I am not 100% sure but suspect that CLI tools use generated node names so that they can run concurrently. How can we accomplish that while also using a limited number of names?

We can catch net_kernel:start and change name if it's taken. And we should also look at rabbit_nodes:ensure_epmd, because it is also generates big random node names.

@hairyhum 👍. Feel free to work with @binarin on a proof of concept when you have a chance.

Actually, it's not a problem with rabbit_nodes:ensure_epmd - starter node is not connecting anywhere, so there will be no pollution.

I think I'll provide some preliminary patch today.

The PR provided by @binarin looks reasonable, I will test it later today. Thank you for your ongoing contributions.

I've been running 2 instances of rabbitmqctl and one rabbitmq-plugins in tight loops with this patch for half an hour now, looking good. epm -names reports that CLI node names are what we expect. Looking good so far.

While it sounds ridiculous, we've observed such a crash on a production server )

Thanks for reporting this @binarin

Fixed by #552 (and rabbitmq/rabbitmq-common#48). I like the solution we now have, thank you @binarin!

This problem has re-appeared in the current generation of CLI tools (rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli) and had to be addressed the same way in rabbitmq/rabbitmq-cli#461.