/**
* @param int $type See Ganglia::TYPE_*
* @return Packer
*/
protected function getPacker($type)
{
$packer = new Packer();
$packer->uint32($type);
// Packet type (metadata or value)
$packer->string($this->host);
// Host name
$packer->string($this->name);
// Metric name
$packer->uint32((int) $this->spoof);
// Spoofing enabled?
return $packer;
}