shell patterns such as `docker*`) leaves interfaces out of the web UI's
+  interface picker, `steward interface list` and `GET /interfaces`.
+- **Last seen:** with the ping check on, active leases' addresses are
+  pinged every minute, and a client that answers gets a last-seen time
+  (Leases page, reservations' online badge, `steward lease list|show`,
+  `steward reservation list|show`, `last_seen` in the API). A client that
+  blocks pings stays online for as long as its lease lasts, without one.
+- **Activity by subnet:** `steward activity --subnet`, a subnet filter on
+  the Activity page, `GET /events?subnet=` (ID, name or prefix).
 - **Token rotation** (`steward token rotate`, `POST /tokens/{id}/rotate`,
   Rotate in the web UI): a new secret for a token, with an optional grace
   period for the old one, as in Jarl.

cmd/steward/leases.go

@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ func leaseCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				ls = keep
 			}
 			return output(ls, func(w io.Writer) {
-				fmt.Fprintln(w, "IP\tMAC\tHOSTNAME\tSTATE\tENDS\tINTERFACE\tSUBNET")
+				fmt.Fprintln(w, "IP\tMAC\tHOSTNAME\tSTATE\tENDS\tLAST SEEN\tINTERFACE\tSUBNET")
 				for _, l := range ls {
 					st := l.State
 					if l.Reservation != 0 {
 						st += ", reserved"
 					}
-					fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n", l.IP, orDash(l.MAC), leaseHost(l), st, fmtWhen(l.End), l.Interface, orDash(l.SubnetName))
+					fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n", l.IP, orDash(l.MAC), leaseHost(l), st, fmtWhen(l.End), fmtSeen(l.LastSeen), l.Interface, orDash(l.SubnetName))
 				}
 			})
 		},
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ func leaseCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Since:\t%s\n", l.Start.Local().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"))
 				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Ends:\t%s (%s)\n", l.End.Local().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"), fmtWhen(l.End))
 				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Interface:\t%s\n", l.Interface)
+				if l.LastSeen != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintf(w, "Last seen:\t%s (%s, answered a ping)\n", l.LastSeen.Local().Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"), fmtWhen(*l.LastSeen))
+				}
 				if l.Reservation != 0 {
 					fmt.Fprintf(w, "Reservation:\t%d\n", l.Reservation)
 				}
@@ -157,7 +160,7 @@ then on. The host name the client sent becomes the reservation's, unless
 }
 
 func activityCmd() *cobra.Command {
-	var mac, iface string
+	var mac, subnet, iface string
 	var limit int
 	var follow bool
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -193,7 +196,7 @@ func activityCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			for {
 				var evs []api.Event
-				if err := c.Get(ctx(), "/events", q("mac", mac, "interface", iface, "limit", fmt.Sprint(limit)), &evs); err != nil {
+				if err := c.Get(ctx(), "/events", q("mac", mac, "subnet", subnet, "interface", iface, "limit", fmt.Sprint(limit)), &evs); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
 				if flagOutput == "json" || flagOutput == "yaml" {
@@ -212,6 +215,7 @@ func activityCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	}
 	f := cmd.Flags()
 	f.StringVar(&mac, "mac", "", "only this client's")
+	f.StringVar(&subnet, "subnet", "", "only this subnet's (ID, name or prefix); messages without an address, such as DISCOVERs, show for every subnet on their interface")
 	f.StringVar(&iface, "interface", "", "only this interface's")
 	f.IntVar(&limit, "limit", 50, "at most this many")
 	f.BoolVarP(&follow, "follow", "f", false, "keep watching")
@@ -336,7 +340,7 @@ reservation's own option of the same name wins.
 	}
 	f := set.Flags()
 	f.StringVar(&leaseTime, "lease-time", "", "the default lease time (12h, 1d)")
-	f.StringVar(&ping, "ping-check", "", "ping addresses before offering them: on or off")
+	f.StringVar(&ping, "ping-check", "", "ping addresses before offering them, and clients every minute for their last-seen time: on or off")
 	f.StringVar(&pingTimeout, "ping-timeout", "", "how long to wait for a ping's answer (500ms)")
 	f.StringVar(&hold, "decline-hold", "", "how long an address in use by someone else is held back (24h)")
 	f.StringVar(&authoritative, "authoritative", "", "refuse requests for addresses that don't belong on the interface: on or off")

cmd/steward/main.go

@@ -424,6 +424,14 @@ func fmtWhen(t time.Time) string {
 	return "in " + s
 }
 
+// fmtSeen is a last-seen time, or "-" for a client never seen.
+func fmtSeen(t *time.Time) string {
+	if t == nil {
+		return "-"
+	}
+	return fmtWhen(*t)
+}
+
 func orDash(s string) string {
 	if s == "" {
 		return "-"

