diff --git a/mx_util.c b/mx_util.c
index 199bcd5..efde13f 100644
--- a/mx_util.c
+++ b/mx_util.c
@@ -752,6 +752,194 @@ int mx_open_newfile(char *fname)
     return fh;
 }
 
+int mx_read_first_line_from_file(char *fname, char **line)
+{
+    _mx_cleanup_fclose_ FILE *fp;
+    char *buf = NULL;
+    size_t n = 0;
+    ssize_t res;
+
+    fp = fopen(fname, "r");
+    if (!fp)
+        return -errno;
+
+    res = getline(&buf, &n, fp);
+    if (res == -1)
+        return -errno;
+
+    *line = buf;
+
+    if (!res)
+        return res;
+
+    res--;
+
+    if (buf[res] == '\n')
+        buf[res] = 0;
+
+    return res;
+}
+
+int mx_strscan_ull(char **str, unsigned long long int *to)
+{
+    unsigned long long int l;
+    char *s;
+    char *p;
+    char o = 0;
+    int res;
+
+    s = *str;
+
+    p = strchr(s, ' ');
+    if (p) {
+        o = *p;
+        *p = 0;
+        p++;
+    } else {
+        p = s + strlen(s);
+    }
+
+    res = mx_strtoull(s, &l);
+    if (o)
+        *(p-1) = o;
+
+    if (res == 0) {
+        *to = l;
+        *str = p;
+    }
+
+    return res;
+}
+
+int mx_strscan_ll(char **str, long long int *to)
+{
+    long long int l;
+    char *s;
+    char *p;
+    char o = 0;
+    int res;
+
+    s = *str;
+
+    p = strchr(s, ' ');
+    if (p) {
+        o = *p;
+        *p = 0;
+        p++;
+    } else {
+        p = s + strlen(s);
+    }
+
+    res = mx_strtoll(s, &l);
+    if (o)
+        *(p-1) = o;
+
+    if (res == 0) {
+        *to = l;
+        *str = p;
+    }
+
+    return res;
+}
+
+int mx_strscan_proc_pid_stat(char *str, struct proc_pid_stat *pps)
+{
+    size_t res = 0;
+    char *p;
+    char *s;
+
+    pps->comm = NULL;
+
+    s = str;
+
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->pid));
+
+    p = strrchr(s, ')');
+    if (!p)
+        return -(errno=EINVAL);
+
+    *p = 0;
+    s++;
+
+    pps->comm = mx_strdup_forever(s);
+    s = p + 2;
+
+    pps->state = *s;
+    res += !(*(s+1) == ' ');
+    s += 2;
+
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->ppid));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->pgrp));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->session));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->tty_nr));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->tpgid));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->flags));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->minflt));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->cminflt));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->majflt));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->cmajflt));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->utime));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->stime));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->cutime));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->cstime));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->priority));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->nice));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->num_threads));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->itrealvalue));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->starttime));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->vsize));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->rss));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->rsslim));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->startcode));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->endcode));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->startstack));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->kstkesp));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->kstkeip));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->signal));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->blocked));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->sigignore));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->sigcatch));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->wchan));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->nswap));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->cnswap));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->exit_signal));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->processor));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->rt_priority));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->policy));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->delayacct_blkio_ticks));
+    res += mx_strscan_ull(&s, &(pps->guest_time));
+    res += mx_strscan_ll(&s, &(pps->cguest_time));
+
+    if (res != 0)
+        return -(errno=EINVAL);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int mx_proc_pid_stat(struct proc_pid_stat *pps, pid_t pid)
+{
+    _mx_cleanup_free_ char *fname = NULL;
+    _mx_cleanup_free_ char *line = NULL;
+    int res;
+
+    mx_asprintf_forever(&fname, "/proc/%d/stat", pid);
+
+    res = mx_read_first_line_from_file(fname, &line);
+    if (res < 0)
+        return res;
+
+    res = mx_strscan_proc_pid_stat(line, pps);
+    if (res < 0)
+        return res;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void mx_proc_pid_stat_free(struct proc_pid_stat *pps)
+{
+    mx_free_null(pps->comm);
+}
+
 int mx_sleep(unsigned int seconds)
 {
     if (seconds)
diff --git a/mx_util.h b/mx_util.h
index d805aef..f79d77f 100644
--- a/mx_util.h
+++ b/mx_util.h
@@ -5,9 +5,57 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
 
