[Solved]Xen networking question

[COiN3D]

Hello there,

I've just installed a fresh copy of Gentoo amd64 2007.0 with Xen and bootet it correctly. For my installation, I took a look at the Gentoo-Wiki XEN Howto, as well at the official Gentoo-XEN Howto. However, there is one thing which I'm not sure about if its working fine: the networking device.

In Gentoo Wiki, there is a line which tells me that I should deactivate net.eth0 completely:

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To configure the network, make your changes in /etc/conf.d/net but DO NOT add net.eth0 to runlevel default. /etc/init.d/xend will start and configure your network at boot time. (While testing the initial kernel build on a machine on a remote net connection it may be useful to leave net.eth0 enabled and NOT autostart xend)

Newer Gentoo automaticly loads net.eth0 even if it is disabled in the default runlevel. You can disable this behaviour by changing RC_PLUG_SERVICES variable in /etc/conf.d/rc:
File: /etc/conf.d/rc

RC_PLUG_SERVICES="!net.*"

I did that although nothing about deactivating the net.eth0 init script is said in the official Howto! The problem was that after rebooting the new XEN Kernel, xend didn't start up my net.eth0 or "managed" it like it is told me in the Gentoo Wiki. I then added net.eth0 again to runlevel default and rebooted the machine, and then my machine had at least networking - but now I'm not sure if thats wrong!

So my question is: Is it possible that the gentoo wiki is telling me bullshit and that deactivating net.eth0 from bootup isn't necessary any longer? And if NOT, what's the correct cycle?

Best wishes...

[COiN3D]

No one with xen?

[xming]

The behavior and interactions of xend, gentoo network scripts and udev has changed oh so many times, it's frustrating. Xen 3.2 changed the default bridge name and it's really messy, I haven't any time to figure out how it works (or not .

My advise (and experience since the xen 2.x days till now): don't use xend's magic for your network !!!!!

So what you need for a basic bridged xen are:

• a bridge for all your domUs
• a physical interface plugged into that bridge

Really simple no?

Step you have to do:

• create a bridge in /etc/conf.d/net like this:

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  config_xenbr0=( "192.168.100.1/24" )

  and put your eth0 in the bridge by

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  bridge_xenbr0="eth0"

• /etc/xen/xend-config.sxp comment the line

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  (network-script network-bridge)

  so it becomes

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  #(network-script network-bridge)

  and add

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  (vif-script vif-bridge bridge=xenbr0)

• in /etc/init.d do

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  ln -s net.lo net.xenbr0

• add net.xenbr0 in your default runlevel by

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  rc-update add net.xenbr0 default

• in every config of DomU you need this:

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  vif = [ 'mac=00:16:3e:00:00:01, bridge=xenbr0' ] 

  (please change mac for every DomU)

With is network setup you have everything in hand and your network won't break after any upgrade (this is a must for remote machines). The only difference is that your eth0 does not have an ip address anymore.

[COiN3D]

Okay, thank you very much. I'll try it your way.