Re: How to tell if a network interface was renamed (and from what)

From: Jamie Landeg-Jones <jamie_at_catflap.org>
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2023 01:35:08 UTC
Mike Karels <mike@karels.net> wrote:

> I have a proof of concept that makes the presumed original name
> (driver name + unit number) available to ifconfig, which prints
> the string with everything else in the standard output format.
> I don't think that is the right solution, but the other details
> should be easy.  I'm tempted to print the driver name and unit
> number separately, although possibly as two words using the same
> option.  It should probably be an option rather than a keyword,
> so something like this:
>
> # ifconfig -N interface-name
> igb 1
> #
>
> Or the unit number could be on a separate option.
>
> Comments?

I prefer that idea to the use of "groups" (which can be modified anyway),
though in your example, that should be documented as "driver name" not
"interface name", seeing that the returned value is not actually now
the interface name!

(Similary, if a keyword is decided upon, it should be "driver-name"
not "interface-name")

I realise that writing "interface-name" was probably just muscle-memory,
but just wanted clarification.

No opinion on where to display the unit number - whatever works out
better for you.

Cheers, Jamie