cmd/steward/subnets.go

@@ -339,6 +339,9 @@ func reservationCmd() *cobra.Command {
 					lease := "-"
 					if r.Lease != nil {
 						lease = "until " + r.Lease.End.Local().Format("Jan 2 15:04")
+						if r.Lease.LastSeen != nil {
+							lease += ", seen " + fmtWhen(*r.Lease.LastSeen)
+						}
 					}
 					state := "on"
 					if r.Disabled {
@@ -374,7 +377,10 @@ func reservationCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				fmt.Fprintf(w, "Host name:\t%s\n", orDash(r.Hostname))
 				fmt.Fprintln(w, "Options:\t"+optionsText(r.Options))
 				if r.Lease != nil {
-					fmt.Fprintf(w, "Lease:\tuntil %s, last seen on %s\n", r.Lease.End.Local().Format("2006-01-02 15:04"), r.Lease.Interface)
+					fmt.Fprintf(w, "Lease:\tuntil %s, on %s\n", r.Lease.End.Local().Format("2006-01-02 15:04"), r.Lease.Interface)
+					if r.Lease.LastSeen != nil {
+						fmt.Fprintf(w, "Last seen:\t%s (answered a ping)\n", fmtWhen(*r.Lease.LastSeen))
+					}
 				} else {
 					fmt.Fprintln(w, "Lease:\tnone now")
 				}

cmd/stewardd/main.go

@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ func serveCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				Listen: a.cfg.Listen, TLSCertFile: a.cfg.TLS.CertFile, TLSKeyFile: a.cfg.TLS.KeyFile, TrustedProxies: a.cfg.Proxies(),
 				SessionLifetime: time.Duration(a.cfg.Session.Lifetime), SessionIdle: time.Duration(a.cfg.Session.IdleTimeout),
 				CookieSecure: a.cfg.Session.CookieSecure, Socket: a.cfg.Socket, PingProblem: pinger.Problem, ACME: acme,
+				ExcludeInterfaces: a.cfg.Interfaces.Exclude,
 			}, eng, d, host, a.log, web.FS())
 			go d.Run(ctx)
 			hup := make(chan os.Signal, 1)

docs/api.md

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Creating answers 201, other changes 200.
 |---|---|
 | `GET /healthz` | `{"ok": true, "version"}`, without authentication |
 | `GET /status` | build, start time, `interfaces` (`listening`, `error`, `addresses`, `subnets`), `subnets` with usage, `problems`, `leases` (counts by state), `messages` (counts by type), `ping_problem` |
-| `GET /interfaces` | the host's interfaces, their addresses and subnets |
+| `GET /interfaces` | the host's interfaces, their addresses and subnets, leaving out those matching `interfaces.exclude` |
 | `GET /catalog` | the option catalog, value types, reserved codes, roles |
 
 ### Settings
@@ -109,11 +109,11 @@ settings'.
 
 | | |
 |---|---|
-| `GET /leases[?subnet=&state=&interface=&q=]` | every lease, with its state now (`active`, `expired`, `released`, `declined`), `subnet` and its reservation; `q` searches address, MAC and host name |
+| `GET /leases[?subnet=&state=&interface=&q=]` | every lease, with its state now (`active`, `expired`, `released`, `declined`), `subnet` and its reservation, and `last_seen` when the client last answered a ping (left out if it never has); `q` searches address, MAC and host name |
 | `GET /leases/{ip}` | one |
 | `DELETE /leases/{ip}` | forget it (audited) |
 | `POST /leases/{ip}/reserve` | make it a reservation; optional `{"hostname", "comment"}` |
-| `GET /events[?mac=&interface=&limit=]` | the latest DHCP messages, newest first (the last 1000 are kept in memory) |
+| `GET /events[?mac=&subnet=&interface=&limit=]` | the latest DHCP messages, newest first (the last 1000 are kept in memory). `subnet` (ID, name or prefix) keeps messages for its addresses, and those without an address on its interface |
 
 ### History and import
 

docs/cli.md

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ one. An option Steward doesn't know: `--option 224:string=hello`.
 
 | Command | |
 |---|---|
-| `reservation list [--subnet SUBNET]` | reservations, and whether each client is online |
+| `reservation list [--subnet SUBNET]` | reservations, whether each client is online, and when it last answered a ping |
 | `reservation show RES` | RES is its ID, address or MAC address |
 | `reservation add IP MAC [--hostname H] [--client-id HEX] [--option NAME=VALUE]... [--comment C]` | `-` for MAC with `--client-id` |
 | `reservation update RES [--ip] [--mac] [--client-id] [--hostname] [--option]... [--unset-option]... [--comment]` | |
@@ -93,9 +93,11 @@ one. An option Steward doesn't know: `--option 224:string=hello`.
 
