Executing either command:
sudo service network restart
sudo ifup bond0
Results in the following error (and this is the only error):
Bringing up interface eth0: RTNETLINK answers: File exists
Here's the config for the involved interfaces:
DEVICE="bond0"
IPADDR="10.100.48.6"
NETMASK="255.255.254.0"
ONBOOT="yes"
DEVICE="eth0"
MASTER="bond0"
SALVE="yes"
HWADDR="78:2B:CB:57:B5:B3"
NM_CONTROLLED="no"
ONBOOT="yes"
DEVICE="eth4"
MASTER="bond0"
SLAVE="yes"
HWADDR="00:1B:21:C9:F4:54"
NM_CONTROLLED="no"
ONBOOT="yes"
The dmesg output suggests eth0 is not ready when bonding driver tries to enslave it:
dmesg | egrep '(eth0)|(bond0)'
bnx2 0000:01:00.0: eth0: Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5709 1000Base-T (C0) PCI Express found
at mem d4000000, IRQ 36, node addr 78:2b:cb:57:b5:b3
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): bond0: link is not ready
bnx2 0000:01:00.0: eth0: using MSIX
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
bonding: bond0: Adding slave eth4.
bonding: bond0: enslaving eth4 as a backup interface with a down link.
bnx2 0000:01:00.0: eth0: NIC Copper Link is Up, 100 Mbps full duplex
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
bond0: link status definitely up for interface eth4, 100 Mbps full duplex.
bonding: bond0: making interface eth4 the new active one.
bonding: bond0: first active interface up!
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): bond0: link becomes ready
If network services are stopped the routing table is empty (command route shows no routes). The eth0 interface can be manually enslaved after bond0 is up it will be chosen as primary and the I can ping devices in the network.
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
usually indicates that a route already exists and you are trying to add it again. Are you doing anything to clear your existing config before running ifup? With the network in a stopped/down state is your routing table empty?