libvirt users - Feb 2014 - Management of host device for network passthrough

Hello,

I've configured a network passtrough like this:

    <interface type='direct'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:ec:e8:d9'/>
      <source dev='eth1' mode='passthrough'/>
      <target dev='macvtap0'/>
      <model type='rtl8139'/>
      <alias name='net1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00'
slot='0x09'
function='0x0'/>
    </interface>

OK. it works :)

There's only one small difficulty:

I have to make sure the host network interface is down before I start
the VM.
Then, after the VM starts, I have to bring the host network interface up
by hand.

If the host interface is up before the VM starts, the VM fails to start.
If I do not bring the host network interface up after the VM starts, the
VM cannot effectively communicate using that network interface.

Does anybody has a "clean" solution for it, I mean: without employing
some external "dirty" script or so?

Thanks

-- 
Richard Gomes
http://rgomes.info
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rgomes
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