 ### activity
 
-`steward activity [--mac MAC] [--interface I] [--limit N] [-f]`: the latest
+`steward activity [--mac MAC] [--subnet SUBNET] [--interface I] [--limit N] [-f]`:
-DHCP messages, received and sent, oldest first. `-f` keeps watching, which
+the latest DHCP messages, received and sent, oldest first. `--subnet`
-is useful while a device tries to get an address:
+takes an ID, name or prefix; a message without an address (a DISCOVER,
+"no address") shows for every subnet on its interface. `-f` keeps
+watching, which is useful while a device tries to get an address:
 
 ```
 11:02:13.120  eth0     DHCPDISCOVER  3c:22:fb:11:22:33 -               adams-macbook
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ sent.
 | `settings show` | |
 | `settings set [--lease-time 1d] [--ping-check on\|off] [--ping-timeout 500ms] [--decline-hold 24h] [--authoritative on\|off] [--option NAME=VALUE]... [--unset-option NAME]...` | |
 | `option list` | the options Steward knows ([options.md](options.md)) |
-| `interface list` | the server's interfaces, their addresses and subnets |
+| `interface list` | the server's interfaces, their addresses and subnets (not those in `interfaces.exclude`) |
 
 ### history
 

docs/configuration.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ the file when it starts.
 | `tls.cert_file`, `tls.key_file` | none | serve HTTPS with this certificate; stewardd rereads it when the file changes, or on `systemctl reload steward` |
 | `tls.acme.*` | off | get the certificate from Let's Encrypt, with Jarl publishing the challenge ([certificates.md](certificates.md#settings)) |
 | `jarl.server`, `jarl.token_file` (or `jarl.token`), `jarl.ca_cert`, `jarl.insecure` | none | the Jarl server Steward uses for DNS, and its token ([jarl.md](jarl.md)) |
+| `interfaces.exclude` | `[]` | interfaces left out of the web UI's interface picker, `steward interface list` and `GET /interfaces`: names or shell patterns, such as `["lo", "docker*", "veth*"]`. A subnet can still name one, and is still served |
 | `trusted_proxies` | `[]` | addresses or prefixes of reverse proxies whose `X-Forwarded-For` and `X-Forwarded-Proto` are believed |
 | `socket` | `/run/steward/steward.sock` | the local API socket; `""` turns it off |
 | `database` | `/var/lib/steward/steward.db` | the SQLite database: configuration, leases, history, users, audit log |

docs/design.md

@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ check or reload.
 * **Leases** in SQLite, written before the client is answered, so a crash
   or restart never hands out an address twice.
 * **Conflict checks**: an address is pinged before it is offered; one that
-  answers, or that a client declines, is held back for a while.
+  answers, or that a client declines, is held back for a while. Active
+  leases are pinged every minute too, for a "last seen" time that never
+  takes a client offline ([subnets.md](subnets.md#online-and-last-seen)).
 * **The Jarl way of working**: an API used by both the CLI and the web UI;
   users, sessions and API tokens; every configuration change validated as a
   whole before it is saved and used; a history of changes that can be

docs/development.md

@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ It checks:
 
 * addresses and options per interface, and reservations;
 * the ping check, against a container that squats on a pool address;
+* last seen: a client that stays up answers pings, one that left has none;
 * init-reboot, renewal and release with dhcpcd;
 * a client moved to another VLAN: NAK, then that VLAN's address;
 * a full pool and a disabled subnet;

docs/subnets.md

@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ For VLANs, give the server an interface on each, such as `eth0.20`, or a
 bridge such as `br-iot`, each with an address in its subnet. That address
 is the server identifier clients see, and the one they renew their lease
 with. `steward interface list` shows the server's interfaces with their
-addresses and subnets.
+addresses and subnets. To keep interfaces such as `lo`, `docker0` or
+`veth*` out of that list and the web UI's picker, name them in
+`interfaces.exclude` in steward.yaml ([configuration.md](configuration.md)).
 
 An interface that doesn't exist yet is fine. The subnet gets a warning
 (`interface_unknown`), and stewardd starts serving it within 30 seconds of
@@ -143,6 +145,17 @@ then is the ACK sent.
 `steward lease list` shows active and held-back leases; `--all` shows
 the others too. Leases that ended more than 30 days ago are deleted.
 
+### Online and last seen
+
+A client is **online** while its lease is active. With the ping check on
+(the default), Steward also pings every active lease's address once a
+minute, and a client that answers gets a **last seen** time: on the
+Leases page, next to a reservation's online badge, and in `steward lease
+list`. Many devices block pings (Windows' firewall does by default), so a
+client that doesn't answer stays online and simply has no last-seen time,
+or keeps the one it had. The time stays with the lease when it is
+renewed, and is kept across restarts.
+
 `steward lease delete IP` frees an address at once. A client still using
 it gets a NAK when it next renews, then asks for a new address.
 

