Bonding fails on HP Proliant with NetXen adapters

This document (7007757) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Service Pack 3

Situation

Applies to:
HP ProLiant DL580 G7
NetXen 1/10-Gigabit Server Adapter

After setting up bonding either manually or via yast, issuing command "rcnetwork restart" hangs the server.
If the server is rebooted after bonding has been set up the network setup fails on the server with the following messages:

Bonding interface 'bond0' could not be set up correctly
Something broke getting the master's IP address: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke getting the master's destination address: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke getting the master's broadcast address: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke getting the master's netmask: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke setting the slave's address: Invalid argument
Error setting the slave (eth1) with SIOCSIFDSTADDR: Invalid argument
Something broke setting the slave (eth1) broadcast address: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke setting the slave (eth1) netmask: Invalid argument
Something broke setting the slave's address: Invalid argument
Error setting the slave (eth0) with SIOCSIFDSTADDR: Invalid argument
Something broke setting the slave (eth0) broadcast address: Cannot assign requested address
Something broke setting the slave (eth0) netmask: Invalid argument
bond0

Resolution

A patch for this issue should have been pushed to the SLE SP3 Updates channel after Nov 17, 2010.

Workaround:

Modify file /etc/udev/rules.d/30-net_persistent_names.rules to include RUN+="/sbin/ip link set eth0 up" for each interface as in the example below:

SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", SYSFS{address}=="d8:d3:85:62:f9:8c",IMPORT="/lib/udev/rename_netiface %k eth0", RUN+="/sbin/ip link set eth0 up"
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", SYSFS{address}=="d8:d3:85:62:f9:8e",IMPORT="/lib/udev/rename_netiface %k eth2", RUN+="/sbin/ip link set eth2 up"

Disclaimer

This Support Knowledgebase provides a valuable tool for SUSE customers and parties interested in our products and solutions to acquire information, ideas and learn from one another. Materials are provided for informational, personal or non-commercial use within your organization and are presented "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.