Re: Specifying names for tap interfaces

[Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost>]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 11:01:49AM +0100, Roger Pau Monne wrote:
> While this is true if you give a name to the interface on the config 
> file, but how can the toolstack (xl, that launches Qemu) choose an 
> interface name and pass it to Qemu when no one is specified?

Well, I would call that admin error and do:

  if (name is specified)
     try to create and use that
  if (that fails || none was specified)
     open the cloning /dev/tap and query the interface name

(where "that fails" obviously includes name collisions with existing
tap instances). This could give you an option usefull for NetBSD 6.0.

Note that I am not objecting to fix the more general problem of
creating aliases or rename support. However, of everything I saw
discussed so far, only the FreeBSD variant has (a) clearly defined
semantics and (b) is very simple to implement. It is so simple, it wouldn't
hurt as a stopgap/intermediate solution.

Everything else, at least from my understanding, needs *a lot* more thought
and design work - which does not mean it is the wrong way to go in the long
term.

Martin