internal/config/config.go

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"net/netip"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -35,6 +36,17 @@ type Config struct {
 	Backup   Backup  `yaml:"backup"`
 	// Jarl is the Jarl server Steward uses for DNS (docs/jarl.md).
 	Jarl Jarl `yaml:"jarl"`
+	// Interfaces says which of the host's interfaces are offered when
+	// choosing a subnet's interface.
+	Interfaces Interfaces `yaml:"interfaces"`
+}
+
+// Interfaces filters the host's interfaces listed by the API, the web UI's
+// interface picker and 'steward interface list'.
+type Interfaces struct {
+	// Exclude are interface names or shell patterns ("docker*", "veth*")
+	// left out of the list. It doesn't stop a subnet from naming one.
+	Exclude []string `yaml:"exclude"`
 }
 
 // TLS is the web UI's certificate: from files, or obtained through ACME
@@ -173,6 +185,7 @@ func Default() *Config {
 	return &Config{
 		Listen:         []string{"127.0.0.1:8067"},
 		TrustedProxies: []string{},
+		Interfaces:     Interfaces{Exclude: []string{}},
 		Socket:         "/run/steward/steward.sock",
 		Database:       "/var/lib/steward/steward.db",
 		Log:            Log{Level: "info", Format: "text"},
@@ -225,6 +238,11 @@ func (c *Config) check() error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("trusted_proxies: %v", err)
 		}
 	}
+	for _, p := range c.Interfaces.Exclude {
+		if _, err := path.Match(p, ""); err != nil || p == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("interfaces.exclude: %q is not an interface name or pattern (e.g. lo, docker*, veth*)", p)
+		}
+	}
 	if c.Database == "" || !filepath.IsAbs(c.Database) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("database must be an absolute path")
 	}
@@ -354,6 +372,12 @@ tls:
 #   ca_cert: ""                      # a CA to trust for Jarl's certificate
 #   insecure: false
 
+# Interfaces left out when choosing a subnet's interface (the web UI's
+# picker, 'steward interface list'): names or shell patterns. Subnets
+# already on one are still served.
+interfaces:
+  exclude: []     # e.g. ["lo", "docker*", "veth*", "br-*"]
+
 # Reverse proxies whose X-Forwarded-For and X-Forwarded-Proto are
 # believed.
 trusted_proxies: []

internal/config/config_test.go

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		"{tls: {cert_file: /a, key_file: /b, acme: {domain: d.example.com}}, jarl: {server: https://j, token: x}}": "can't both",
 		"{tls: {acme: {domain: '*.example.com'}}, jarl: {server: https://j, token: x}}":                            "full name",
 		"{tls: {acme: {domain: d.example.com, directory: http://x}}, jarl: {server: https://j, token: x}}":         "https://",
+		"interfaces: {exclude: ['eth[']}": "interfaces.exclude",
 	}
 	for yml, want := range cases {
 		path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "s.yaml")

internal/dhcpd/handle.go

@@ -290,7 +290,9 @@ func (s *Server) ack(ctx context.Context, cfg *config, iface string, p *dhcp4.Pa
 		return s.nak(cfg, iface, p, sub, why)
 	}
 	start, host := now, p.HostName()
+	var seen *time.Time
 	if l := s.leases[ip]; l != nil && l.Owns(cl.mac, cl.id) {
+		seen = l.LastSeen
 		if l.ActiveAt(now) {
 			start = l.Start
 		}
@@ -300,7 +302,7 @@ func (s *Server) ack(ctx context.Context, cfg *config, iface string, p *dhcp4.Pa
 		}
 	}
 	l := &model.Lease{IP: ip, SubnetID: sub.ID, MAC: cl.mac, ClientID: cl.id, Hostname: host, State: model.LeaseActive,
-		Start: start, End: now.Add(sub.leaseTime), Interface: iface}
+		Start: start, End: now.Add(sub.leaseTime), Interface: iface, LastSeen: seen}
 	err := s.putLease(ctx, l)
 	delete(s.offers, ip)
 	s.mu.Unlock()

internal/dhcpd/handle_test.go

@@ -461,3 +461,41 @@ func TestDisabledReservation(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("the printer got %s from a full pool", out.Packet.YIAddr)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLastSeen(t *testing.T) {
+	h := newHarness(t, nil)
+	up := h.lease("eth0", mac(1)).YIAddr
+	quiet := h.lease("eth0", mac(2)).YIAddr
+	h.ping.answers[up] = true
+	h.s.CheckSeen(context.Background())
+	if l := h.s.Lease(up); l.LastSeen == nil || !l.LastSeen.Equal(h.clock) {
+		t.Errorf("answering client: %+v", l)
+	}
+	// One that never answers has no last-seen time, and stays active.
+	if l := h.s.Lease(quiet); l.LastSeen != nil || !l.ActiveAt(h.clock) {
+		t.Errorf("quiet client: %+v", l)
+	}
+	// Later, the time stays when it stops answering, and survives a
+	// renewal and a restart.
+	seen := h.clock
+	h.clock = h.clock.Add(10 * time.Minute)
+	h.ping.answers[up] = false
+	h.s.CheckSeen(context.Background())
+	h.lease("eth0", mac(1))
+	if l := h.s.Lease(up); l.LastSeen == nil || !l.LastSeen.Equal(seen) {
+		t.Errorf("after a renewal: %+v", l)
+	}
+	ls, _ := h.st.LoadLeases(context.Background())
+	for _, l := range ls {
+		if l.IP == up && (l.LastSeen == nil || !l.LastSeen.Equal(seen)) {
+			t.Errorf("stored: %+v", l)
+		}
+	}
+	// Expired leases aren't pinged.
+	h.clock = h.clock.Add(48 * time.Hour)
+	h.ping.pinged = nil
+	h.s.CheckSeen(context.Background())
+	if len(h.ping.pinged) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("pinged %v", h.ping.pinged)
+	}
+}

internal/dhcpd/listen.go