 #include "mx_log.h"
 
+struct proc_pid_stat {
+    long long int pid;     /* 1 */
+    char *comm;            /* 2 (comm) */
+    char state;            /* 3 "RSDZTW" */
+    long long int ppid;    /* 4 */
+    long long int pgrp;    /* 5 */
+    long long int session; /* 6 */
+    long long int tty_nr;  /* 7 */
+    long long int tpgid;   /* 8 */
+    unsigned long long int flags;   /*  9 */
+    unsigned long long int minflt;  /* 10 */
+    unsigned long long int cminflt; /* 11 */
+    unsigned long long int majflt;  /* 12 */
+    unsigned long long int cmajflt; /* 13 */
+    unsigned long long int utime;   /* 14 */
+    unsigned long long int stime;   /* 15 */
+    long long int cutime;   /* 16 */
+    long long int cstime;   /* 17 */
+    long long int priority; /* 18 */
+    long long int nice;     /* 19 */
+    long long int num_threads;          /* 20 */
+    long long int itrealvalue;          /* 21 */
+    unsigned long long int starttime;   /* 22 */
+    unsigned long long int vsize;       /* 23 */
+    long long int rss;                  /* 24 */
+    unsigned long long int rsslim;      /* 25 */
+    unsigned long long int startcode;   /* 26 */
+    unsigned long long int endcode;     /* 27 */
+    unsigned long long int startstack;  /* 28 */
+    unsigned long long int kstkesp;     /* 29 */
+    unsigned long long int kstkeip;     /* 30 */
+    unsigned long long int signal;      /* 31 */
+    unsigned long long int blocked;     /* 32 */
+    unsigned long long int sigignore;   /* 33 */
+    unsigned long long int sigcatch;    /* 34 */
+    unsigned long long int wchan;       /* 35 */
+    unsigned long long int nswap;       /* 36 */
+    unsigned long long int cnswap;      /* 37 */
+    long long int exit_signal;          /* 38 */
+    long long int processor;            /* 39 */
+    unsigned long long int rt_priority; /* 40 */
+    unsigned long long int policy;      /* 41 */
+    unsigned long long int delayacct_blkio_ticks; /* 42 */
+    unsigned long long int guest_time;  /* 43 */
+    long long int cguest_time;          /* 44 */
+};
+
 #ifdef MX_NDEBUG
 #   include <assert.h>
 #   define mx_assert_return_minus_errno(test, eno) \
@@ -46,9 +94,17 @@ static inline void __mx_free(void *ptr) {
     free(*(void **)ptr);
 }
 
+static inline void __mx_fclose(FILE **ptr) {
+    if (*ptr)
+        fclose(*ptr);
+}
+
 #undef _mx_cleanup_free_
 #define _mx_cleanup_free_ _mx_cleanup_(__mx_free)
 
+#undef _mx_cleanup_fclose_
+#define _mx_cleanup_fclose_ _mx_cleanup_(__mx_fclose)
+
 #undef likely
 #define likely(x)       __builtin_expect((x),1)
 
@@ -106,6 +162,15 @@ int mx_setenvf_forever(const char *name, char *fmt, ...) __attribute__ ((format(
 
 int mx_open_newfile(char *fname);
 
