Managing Network Configuration in Reactive Mode

Reactive network configuration handles network connectivity and network configuration based on current network conditions through the use of several different types of profiles. Individual profiles contain properties that determine how the network is configured. These profiles are then activated and deactivated by the system, or by you. Assuming your site has a DHCP server that can provide IP addresses and name service information, reactive network configuration provides out-of-box functionality for automatic network configuration of a system that does not require manual configuration. See Chapter 1, Reactive Network Configuration (Overview), in Connecting Systems Using Reactive Network Configuration in Oracle Solaris 11.1.

When you are using reactive network configuration, the system automatically detects changes in network conditions and adjusts the network configuration accordingly, based on the new network environment. So, in situations where cables are regularly plugged or unplugged, cards are added or removed, etc., the system restores network connectivity without any user intervention. One disadvantage of using reactive network configuration is that you have less control over network configuration in the event that network conditions change.

For reactive network configuration, the system provides the Automatic NCP and the Automatic Location. These two profiles perform basic configuration of wired and wireless networking. The only time you are required to interact with reactive networking is if you are prompted by the system for more information, for example, to provide a security key or password for a wireless network.

You can optionally create user-defined reactive NCPs and Locations that are configured with properties that you specify. Use the netcfg command, either in command-line mode or interactively to create reactive NCPs, Locations, and other profile types.

Part of the process of creating a reactive NCP is to configure the individual components that are contained within the NCP. These individual configuration objects are called Network Configuration Units (NCUs), and each NCU represents a physical link or an interface with properties that define the configuration for that particular link or interface, as shown in the output of the following output:

netcfg> select ncp myncp
netcfg:ncp:myncp> select ncu ip nge0
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> list
ncu:nge0
    type                interface
    class               ip
    parent              "myncp"
    enabled             true
    ip-version          ipv4,ipv6
    ipv4-addrsrc        dhcp
    ipv6-addrsrc        dhcp,autoconf

The following examples show how to create and modify NCPs by using the netcfg command interactively. See Chapter 2, Creating and Configuring Reactive Network Profiles (Tasks), in Connecting Systems Using Reactive Network Configuration in Oracle Solaris 11.1 for detailed instructions.

Example 7-7 Creating a New Reactive NCP

In the following example, a new NCP named myncp and two NCUs (one link and one interface) are created.

$ netcfg
netcfg> create ncp myncp
netcfg:ncp:myncp> create ncu phys net0
Created ncu `net0', Walking properties ...
activation-mode (manual) [manual|prioritized]>
mac-address>
autopush>
mtu>
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:net0> end
Committed changes
netcfg:ncp:myncp> create ncu ip net0
Created ncu `net0'. Walking properties ...
ip-version (ipv4,ipv6) [ipv4|ipv6]> ipv4
ipv4-addrsrc (dhcp) [dhcp|static]> dhcp
ipv4-default-route>
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:net0> verify
All properties verified
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:net0> end
Committed changes
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list
ncp:myncp
        management-type     reactive
NCUs:
        phys    net0
        ip      net0
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list ncu phys net0
ncu:net0
        type                    link
        class                   phys
        parent                  "myncp"
        activation-mode         manual
        enabled                 true
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list ncu ip net0
ncu:net0
        type                    interface
        class                   ip
        parent                  "myncp"
        enabled                 true
        ip-version              ipv4
        ipv4-addrsrc            dhcp
        netcfg:ncp:myncp> exit

In this example, because the ipv4 value is selected, no prompt is displayed for the ipv6-addrsrc property, as this property is unused. Likewise, for the phys NCU, the default value (manual activation) for the priority-group property is accepted, so no other conditionally related properties are applied.

Example 7-8 Creating a New Reactive NCP by Cloning the Automatic NCP

You can optionally create a new reactive NCP by cloning the Automatic NCP, then modifying its properties to set new network configuration parameters. This method is preferred to modifying the original system-defined Automatic NCP, because that NCP is subject to change if network conditions change. In the following example, a new NCP named newncp is created by cloning the system-defined Automatic NCP:

netcfg> list
NCPs:
    Automatic
    DefaultFixed
    bs
Locations:
    Automatic
    NoNet
    DefaultFixed
netcfg> create -t Automatic ncp newncp
netcfg:ncp:newncp> list
ncp:newncp
    management-type     reactive
NCUs:
    phys    net1
    phys    net0
    ip    net1
    ip    net0
netcfg:ncp:newncp> destroy ncu ip net1
Destroyed ncu 'net1'
netcfg:ncp:newncp>  list
ncp:newncp
    management-type     reactive
NCUs:
    phys    net1
    phys    net0
    ip    net0
netcfg:ncp:newncp> exit

Example 7-9 Creating an NCU for an Existing Reactive NCP

You can configure network settings for a reactive NCP when you create the profile, or you can modify an existing NCP by using the netcfg select command, as shown in the following example where an NCU is created for an existing NCP. The difference between the following example and Example 7-7 is that the select subcommand is used instead of the create subcommand. In the following example, an IP NCU for an existing NCP is created interactively.