@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func (s *Server) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 	defer t.Stop()
 	prune := time.NewTicker(time.Hour)
 	defer prune.Stop()
+	go s.watchSeen(ctx)
 	for {
 		s.reconcile(ctx)
 		select {

internal/dhcpd/ping.go

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (p *ICMPPinger) Ping(ctx context.Context, a netip.Addr, timeout time.Durati
 	conn, err := icmp.ListenPacket("udp4", "0.0.0.0")
 	if err != nil {
 		p.once.Do(func() {
-			msg := "can't send pings, so addresses aren't checked before they are offered: " + err.Error() + " (check net.ipv4.ping_group_range)"
+			msg := "can't send pings, so addresses aren't checked before they are offered and clients' last-seen times aren't known: " + err.Error() + " (check net.ipv4.ping_group_range)"
 			p.Unavailable.Store(msg)
 			if p.Log != nil {
 				p.Log.Warn(msg)
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func (p *ICMPPinger) Ping(ctx context.Context, a netip.Addr, timeout time.Durati
 	}
 	defer conn.Close()
 	seq := int(p.seq.Add(1) & 0xffff)
-	msg := icmp.Message{Type: ipv4.ICMPTypeEcho, Body: &icmp.Echo{ID: os.Getpid() & 0xffff, Seq: seq, Data: []byte("steward conflict check")}}
+	msg := icmp.Message{Type: ipv4.ICMPTypeEcho, Body: &icmp.Echo{ID: os.Getpid() & 0xffff, Seq: seq, Data: []byte("steward")}}
 	b, err := msg.Marshal(nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false

internal/dhcpd/seen.go

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package dhcpd
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/netip"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"steward/internal/model"
+)
+
+// How often active leases' addresses are pinged for their last-seen time,
+// and how many pings run at once.
+const (
+	seenEvery   = time.Minute
+	seenWorkers = 16
+)
+
+// watchSeen pings the active leases' addresses every seenEvery.
+func (s *Server) watchSeen(ctx context.Context) {
+	t := time.NewTicker(seenEvery)
+	defer t.Stop()
+	for {
+		s.CheckSeen(ctx)
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-t.C:
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// CheckSeen pings every active lease's address once (when the ping check
+// is on), and records when each that answered was seen. A client that
+// doesn't answer keeps its last time, or none: many block pings, and stay
+// online while their lease lasts.
+func (s *Server) CheckSeen(ctx context.Context) {
+	cfg := s.cfg.Load()
+	if s.pinger == nil || !cfg.settings.PingCheck {
+		return
+	}
+	now := s.now()
+	var active []model.Lease
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	for _, l := range s.leases {
+		if l.ActiveAt(now) {
+			active = append(active, *l)
+		}
+	}
+	s.mu.Unlock()
+	timeout := cfg.settings.EffectivePingTimeout()
+	var (
+		mu   sync.Mutex
+		seen = map[netip.Addr]time.Time{}
+		wg   sync.WaitGroup
+		sem  = make(chan struct{}, seenWorkers)
+	)
+	for _, l := range active {
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			break
+		}
+		sem <- struct{}{}
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer func() { <-sem; wg.Done() }()
+			if s.pinger.Ping(ctx, l.IP, timeout) {
+				mu.Lock()
+				seen[l.IP] = s.now()
+				mu.Unlock()
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	if len(seen) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	for _, was := range active {
+		at, ok := seen[was.IP]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		// The address may have gone to another client meanwhile.
+		l := s.leases[was.IP]
+		if l == nil || l.MAC != was.MAC || l.ClientID != was.ClientID || !l.ActiveAt(at) {
+			delete(seen, was.IP)
+			continue
+		}
+		l.LastSeen = &at
+	}
+	if err := s.store.SetLastSeen(ctx, seen); err != nil {
+		s.warnOnce("last seen", time.Hour, "saving clients' last-seen times failed", "err", err)
+	}
+}

internal/dhcpd/server.go

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
 	"sort"
-	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
@@ -24,6 +23,7 @@ type LeaseStore interface {
 	PutLease(ctx context.Context, l *model.Lease) error
 	DeleteLease(ctx context.Context, ip netip.Addr) error
 	PruneLeases(ctx context.Context, before time.Time) (int64, error)
+	SetLastSeen(ctx context.Context, seen map[netip.Addr]time.Time) error
 }
 
 // Interfaces reports a network interface's IPv4 addresses with their
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ type Interfaces interface {
 	Addrs(name string) ([]netip.Prefix, error)
 }
 
-// Pinger checks whether an address answers (conflict detection).
+// Pinger checks whether an address answers (conflict detection, and
+// clients' last-seen times).
 type Pinger interface {
 	Ping(ctx context.Context, a netip.Addr, timeout time.Duration) bool
 }
@@ -342,15 +343,15 @@ func (e *events) add(ev Event) {
 	e.counts[ev.Type]++
 }
 
-// Events returns the latest events, newest first, optionally only those of
+// Events returns the latest events, newest first, optionally only those
-// one MAC address or interface.
+// keep accepts.
-func (s *Server) Events(limit int, mac, iface string) []Event {
+func (s *Server) Events(limit int, keep func(Event) bool) []Event {
 	s.events.mu.Lock()
 	defer s.events.mu.Unlock()
 	out := []Event{}