+int mx_read_first_line_from_file(char *fname, char **line);
+
+int mx_strscan_ull(char **str, unsigned long long int *to);
+int mx_strscan_ll(char **str, long long int *to);
+int mx_strscan_proc_pid_stat(char *str, struct proc_pid_stat *pps);
+
+int mx_proc_pid_stat(struct proc_pid_stat *pps, pid_t pid);
+void mx_proc_pid_stat_free(struct proc_pid_stat *pps);
+
 int mx_sleep(unsigned int seconds);
 int mx_sleep_nofail(unsigned int seconds);
 
diff --git a/mxqd.c b/mxqd.c
index 73fef9a..d69017b 100644
--- a/mxqd.c
+++ b/mxqd.c
@@ -203,11 +203,13 @@ int server_init(struct mxq_server *server, int argc, char *argv[])
     char *arg_initial_tmpdir;
     char arg_daemonize = 0;
     char arg_nolog = 0;
+    char *str_bootid;
     int opt;
     unsigned long threads_total = 1;
     unsigned long memory_total = 2048;
     unsigned long memory_max   = 0;
     int i;
+    struct proc_pid_stat pps = {0};
 
     struct mx_getopt_ctl optctl;
     struct mx_option opts[] = {
@@ -409,6 +411,20 @@ int server_init(struct mxq_server *server, int argc, char *argv[])
         }
     }
 
+    res = mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/sys/kernel/random/boot_id", &str_bootid);
+    assert(res == 36);
+    assert(str_bootid);
+
+    server->boot_id = str_bootid;
+
+    res = mx_proc_pid_stat(&pps, getpid());
+    assert(res == 0);
+
+    server->starttime = pps.starttime;
+    mx_proc_pid_stat_free(&pps);
+
+    mx_asprintf_forever(&server->host_id, "%s-%llx-%x", server->boot_id, server->starttime, getpid());
+
     server->slots = threads_total;;
     server->memory_total = memory_total;
     server->memory_max_per_slot = memory_max;
@@ -807,7 +823,9 @@ static int init_child_process(struct mxq_group_list *group, struct mxq_job *j)
     mx_setenvf_forever("MXQ_SLOTS",   "%lu",    group->slots_per_job);
     mx_setenvf_forever("MXQ_MEMORY",  "%lu",    g->job_memory);
     mx_setenvf_forever("MXQ_TIME",    "%d",     g->job_time);
-    mx_setenvf_forever("MXQ_HOSTID",  "%s::%s", s->hostname, s->server_id);
+    mx_setenv_forever("MXQ_HOSTID",   s->host_id);
+    mx_setenv_forever("MXQ_HOSTNAME", s->hostname);
+    mx_setenv_forever("MXQ_SERVERID", s->server_id);
 
     fh = open("/proc/self/loginuid", O_WRONLY|O_TRUNC);
     if (fh == -1) {
@@ -1349,6 +1367,8 @@ void server_close(struct mxq_server *server)
         unlink(server->pidfilename);
 
     mx_funlock(server->flock);
+
+    mx_free_null(server->boot_id);
 }
 
 int killall(struct mxq_server *server, int sig, unsigned int pgrp)
@@ -1691,6 +1711,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     mx_log_info("  by Marius Tolzmann <tolzmann@molgen.mpg.de> " MXQ_VERSIONDATE);
     mx_log_info("  Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics - Berlin Dahlem");
     mx_log_info("hostname=%s server_id=%s :: MXQ server started.", server.hostname, server.server_id);
+    mx_log_info("  host_id=%s", server.host_id);
     mx_log_info("slots=%lu memory_total=%lu memory_avg_per_slot=%.0Lf memory_max_per_slot=%ld :: server initialized.",
                   server.slots, server.memory_total, server.memory_avg_per_slot, server.memory_max_per_slot);
 
diff --git a/mxqd.h b/mxqd.h
index 57c9b4f..c4db22d 100644
--- a/mxqd.h
+++ b/mxqd.h
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ struct mxq_server {
 
     struct mx_mysql *mysql;
 
+    char *boot_id;
+    unsigned long long int starttime;
+    char *host_id;
     char *hostname;
     char *server_id;
     char *lockfilename;
diff --git a/test_mx_util.c b/test_mx_util.c
index 66dd776..5700e80 100644
--- a/test_mx_util.c
+++ b/test_mx_util.c
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "mx_util.h"
 
