Chapter 1. Implementing consistent network interface naming

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The udev device manager implements consistent device naming in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The device manager supports different naming schemes and, by default, assigns fixed names based on firmware, topology, and location information.

Without consistent device naming, the Linux kernel assigns names to network interfaces by combining a fixed prefix and an index. The index increases as the kernel initializes the network devices. For example, eth0 represents the first Ethernet device being probed on start-up. If you add another network interface controller to the system, the assignment of the kernel device names is no longer fixed because, after a reboot, the devices can initialize in a different order. In that case, the kernel can name the devices differently.

To solve this problem, udev assigns consistent device names. This has the following advantages:

Device names are stable across reboots.
Device names stay fixed even if you add or remove hardware.
Defective hardware can be seamlessly replaced.
The network naming is stateless and does not require explicit configuration files.

Warning

Generally, Red Hat does not support systems where consistent device naming is disabled. For exceptions, see the Is it safe to set net.ifnames=0 solution.

1.1. How the udev device manager renames network interfaces

To implement a consistent naming scheme for network interfaces, the udev device manager processes the following rule files in the listed order:

Optional: /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/60-net.rules
This file exists only if you install the initscripts-rename-device package. The /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/60-net.rules file defines that the deprecated /usr/lib/udev/rename_device helper utility searches for the HWADDR parameter in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-* files. If the value set in the variable matches the MAC address of an interface, the helper utility renames the interface to the name set in the DEVICE parameter of the ifcfg file.
If the system uses only NetworkManager connection profiles in keyfile format, udev skips this step.
Only on Dell systems: /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/71-biosdevname.rules
This file exists only if the biosdevname package is installed, and the rules file defines that the biosdevname utility renames the interface according to its naming policy, if it was not renamed in the previous step.
Note
Install and use biosdevname only on Dell systems.
/usr/lib/udev/rules.d/75-net-description.rules
This file defines how udev examines the network interface and sets the properties in udev-internal variables. These variables are then processed in the next step by the /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/80-net-setup-link.rules file. Some of the properties can be undefined.
/usr/lib/udev/rules.d/80-net-setup-link.rules
This file calls the net_setup_link builtin of the udev service, and udev renames the interface based on the order of the policies in the NamePolicy parameter in the /usr/lib/systemd/network/99-default.link file. For further details, see Network interface naming policies.
If none of the policies applies, udev does not rename the interface.

Additional resources

Why are systemd network interface names different between major RHEL versions solution

1.2. Network interface naming policies

By default, the udev device manager uses the /usr/lib/systemd/network/99-default.link file to determine which device naming policies to apply when it renames interfaces. The NamePolicy parameter in this file defines which policies udev uses and in which order:

NamePolicy=keep kernel database onboard slot path

The following table describes the different actions of udev based on which policy matches first as specified by the NamePolicy parameter:

Policy	Description	Example name
keep	If the device already has a name that was assigned in the user space, `udev` does not rename this device. For example, this is the case if the name was assigned during device creation or by a rename operation.
kernel	If the kernel indicates that a device name is predictable, `udev` does not rename this device.	`lo`
database	This policy assigns names based on mappings in the `udev` hardware database. For details, see the `hwdb(7)` man page.	`idrac`
onboard	Device names incorporate firmware or BIOS-provided index numbers for onboard devices.	`eno1`
slot	Device names incorporate firmware or BIOS-provided PCI Express (PCIe) hot-plug slot-index numbers.	`ens1`
path	Device names incorporate the physical location of the connector of the hardware.	`enp1s0`
mac	Device names incorporate the MAC address. By default, Red Hat Enterprise Linux does not use this policy, but administrators can enable it.	`enx525400d5e0fb`

Additional resources

How the udev device manager renames network interfaces
systemd.link(5) man page

1.3. Network interface naming schemes

The udev device manager uses certain stable interface attributes that device drivers provide to generate consistent device names.

If a new udev version changes how the service creates names for certain interfaces, Red Hat adds a new scheme version and documents the details in the systemd.net-naming-scheme(7) man page. By default, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 uses the rhel-9.0 naming scheme, even if you install or update to a later minor version of RHEL.

To prevent new drivers from providing more or other attributes for a network interface, the rhel-net-naming-sysattrs package provides the /usr/lib/udev/hwdb.d/50-net-naming-sysattr-allowlist.hwdb database. This database defines which sysfs values the udev service can use to create network interface names. The entries in the database are also versioned and influenced by the scheme version.

Note

On RHEL 9.4 and later, you can also use all rhel-8.* naming schemes.

If you want to use a scheme other than the default, you can switch the network interface naming scheme.

For further details about the naming schemes for different device types and platforms, see the systemd.net-naming-scheme(7) man page.