 	for i := len(s.events.list) - 1; i >= 0 && (limit <= 0 || len(out) < limit); i-- {
 		ev := s.events.list[i]
-		if mac != "" && !strings.EqualFold(ev.MAC, mac) || iface != "" && ev.Interface != iface {
+		if keep != nil && !keep(ev) {
 			continue
 		}
 		out = append(out, ev)

internal/model/lease.go

@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ type Lease struct {
 	// Interface is where the client was last seen.
 	Interface string    `json:"interface"`
 	Updated   time.Time `json:"updated"`
+	// LastSeen is when the client last answered a ping (nil: never).
+	// Clients that block pings stay online while their lease lasts.
+	LastSeen *time.Time `json:"last_seen,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // StateAt is the lease's state at a time (an active lease past its end

internal/server/h_config.go

@@ -572,6 +572,9 @@ func (s *Server) interfaces(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, p *auth.Prin
 	st := s.eng.State()
 	out := []api.HostInterface{}
 	for name, ps := range all {
+		if s.excludedInterface(name) {
+			continue
+		}
 		hi := api.HostInterface{Name: name, Addresses: []string{}, Subnets: []int64{}}
 		for _, a := range ps {
 			hi.Addresses = append(hi.Addresses, a.String())
@@ -585,7 +588,7 @@ func (s *Server) interfaces(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, p *auth.Prin
 	}
 	// Subnets may name interfaces that don't exist (yet).
 	for _, sn := range st.Subnets {
-		if _, ok := all[sn.Interface]; !ok && sn.Interface != "" {
+		if _, ok := all[sn.Interface]; !ok && sn.Interface != "" && !s.excludedInterface(sn.Interface) {
 			found := false
 			for i := range out {
 				if out[i].Name == sn.Interface {

internal/server/h_leases.go

@@ -153,7 +153,30 @@ func (s *Server) listEvents(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, p *auth.Prin
 	if err := require(p, auth.ResLeases, false); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	evs := s.dhcp.Events(queryInt(r, "limit", 200), r.URL.Query().Get("mac"), r.URL.Query().Get("interface"))
+	q := r.URL.Query()
+	var only *model.Subnet
+	if ref := q.Get("subnet"); ref != "" {
+		var err error
+		if only, err = subnetRef(s.eng.State(), ref); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	mac, iface := q.Get("mac"), q.Get("interface")
+	evs := s.dhcp.Events(queryInt(r, "limit", 200), func(e dhcpd.Event) bool {
+		if mac != "" && !strings.EqualFold(e.MAC, mac) || iface != "" && e.Interface != iface {
+			return false
+		}
+		if only != nil {
+			// A message with an address belongs to the subnet that has
+			// it; one without (a DISCOVER) to every subnet on its
+			// interface.
+			if ip, err := netip.ParseAddr(e.IP); err == nil {
+				return only.Prefix.Contains(ip)
+			}
+			return e.Interface == only.Interface
+		}
+		return true
+	})
 	out := make([]api.Event, len(evs))
 	for i, e := range evs {
 		out[i] = api.Event(e)

internal/server/server.go

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -44,6 +45,20 @@ type Config struct {
 	// ACME keeps the certificate stewardd obtains itself (tls.acme; nil
 	// when off).
 	ACME *certs.Manager
+	// ExcludeInterfaces are interface names or path.Match patterns left
+	// out of GET /interfaces (interfaces.exclude).
+	ExcludeInterfaces []string
+}
+
+// excludedInterface reports whether interfaces.exclude hides the
+// interface name.
+func (s *Server) excludedInterface(name string) bool {
+	for _, p := range s.cfg.ExcludeInterfaces {
+		if ok, _ := path.Match(p, name); ok {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
 }
 
 // Interfaces lists the host's interfaces.

internal/server/server_test.go

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http/cookiejar"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"net/netip"
+	"net/url"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -246,6 +247,16 @@ func TestLeasesThroughDHCP(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(evs) != 4 || evs[0].Type != "DHCPACK" {
 		t.Errorf("events %+v", evs)
 	}
+	// By subnet: its addresses, and DISCOVERs on its interface.
+	e.call(e.token, "POST", "/subnets", api.SubnetInput{Name: ptr("office"), Prefix: ptr("10.0.10.0/24"), Interface: ptr("eth0")}, nil)
+	for ref, want := range map[string]int{"iot": 4, "10.0.20.0/24": 4, "office": 0} {
+		if code := e.call(e.token, "GET", "/events?subnet="+url.QueryEscape(ref), nil, &evs); code != 200 || len(evs) != want {
+			t.Errorf("events of subnet %s: %d %+v", ref, code, evs)
+		}
+	}
+	if code := e.call(e.token, "GET", "/events?subnet=nope", nil, nil); code != 404 && code != 400 {
+		t.Errorf("unknown subnet: %d", code)
+	}
 	if code := e.call(e.token, "DELETE", "/leases/"+ip, nil, nil); code != 204 {
 		t.Errorf("delete lease: %d", code)
 	}
@@ -380,3 +391,17 @@ func TestTokenRotation(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("a token rotating itself: %d", code)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestInterfacesExclude(t *testing.T) {
+	e := newEnv(t)
+	e.srv.cfg.ExcludeInterfaces = []string{"eth0.*", "docker*"}
+	// A subnet on an excluded interface the host doesn't have.
+	if c := e.call(e.token, "POST", "/subnets", api.SubnetInput{Prefix: ptr("172.17.0.0/16"), Interface: ptr("docker0")}, nil); c != 201 {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %d", c)
