How to Configure the Network Interface Automatically for SUSE Linux

You can configure the network interface for the SUSE Linux Server (SLES) platform either by using the GUI or manually editing the configuration file.

This chapter describes how to manually edit the configuration file. For instructions on configuring the network interface using the GUI, refer to the documentation for your SLES version at: http://www.novell.com/documentation/suse.html

For Novell systems, the interface configuration files are named ifcfg-eth-id (for example, ifcfg-eth-id-00:14:4F:29:00:1D for the NEM network device as used in proceeding examples), and reside in the /etc/sysconfig/network system directory. For example:

1. Create a configuration file, as shown in the following example.

   host #> ls -l /etc/sysconfig/network 
   total 88[...]
   -rw-r--r-- 1 root root   271 Oct 29 18:00 ifcfg-eth-id-00:14:4f:29:00:1D
   -rw-r--r-- 1 root root   245 Oct 29 18:00 ifcfg-eth-id-00:14:4f:80:06:ef 
   -rw-r--r-- 1 root root   141 Apr 21  2008 ifcfg-lo
   [...]
    
   host #> cat /etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-eth-id-00:14:4f:29:00:1D
   BOOTPROTO=’static’BROADCAST=’’
   ETHTOOL_OPTIONS=’’
   IPADDR=’10.1.10.150’
   NAME=’Sun Microsystems Ethernet controller’
   NETMASK=’255.255.255.0’
   NETWORK=’’
   REMOTE_IPADDR=’’
   STARTMODE=’auto’
   UNIQUE=’DkES.he1wLcVzebD’
   USERCONTROL=’no’
   _nm_name=’bus-pci-0000:88:00.0’

   This sample ifcfg file was created using the Network Setup Method GUI. Regardless of which method you employ to maintain the network device configuration database, once the appropriate ifcfg file has been properly created, it will automatically be applied whenever the system boots. All matched network interfaces are automatically configured.

2. Use the ifconfig command or the shorthand ifup script to bring the network interface online (up) for use once the system has booted (to at least runlevel 3).

   host #> ifconfig eth2 up

   or

   host #> ifup eth2

   When you manually edit one of the ifcfg files, you might need to invoke an explicit (manual) ifdown/ifup sequence to apply the new configuration (for example, changing the IP address or netmask, changing the MTU, and so on).