I have a server running RHEL 5.6 32bit. The server has ten (10) Ethernet interfaces:
eth0: bootproto=static, onboot=yes, ipaddr=192.168.0.1, netmask=255.255.255.0
eth1: bootproto=static, onboot=yes (no IP is configured for this interface, see below)
eth2-5: bootproto=none, onboot=yes (passive listening interfaces)
eth6-9: bootproto=none, onboot=no (disabled)
Eth1 is used as trunk link to two networks - I have configured two VLAN interfaces as well:
vlan620: vlan=yes, physdev=eth1, bootproto=static, ipaddr=172.16.37.4, netmask=255.255.255.240, gateway=172.16.37.1
vlan621: vlan=yes, physdev=eth1, bootproto=static, ipaddr=172.16.37.20, netmask=255.255.255.240, gateway=172.16.37.17
At any point in time, eth0 may grab one of the IPs assigned to vlan interfaces (172.16.37.4 or .20) - this happens at boot (when network service starts) or if network service is restarted, or randomly as the system is running. This can break VLAN connections and as these are the only links we have to this system someone would have to run out there with a monitor and keyboard to fix it by bringing the interfaces down and up. This is somewhat of an issue since the box is sitting in a server room in South America :) Can anyone at least suggest what is causing this problem?
EDIT:
As requested here is the output from the ls -i command:
[root@ssc-condor-smg1 ~]# ls -i /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth*
17170452 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth0 17170447 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth5
17170451 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth1 17170446 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth6
17170450 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth2 17170445 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth7
17170449 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth3 17170444 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth8
17170448 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth4 17170443 /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-eth9
[root@ssc-condor-smg1 ~]# ls -i /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-e*
17170452 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 17170447 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth5
17170451 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1 17170446 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth6
17170450 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth2 17170445 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth7
17170449 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth3 17170444 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth8
17170448 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth4 17170443 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth9
[root@ssc-condor-smg1 ~]# ls -i /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-e*
17170452 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth0 17170447 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth5
17170451 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth1 17170446 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth6
17170450 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth2 17170445 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth7
17170449 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth3 17170444 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth8
17170448 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth4 17170443 /etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/ifcfg-eth9
[root@ssc-condor-smg1 ~]#
I was not aware there are extra config files in these folders. I will verify they match.
EDIT: Files match line for line. The fun continues: since we rebooted the machine now all interfaces which are set to have no IP address pull one from vlan620 interface (.4). Only Interfaces that are set to ONBOOT=no stay shut off.