Launch a User Shell From SUSE Install to Identify Network Interfaces by Logical and Physical Names

This appendix explains how to launch a user shell during the Linux SUSE OS installation in order to identify network interfaces by logical and physical names. It assumes you are referring to this appendix from:

Before You Begin

You must know the MAC addresses of each EM and NEM port connected to a network; previously recorded in the Linux OS Installation and Network Configuration Worksheet.

What to Do

  1. If you have not already done so, select Rescue System and press Enter.

    The message Loading Linux Kernel appears followed by the SUSE splash screen. Then the Choose a Keyboard Map screen appears.

  2. In the Choose a Keyboard Map screen, select the appropriate keyboard configuration and click OK.

    The user shell launches and the Rescue Login prompt appears.

  3. At the Rescue Login prompt, type root to login, then press Enter.

    The rescue prompt appears.

  4. At the Rescue prompt (#), type the following command then press Enter to display all network interfaces.

    ifconfig -a

    The output for the Linux SUSE named and physical named network interfaces appear, for example see the following sample output.

    If you have multiple network interfaces and the output of interfaces scrolls-off the top of the screen, you can display the output per interface.

  5. To view the output per network interface, at the prompt type the following command and press Enter:

    if config eth#

    where # = the interface number. For example, if you type:

    if config eth0

    The following sample output for eth0 appears, see the following sample:

    In the sample output above, the:

    • eth0 entry in the first column refers to the Linux SUSE logical named interface. This first column in the output identifies the logical names SUSE assigned to the network interface.

    • HWaddr 00.14.4F.0C:A1:53 entry in second column (first row) refers to the physical MAC address of the network port.

  6. Do the following:

    1. Refer to the list of MAC addresses previously gathered as part of the Linux OS Installation and Network Configuration Worksheet.

    2. For each network interface, match each physical MAC address with each logical name entry in the ifconfig -a output.

    3. Record the SUSE logical network interface name with the physical port MAC address for future reference. You will need to refer to this record when configuring the network interfaces during the Linux SUSE OS installation.

  7. When you are done, do one of the following to exit the rescue shell.

    • From the ILOM, select Remote Control -> Remote Power Control -> Reset.

    • From other consoles, at the rescue prompt (#) type reboot and press Enter.

  8. Restart the Linux SUSE installation program by using the following documentation as a reference:

    • Procedure Install SLES9 From Local or Virtual Media. Restart the procedure, starting from Step 1.

    • Newly recorded list of the network interfaces that identifies them by their logical and physical names. You will need this list to help you identify which network interfaces you want to configure in the Linux SUSE installation.