8.3. Interface Control Scripts
	The interface control scripts activate and deactivated system
	interfaces. There are two primary interface control scripts,
	/sbin/ifdown and /sbin/ifup,
	that call on control scripts located in the
	/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ directory.
      
	The ifdown and ifup interface
	scripts are symbolic links to scripts in the /sbin/
	directory. When either of these scripts are called, they require the value
	of the interface to be specified, such as:
      
| ifup eth0
Determining IP information for eth0... done.  | 
	At that point, the /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions and
	/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions
	files are used to perform a variety of tasks. See Section 8.4 Network Function Files for more information.
      
	After verifying that an interface has been specified and that the user
	executing the request is allowed to control the interface, the correct
	script brings the interface up or down. The following are common
	interface control scripts:
      
- ifup-aliases — Configures IP aliases from
	    interface configuration files when more than one IP address is
	    associated with an interface.
	   
- ifdown-cipcb and
	    ifup-cipcb — Used to bring
	    Crypto IP Encapsulation (CIPE) connections up
	    and down.
	   
- ifdown-ipv6 and
	    ifup-ipv6 — Contains IPv6-related
	    function calls using environment variables in various interface
	    configuration files and /etc/sysconfig/network.
	   
- ifup-ipx — Used to bring up an IPX interface.
	   
- ifup-plip — Used to bring up a PLIP interface.
	   
- ifup-plusb — Used to bring up a USB
	    interface for network connections.
	   
- ifdown-post and ifup-post
	    — Contains commands to be executed after an
	    interface is brought up or down.
	   
- ifdown-ppp and ifup-ppp
	    — Used to bring a PPP interface up or down.
	   
- ifup-routes — Adds static routes for
	    a device as its interface is brought up.
	   
- ifdown-sit and ifup-sit
	    — Contains function calls related to bringing up and down an
	    IPv6 tunnel within an IPv4 connection.
	   
- ifdown-sl and ifup-sl
	    — Used to bring a SLIP interface up or down.
	   
|  | Warning | 
|---|
|  | 	  Removing or modifying any scripts in the
	  /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ directory can
	  cause interface connections to act strangely or fail. Only advanced
	  users should modify scripts related to a network interface.
	 | 
	The easiest way to manipulate all network scripts simultaneously is to
	use the /sbin/service command on the network service
	(/etc/rc.d/init.d/network), as illustrated the
	following command:
      
| /sbin/service network <action> | 
	In this example <action> can be either
	start, stop, or
	restart.
      
	To view a list of configured devices and currently active network
	interfaces, use the following command:
      
| /sbin/service/network status |