NICs That Were Missing at System Boot

NICs that are not present at system boot represent a special instance of failure detection. At boot time, the startup scripts track any interfaces with /etc/hostname.interface files that cannot be plumbed. Any data addresses in such an interface's /etc/hostname.interface file are automatically hosted on an alternative interface in the IPMP group.

In such an event, you receive error messages similar to the following

moving addresses from failed IPv4 interfaces: hme0 (moved to hme1)
moving addresses from failed IPv6 interfaces: hme0 (moved to hme1)

If no alternative interface exists, you receive error messages similar to the following:

moving addresses from failed IPv4 interfaces: hme0 (couldn't move; 
   no alternative interface) 
 moving addresses from failed IPv6 interfaces: hme0 (couldn't move; 
   no alternative interface) 

In this instance of failure detection, only data addresses that are explicitly specified in the missing interface's /etc/hostname.interface file move to an alternative interface. Any addresses that are usually acquired through other means, such as through RARP or DHCP, are not acquired or moved.

If an interface with the same name as another interface that was missing at system boot is reattached using DR, RCM automatically plumbs the interface. Then, RCM configures the interface according to the contents of the interface's /etc/hostname.interface file. Finally, RCM fails back any data addresses, just as if the interface had been repaired. Thus, the final network configuration is identical to the configuration that would have been made if the system had been booted with the interface present.