+	}
+	var ifs []api.HostInterface
+	e.call(e.token, "GET", "/interfaces", nil, &ifs)
+	if len(ifs) != 1 || ifs[0].Name != "eth0" {
+		t.Errorf("interfaces: %+v", ifs)
+	}
+}

internal/store/leases.go

@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ package store
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"database/sql"
 	"net/netip"
 	"time"
 
 	"steward/internal/model"
 )
 
-const leaseCols = `ip, subnet_id, mac, client_id, hostname, state, start, end, interface, updated`
+const leaseCols = `ip, subnet_id, mac, client_id, hostname, state, start, end, interface, updated, last_seen`
 
 // LoadLeases reads every lease.
 func (s *Store) LoadLeases(ctx context.Context) ([]*model.Lease, error) {
@@ -21,11 +22,13 @@ func (s *Store) LoadLeases(ctx context.Context) ([]*model.Lease, error) {
 	for rows.Next() {
 		l := &model.Lease{}
 		var ip, start, end, updated string
-		if err := rows.Scan(&ip, &l.SubnetID, &l.MAC, &l.ClientID, &l.Hostname, &l.State, &start, &end, &l.Interface, &updated); err != nil {
+		var seen sql.NullString
+		if err := rows.Scan(&ip, &l.SubnetID, &l.MAC, &l.ClientID, &l.Hostname, &l.State, &start, &end, &l.Interface, &updated, &seen); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		l.IP, _ = netip.ParseAddr(ip)
 		l.Start, l.End, l.Updated = parseTS(start), parseTS(end), parseTS(updated)
+		l.LastSeen = parseTSPtr(seen)
 		out = append(out, l)
 	}
 	return out, rows.Err()
@@ -46,10 +49,26 @@ func (s *Store) PutLeases(ctx context.Context, ls []*model.Lease) error {
 	}
 	defer tx.Rollback()
 	for _, l := range ls {
-		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `INSERT INTO leases (`+leaseCols+`) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
+		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `INSERT INTO leases (`+leaseCols+`) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
 			ON CONFLICT(ip) DO UPDATE SET subnet_id = excluded.subnet_id, mac = excluded.mac, client_id = excluded.client_id, hostname = excluded.hostname,
-			state = excluded.state, start = excluded.start, end = excluded.end, interface = excluded.interface, updated = excluded.updated`,
+			state = excluded.state, start = excluded.start, end = excluded.end, interface = excluded.interface, updated = excluded.updated, last_seen = excluded.last_seen`,
-			l.IP.String(), l.SubnetID, l.MAC, l.ClientID, l.Hostname, l.State, ts(l.Start), ts(l.End), l.Interface, ts(l.Updated)); err != nil {
+			l.IP.String(), l.SubnetID, l.MAC, l.ClientID, l.Hostname, l.State, ts(l.Start), ts(l.End), l.Interface, ts(l.Updated), tsPtr(l.LastSeen)); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return tx.Commit()
+}
+
+// SetLastSeen records when leases' clients answered a ping, in one
+// transaction.
+func (s *Store) SetLastSeen(ctx context.Context, seen map[netip.Addr]time.Time) error {
+	tx, err := s.db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer tx.Rollback()
+	for ip, t := range seen {
+		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, `UPDATE leases SET last_seen = ? WHERE ip = ?`, ts(t), ip.String()); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}

internal/store/store.go

@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ ALTER TABLE tokens ADD COLUMN prev_expires_at TEXT;
 	// 3: disabled reservations.
 	`
 ALTER TABLE reservations ADD COLUMN disabled INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0;
+`,
+	// 4: when a lease's client last answered a ping.
+	`
+ALTER TABLE leases ADD COLUMN last_seen TEXT;
 `,
 }
 

internal/web/static/assets/pages/activity.js

@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@
 import { h, mount, input, select, debounce } from "../ui.js";
 import { get } from "../api.js";
 import { onLeave } from "../app.js";
+import { subnetLabel } from "../widgets.js";
 
 export async function render(el, params, query) {
-  const ifaces = await get("/interfaces");
+  const [ifaces, subnets] = await Promise.all([get("/interfaces"), get("/subnets")]);
+  const subnetSel = select([["", "all subnets"], ...subnets.map((s) => [String(s.id), subnetLabel(s)])], query.get("subnet") || "");
   const mac = input({ placeholder: "MAC address", value: query.get("mac") || "", class: "mono" });
   const iface = select([["", "all interfaces"], ...ifaces.filter((i) => i.subnets.length).map((i) => [i.name, i.name])], query.get("interface") || "");
   const out = h("div");
   let live = true;
   const pause = h("button", { onclick: () => { live = !live; pause.textContent = live ? "Pause" : "Resume"; } }, "Pause");
   const draw = async () => {
-    const evs = await get("/events", { mac: mac.value.trim(), interface: iface.value, limit: 300 });
+    const evs = await get("/events", { mac: mac.value.trim(), subnet: subnetSel.value, interface: iface.value, limit: 300 });
     mount(out, evs.length ? h("div", { class: "table-wrap" }, h("table", { class: "activity" },
       h("thead", null, h("tr", null, ["Time", "Interface", "Message", "Client", "Address", "Host name", ""].map((t) => h("th", null, t)))),
       h("tbody", null, evs.map((e) => {
@@ -26,14 +28,15 @@ export async function render(el, params, query) {
           h("td", { class: "mono" }, e.ip || ""),