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ static void test_mx_strtoul(void)
     assert(mx_strtoul("-1", &l) == -ERANGE);
     assert(mx_strtoul(" -1", &l) == -ERANGE);
 
+    assert(mx_strtoul("123 123", &l) == -EINVAL);
     assert(mx_strtoul("123s", &l) == -EINVAL);
     assert(mx_strtoul("0888", &l) == -EINVAL);
     assert(mx_strtoul("1.2", &l)  == -EINVAL);
@@ -271,6 +276,87 @@ static void test_mx_strtobytes(void)
     assert(mx_strtobytes("test", &l) == -EINVAL);
 }
 
+static void test_mx_read_first_line_from_file(void)
+{
+    char *str;
+    long long int l;
+
+    assert(mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/sys/kernel/random/boot_id", &str) == 36);
+    assert(str);
+    mx_free_null(str);
+
+    assert(mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid", &str) == 36);
+    assert(str);
+    mx_free_null(str);
+
+    assert(mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/no_such_file", &str) == -ENOENT);
+    assert(str == NULL);
+
+    assert(mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/self/stat", &str) > 0);
+    assert(str);
+    mx_strtoll(str, &l);
+    mx_free_null(str);
+}
+
+static void test_mx_strscan(void)
+{
+    _mx_cleanup_free_ char *s = NULL;
+    char *str;
+    unsigned long long int ull;
+    long long int ll;
+    _mx_cleanup_free_ char *line = NULL;
+    struct proc_pid_stat pps = {0};
+    struct proc_pid_stat pps2 = {0};
+
+    assert(s = strdup("123 456 -789 246 abc"));
+    str = s;
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ull(&str, &ull) == 0);
+    assert(ull == 123);
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ull(&str, &ull) == 0);
+    assert(ull == 456);
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ull(&str, &ull) == -ERANGE);
+    assert(mx_streq(str, "-789 246 abc"));
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ll(&str, &ll) == 0);
+    assert(ll == -789);
+    assert(mx_streq(str, "246 abc"));
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ll(&str, &ll) == 0);
+    assert(ll == 246);
+    assert(mx_streq(str, "abc"));
+
+    assert(mx_strscan_ull(&str, &ull) == -EINVAL);
+    assert(mx_streq(str, "abc"));
+    assert(mx_streq(s, "123 456 -789 246 abc"));
+    mx_free_null(s);
+
+    assert(s = strdup("123"));
+    str = s;
+    assert(mx_strscan_ull(&str, &ull) == 0);
+    assert(ull == 123);
+    assert(mx_streq(str, ""));
+    assert(mx_streq(s, "123"));
+
+    assert(mx_read_first_line_from_file("/proc/self/stat", &line) > 0);
+    assert(mx_strscan_proc_pid_stat(line, &pps) == 0);
+    assert(pps.pid == getpid());
+    assert(pps.ppid == getppid());
+    assert(pps.state == 'R');
+    assert(mx_streq(pps.comm, program_invocation_short_name) || mx_streq(pps.comm, "memcheck-amd64-"));
+    mx_proc_pid_stat_free(&pps);
+
+    assert(mx_proc_pid_stat(&pps2, getpid()) == 0);
+    assert(pps2.pid == getpid());
+    assert(pps2.ppid == getppid());
+    assert(pps2.state == 'R');
+    assert(mx_streq(pps2.comm, program_invocation_short_name) || mx_streq(pps2.comm, "memcheck-amd64-"));
+    mx_proc_pid_stat_free(&pps2);
+}
+
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     test_mx_strskipwhitespaces();
@@ -284,5 +370,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     test_mx_strtoseconds();
     test_mx_strtominutes();
     test_mx_strtobytes();
+    test_mx_read_first_line_from_file();
+    test_mx_strscan();
     return 0;
 }