1.4. Switching to a different network interface naming scheme

By default, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 uses the rhel-9.0 naming scheme, even if you install or update to a later minor version of RHEL. While the default naming scheme fits in most scenarios, there might be reasons to switch to a different scheme version, for example:

A new scheme can help to better identify a device if it adds additional attributes, such as a slot number, to an interface name.
An new scheme can prevent udev from falling back to the kernel-assigned device names (eth*). This happens if the driver does not provide enough unique attributes for two or more interfaces to generate unique names for them.

Prerequisites

You have access to the console of the server.

Procedure

List the network interfaces:

# ip link show
2: eno1: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Record the MAC addresses of the interfaces.

Optional: Display the ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME property of a network interface to identify the naming scheme that RHEL currently uses:
```
# udevadm info --query=property --property=ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME /sys/class/net/eno1'
ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME=rhel-9.0
```
Note that the property is not available on the lo loopback device.
Append the net.naming-scheme=<scheme> option to the command line of all installed kernels, for example:
```
# grubby --update-kernel=ALL --args=net.naming-scheme=rhel-9.4
```
Reboot the system.
```
# reboot
```
Based on the MAC addresses you recorded, identify the new names of network interfaces that have changed due to the different naming scheme:
```
# ip link show
2: eno1np0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...
```
After switching the scheme, udev names in this example the device with MAC address 00:00:5e:00:53:1a eno1np0, whereas it was named eno1 before.
Identify which NetworkManager connection profile uses an interface with the previous name:
```
# nmcli -f device,name connection show
DEVICE  NAME
eno1  example_profile
...
```
Set the connection.interface-name property in the connection profile to the new interface name:
```
# nmcli connection modify example_profile connection.interface-name "eno1np0"
```
Reactivate the connection profile:
```
# nmcli connection up example_profile
```

Verification

Identify the naming scheme that RHEL now uses by displaying the ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME property of a network interface:

# udevadm info --query=property --property=ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME /sys/class/net/eno1np0'
ID_NET_NAMING_SCHEME=_rhel-9.4

Additional resources

Network interface naming schemes

1.5. Customizing the prefix for Ethernet interfaces during installation

If you do not want to use the default device-naming policy for Ethernet interfaces, you can set a custom device prefix during the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) installation.

Important

Red Hat supports systems with customized Ethernet prefixes only if you set the prefix during the RHEL installation. Using the prefixdevname utility on already deployed systems is not supported.

If you set a device prefix during the installation, the udev service uses the <prefix><index> format for Ethernet interfaces after the installation. For example, if you set the prefix net, the service assigns the names net0, net1, and so on to the Ethernet interfaces.

The udev service appends the index to the custom prefix, and preserves the index values of known Ethernet interfaces. If you add an interface, udev assigns an index value that is one greater than the previously-assigned index value to the new interface.

Prerequisites

The prefix consists of ASCII characters.
The prefix is an alphanumeric string.
The prefix is shorter than 16 characters.
The prefix does not conflict with any other well-known network interface prefix, such as eth, eno, ens, and em.

Procedure

Boot the Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation media.
In the boot manager, follow these steps:
1. Select the Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux <version> entry.
2. Press Tab to edit the entry.
3. Append net.ifnames.prefix=<prefix> to the kernel options.
4. Press Enter to start the installation program.
Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Verification

To verify the interface names, display the network interfaces:

# ip link show
...
2: net0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Additional resources

Performing a standard RHEL 9 installation

1.6. Configuring user-defined network interface names by using udev rules

You can use udev rules to implement custom network interface names that reflect your organization’s requirements.

Procedure

Identify the network interface that you want to rename:

# ip link show
...
enp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Record the MAC address of the interface.

Display the device type ID of the interface:
```
# cat /sys/class/net/enp1s0/type
1
```
Create the /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules file, and add a rule for each interface that you want to rename:
```
SUBSYSTEM=="net",ACTION=="add",ATTR{address}=="<MAC_address>",ATTR{type}=="<device_type_id>",NAME="<new_interface_name>"
```
Important
Use only 70-persistent-net.rules as a file name if you require consistent device names during the boot process. The dracut utility adds a file with this name to the initrd image if you regenerate the RAM disk image.
For example, use the following rule to rename the interface with MAC address 00:00:5e:00:53:1a to provider0:
```
SUBSYSTEM=="net",ACTION=="add",ATTR{address}=="00:00:5e:00:53:1a",ATTR{type}=="1",NAME="provider0"
```
Optional: Regenerate the initrd RAM disk image:
```
# dracut -f
```
You require this step only if you need networking capabilities in the RAM disk. For example, this is the case if the root file system is stored on a network device, such as iSCSI.
Identify which NetworkManager connection profile uses the interface that you want to rename:
```
# nmcli -f device,name connection show
DEVICE  NAME
enp1s0  example_profile
...
```

Unset the connection.interface-name property in the connection profile:

# nmcli connection modify example_profile connection.interface-name ""

Temporarily, configure the connection profile to match both the new and the previous interface name:
```
# nmcli connection modify example_profile match.interface-name "provider0 enp1s0"
```
Reboot the system:
```
# reboot
```

Verify that the device with the MAC address that you specified in the link file has been renamed to provider0:

# ip link show
provider0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Configure the connection profile to match only the new interface name:
```
# nmcli connection modify example_profile match.interface-name "provider0"
```
You have now removed the old interface name from the connection profile.
Reactivate the connection profile:
```
# nmcli connection up example_profile
```

Additional resources

udev(7) man page

1.7. Configuring user-defined network interface names by using systemd link files

You can use systemd link files to implement custom network interface names that reflect your organization’s requirements.

Prerequisites

You must meet one of these conditions: NetworkManager does not manage this interface, or the corresponding connection profile uses the keyfile format.

Procedure

Identify the network interface that you want to rename:

# ip link show
...
enp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Record the MAC address of the interface.

If it does not already exist, create the /etc/systemd/network/ directory:
```
# mkdir -p /etc/systemd/network/
```
For each interface that you want to rename, create a 70-*.link file in the /etc/systemd/network/ directory with the following content:
```
[Match]
MACAddress=<MAC_address>

[Link]
Name=<new_interface_name>
```
Important
Use a file name with a 70- prefix to keep the file names consistent with the udev rules-based solution.
For example, create the /etc/systemd/network/70-provider0.link file with the following content to rename the interface with MAC address 00:00:5e:00:53:1a to provider0:
```
[Match]
MACAddress=00:00:5e:00:53:1a

[Link]
Name=provider0
```
Optional: Regenerate the initrd RAM disk image:
```
# dracut -f
```
You require this step only if you need networking capabilities in the RAM disk. For example, this is the case if the root file system is stored on a network device, such as iSCSI.
Identify which NetworkManager connection profile uses the interface that you want to rename:
```
# nmcli -f device,name connection show
DEVICE  NAME
enp1s0  example_profile
...
```

Unset the connection.interface-name property in the connection profile:

# nmcli connection modify example_profile connection.interface-name ""

Temporarily, configure the connection profile to match both the new and the previous interface name:
```
# nmcli connection modify example_profile match.interface-name "provider0 enp1s0"
```
Reboot the system:
```
# reboot
```

Verify that the device with the MAC address that you specified in the link file has been renamed to provider0:

# ip link show
provider0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Configure the connection profile to match only the new interface name:
```
# nmcli connection modify example_profile match.interface-name "provider0"
```
You have now removed the old interface name from the connection profile.
Reactivate the connection profile.
```
# nmcli connection up example_profile
```

Additional resources

systemd.link(5) man page

1.8. Assigning alternative names to a network interface by using systemd link files

With alternative interface naming, the kernel can assign additional names to network interfaces. You can use these alternative names in the same way as the normal interface names in commands that require a network interface name.

Prerequisites

You must use ASCII characters for the alternative name.
The alternative name must be shorter than 128 characters.

Procedure

Display the network interface names and their MAC addresses:

# ip link show
...
enp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
...

Record the MAC address of the interface to which you want to assign an alternative name.

If it does not already exist, create the /etc/systemd/network/ directory:
```
# mkdir -p /etc/systemd/network/
```
For each interface that must have an alternative name, create a *.link file in the /etc/systemd/network/ directory with the following content:
```
[Match]
MACAddress=<MAC_address>

[Link]
AlternativeName=<alternative_interface_name_1>
AlternativeName=<alternative_interface_name_2>
AlternativeName=<alternative_interface_name_n>
```
For example, create the /etc/systemd/network/70-altname.link file with the following content to assign provider as an alternative name to the interface with MAC address 00:00:5e:00:53:1a:
```
[Match]
MACAddress=00:00:5e:00:53:1a

[Link]
AlternativeName=provider
```
Regenerate the initrd RAM disk image:
```
# dracut -f
```
Reboot the system:
```
# reboot
```

Verification

Use the alternative interface name. For example, display the IP address settings of the device with the alternative name provider:

# ip address show provider
2: enp1s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UP group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 00:00:5e:00:53:1a brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
    altname provider
    ...

Additional resources

What is AlternativeNamesPolicy in Interface naming scheme?

Chapter 1. Implementing consistent network interface naming

1.1. How the udev device manager renames network interfaces

1.2. Network interface naming policies

1.3. Network interface naming schemes

1.4. Switching to a different network interface naming scheme

1.5. Customizing the prefix for Ethernet interfaces during installation

1.6. Configuring user-defined network interface names by using udev rules

1.7. Configuring user-defined network interface names by using systemd link files

1.8. Assigning alternative names to a network interface by using systemd link files

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