Solaris – Add/remove network interface to a running zone (dynamic Change)

This will describe how to add a network interface to a running non-global zone, without having to reboot the zone. The new interface will persist between reboots.

First you add the entry to the zone configuration. This is the part that lets it persist between reboots. This is done from the global zone:

!-[solaris]# zonecfg -z sunz01
zonecfg:slabsunz01> add net
zonecfg:slabsunz01:net> set address=XXX.XXX.XX.XXX
zonecfg:slabsunz01:net> set physical=bge0
zonecfg:slabsunz01:net> end
zonecfg:slabsunz01> verify
zonecfg:slabsunz01> commit
zonecfg:slabsunz01> exit

Now we have to manually add a new interface to the running zone. Do this from the global zone as well

!-[solaris]# ifconfig bge0 addif XXX.XXX.XX.XXX netmask XXX.XXX.X.X zone sunz01 up

Created new logical interface bge0:3

Note: The ‘addif’ tells ifconfig to create a logical interface using the next available.

!-[solaris]# ifconfig -a
lo0:1: flags=2001000849 mtu 8232 index 1 inet 127.0.0.1 netmask ff000000
bge0:1: flags=1000843 mtu 1500 index 2 inet XXX.XXX.XX.XXX netmask ffffff00 broadcast XXX.XXX.XX.XXX
bge0:3: flags=1000843 mtu 1500 index 2 inet XXX.XXX.XX.XXX netmask ffffff00 broadcast XXX.XXX.XX.XXX

That's it! you're done.

In case you want to remove the interface -

To remove the interface from a running zone. From the global zone, remove the interface. You must first determine which logical interface [alias] you wish to remove.

!-[solaris]# ifconfig bge0:3 down
!-[solaris]# ifconfig bge0:3 unplumb
!-[solaris]# zonecfg -z sunz01
zonecfg:slabsunz01> remove net address=XXX.XXX.XX.XXX
zonecfg:slabsunz01> commit
zonecfg:slabsunz01> exit