           h("td", null, e.hostname || ""),
           h("td", { class: "detail" }, e.detail || ""));
-      })))) : h("div", { class: "empty" }, "No DHCP messages yet" + (mac.value || iface.value ? " that match." : ".")));
+      })))) : h("div", { class: "empty" }, "No DHCP messages yet" + (mac.value || subnetSel.value || iface.value ? " that match." : ".")));
   };
   mac.addEventListener("input", debounce(draw, 300));
+  subnetSel.addEventListener("change", draw);
   iface.addEventListener("change", draw);
   mount(el,
     h("div", { class: "page-head" }, h("div", { class: "grow" }, h("h1", null, "Activity"),
       h("div", { class: "muted" }, "The latest DHCP messages Steward received and sent, newest first. A MAC address leads to that client's leases; Only this follows just that client."))),
-    h("div", { class: "filter-row" }, mac, iface, pause),
+    h("div", { class: "filter-row" }, mac, subnetSel, iface, pause),
     h("div", { class: "panel" }, out));
   await draw();
   const t = setInterval(() => { if (live) draw().catch(() => {}); }, 3000);

internal/web/static/assets/pages/leases.js

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export function leasesTable(leases, done, opts = {}) {
     { label: "Host name", render: leaseHost },
     { label: "State", render: (l) => [stateBadge(l.state), l.reservation ? [" ", badge("reserved", "accent")] : null] },
     { label: "Ends", render: (l) => time(l.end) },
+    { label: "Last seen", render: (l) => l.last_seen ? time(l.last_seen) : "" },
     opts.subnet ? null : { label: "Subnet", render: (l) => l.subnet || "–" },
     { label: "Interface", render: (l) => h("span", { class: "mono" }, l.interface) },
     { label: "", tdClass: "actions-cell", render: (l) => [

internal/web/static/assets/pages/reservations.js

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Reservations: fixed addresses for clients.
-import { h, mount, table, input, modal, errorBox, field, confirmDialog, select, debounce, badge, checkbox } from "../ui.js";
+import { h, mount, table, time, input, modal, errorBox, field, confirmDialog, select, debounce, badge, checkbox } from "../ui.js";
 import { get, change, can } from "../api.js";
 import { optionsEditor, subnetLabel } from "../widgets.js";
 
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ export function reservationsTable(rs, done, opts = {}) {
     { label: "Host name", render: (r) => r.hostname || h("span", { class: "muted" }, "–") },
     opts.subnet ? null : { label: "Subnet", render: (r) => r.subnet_id ? h("a", { href: "#/subnets/" + r.subnet_id }, r.subnet) : "–" },
     { label: "Online", render: (r) => r.lease
-      ? h("span", { title: "lease until " + new Date(r.lease.end).toLocaleString() }, badge("online", "ok"), h("span", { class: "muted small" }, " on " + r.lease.interface))
+      ? h("span", { title: "lease until " + new Date(r.lease.end).toLocaleString() }, badge("online", "ok"), h("span", { class: "muted small" }, " on " + r.lease.interface),
+          r.lease.last_seen ? h("span", { class: "muted small", title: "last answered a ping" }, ", seen ", time(r.lease.last_seen)) : null)
       : badge("offline") },
     { label: "Options", render: (r) => r.options.length ? h("span", { class: "mono small" }, r.options.map((o) => o.name + "=" + o.value).join("; ")) : "" },
     { label: "Comment", render: (r) => r.comment },

internal/web/static/assets/pages/settings.js

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ export async function render(el) {
   const s = await get("/settings");
   const write = can("config", true);
   const lease = input({ value: fmtSeconds(s.lease_time || 43200) });
-  const ping = checkbox("Ping an address before offering it, and skip it if something answers", s.ping_check);
+  const ping = checkbox("Ping an address before offering it, and skip it if something answers; also ping clients every minute for their last-seen time", s.ping_check);
   const timeout = input({ type: "number", min: 50, max: 5000, value: s.ping_timeout_ms || 500 });
   timeout.style.width = "7em";
   const hold = input({ value: fmtSeconds(s.decline_hold || 86400) });

scripts/e2e.sh

@@ -178,12 +178,24 @@ run "undo the lease time change" 0 S history undo $(S history list -o json | gre
 run "lease time back" 0 S subnet show iot
 contains "Lease time: *1h"
 
+# ---- last seen: a client that stays up answers pings
+
+# busybox's default script puts the leased address on the interface.
+docker run -d --name ${P}-live --network ${P}-b --mac-address 02:00:00:00:00:30 --cap-add NET_ADMIN steward-e2e-client \
+	udhcpc -i eth0 -f -x hostname:live >/dev/null
+for i in $(seq 1 20); do S lease list | grep -q " live " && break; sleep 0.5; done
+
 # ---- restart: leases survive
 
 docker exec ${P}-srv sh -c 'kill $(pidof stewardd)'; sleep 1
 run "restart stewardd" 0 start
 run "leases after the restart" 0 S lease list
 contains "$NA.101 *02:00:00:00:00:01 *laptop *active"
+# A ping round runs at start (then every minute).
+sleep 2
+run "last seen" 0 S lease list
+contains "live *active *in [0-9hm]* *now *eth1"
+contains "laptop *active *in [0-9hm]* *- *eth0"
 run "the client still gets its address" 0 udhcpc a 02:00:00:00:00:01
 contains "BOUND ip=$NA.101 "