topic Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias in ONTAP Discussions

vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

TMADOCTHOMAS — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:31:29 GMT

Hello,

I need to add an IP address to a vFiler, and need to know the proper procedure. Should I use vfiler add IP to add the IP to the vFiler, and then use ifconfig alias on the interface the vFiler uses to make the IP available / accessible? Alternatively, can I just enter vfiler add ip and bypass ifconfig alias? What does the vfiler add ip command actually accomplish?

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

clackamas — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 07:32:50 GMT

We use vfilers in non default ipspaces, so each vfiler has its own ipspace and vlan, I just use the ifconfig alias to add an ip address.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

TMADOCTHOMAS — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 13:16:25 GMT

Thanks clackamas! As it turns out, we don't need to do this anymore but I would still love to know what the purpose of vfiler add ip is, and what it accomplishes vs ifconfig alias.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

cscott — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 14:35:27 GMT

There are two steps to adding an IP to a vfiler and another for having it remain after a reboot, the first is to make the IP available to the vfiler, the second is to make it active on the system, but this does not make persistent across reboots. The ifconfig line for the alias must be added to /etc/rc for persistence.

You run ifconfig <interface> alias <ip_address>, but that does not attach it to the vfiler.

You run vfiler add <vfiler> -i <ip_address> but it does not add it to the /etc/rc for persistence across reboots

By running both commands, the vfiler can use the IP immediately and then once the required alias entry is added to /etc/rc it will remain when the controller is rebooted.

- Scott

Message was edited by: Scott Chubb after a good catch by aborzenkov I had edited parts of the message and submitted without completing parts.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

TMADOCTHOMAS — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 14:41:09 GMT

Excellent, thank you cscott!

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

aborzenkov — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:07:39 GMT

Are you sure? You still need to manually add ifconfig alias to /etc/rc - this does not happen automagically.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

JGPSHNTAP — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:10:25 GMT

to add - can't be added prior to vfiler config b/c I think it checks the rc file to make sure .. I could be wrong.. I would have to double-check in lab

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

TMADOCTHOMAS — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:11:35 GMT

Definately has to be added to rc at some point.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

aborzenkov — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:23:51 GMT

I think it checks whether address is currently active (configured on any interface), but may be it has additional undocumented checks.

Re: vfiler add IP and ifconfig alias

cscott — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:52:09 GMT

Added an edit, thanks for the catch on that.

- Scott