$ netcfg
netcfg> select ncp myncp
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list
ncp:myncp
        management-type    reactive
NCUs:
        phys   net0
netcfg:ncp:myncp> create ncu ip net0
Created ncu `net0'. Walking properties ...
ip-version (ipv4,ipv6) [ipv4|ipv6]> ipv4
ipv4-addrsrc (dhcp) [dhcp|static]> dhcp
ipv4-default-route>
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:net0> end
Committed changes
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list
ncp:myncp
        management-type    reactive
NCUs:
        phys    net0
        ip      net0
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list ncu phys net0
ncu:net0
        type                    link
        class                   phys
        parent                  "myncp"
        activation-mode         manual
        enabled                 true
netcfg:ncp:myncp> list ncu ip net0
NCU:net0
        type                    interface
        class                   ip
        parent                  "myncp"
        enabled                 true
        ip-version              ipv4
        ipv4-addrsrc            dhcp
        netcfg:ncp:myncp> exit

Example 7-10 Configuring a Static IP Address for an existing NCP

In the following example, a static IP address is configured for an existing NCP.

netcfg> select ncp myncp
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> list
ncu:nge0
    type                interface
    class               ip
    parent              "myncp"
    enabled             true
    ip-version          ipv4,ipv6
    ipv4-addrsrc        dhcp
    ipv6-addrsrc        dhcp,autoconf
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> set ipv4-addrsrc=static
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> set ipv4-addr=1.2.3.4/24
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> set ipv4-default-route=1.2.3.1
netcfg:ncp:myncp:ncu:nge0> end
Committed changes
netcfg:ncp:myncp>

Example 7-11 Enabling an NCP

In the following example, an NCP named myncp is enabled.

$ netadm enable -p ncp myncp
Enabling ncp 'myncp'

Configuring Naming Services in Reactive Mode

System-wide network configuration is managed in the Location profile. There are system-defined and user-defined Locations. Properties of user-defined Locations are configured by using the netcfg command. See Chapter 2, Creating and Configuring Reactive Network Profiles (Tasks), in Connecting Systems Using Reactive Network Configuration in Oracle Solaris 11.1 for step-by-step instructions.

The following system-defined Locations are used for specific conditions and then automatically activated when those conditions are met:

• DefaultFixed – Is activated when the DefaultFixed NCP is active.

  You cannot manually enable the DefaultFixed Location or switch the active Location when the DefaultFixed NCP is active because fixed network configuration is being used. However, if a reactive NCP (Automatic or any user-defined NCP) is active, you can use the netadm command to manually enable any different Location, which can be either a system-defined Location (Automatic or NoNet), or any manually enabled user-defined Location.

• Automatic – Is activated when any reactive NCP is active, at least one IP address is “up”, and there is no other user-defined Location with activation rules that make it a better match.

  The Automatic Location configures DNS through DHCP only.

• NoNet - Is activated when a reactive NCP is active and there are no “up” IP addresses.

Create a new user-defined Location profile and then configure NIS, as follows:

$ netcfg
netcfg> create loc officeloc
Created loc 'officeloc'.  Walking properties ...
activation-mode (manual) [manual|conditional-any|conditional-all]> conditional-all
conditions> advertised-domain contains oracle.com
nameservices (dns) [dns|files|nis|ldap]> nis
nameservices-config-file ("/etc/nsswitch.dns")> /etc/nsswitch.nis
nis-nameservice-configsrc [manual|dhcp]> dhcp
nfsv4-domain> 
ipfilter-config-file> 
ipfilter-v6-config-file> 
ipnat-config-file> 
ippool-config-file> 
ike-config-file> 
ipsecpolicy-config-file> 
netcfg:loc:officeloc> end
Committed changes
netcfg> exit 

In the following example NIS is configured for an existing Location.

$ netcfg> select loc origloc
netcfg:loc:origloc> set nameservices=nis
netcfg:loc:origloc> set nis-nameservice-configsrc=manual
netcfg:loc:origloc> set nis-nameservice-servers="1.2.3.38,1.3.3.36"
netcfg:loc:origloc> set default-domain="org.company.com"
netcfg:loc:origloc> set nameservices-config-file="/etc/nsswitch.nis"
netcfg:loc:origloc> end
Committed changes
netcfg> exit

Configuring LDAP in Reactive Mode

Reactive network configuration mode provides limited support for LDAP. Only LDAP anonymous mode works when in reactive mode. If you want to use an LDAP proxy or LDAP self modes and some form of security credentials you must first enable the DefaultFixed profile and manually configure your network. For instructions, see Chapter 12, Setting Up LDAP Clients (Tasks), in Working With Naming and Directory Services in Oracle Solaris 11.1.