On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 10:33 PM, Nico Kadel-Garcia <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 13, 2012 at 2:58 PM, Konstantin Olchanski
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 at 09:19:05PM -0500, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
>>>
>>> Since it's packaged as the default from the upstream vendor
>>> distribution, and since the "system-config-network" tool from the
>>> upstream  vendor provides no ability to access or manipulate this
>>> feature or numerous others, ...
>>
>> Complaint rejected.
>>
>> RTFM the "Deployment Guide", section "Networking".
>>
>> It tells you to use "nm-connection-editor". It even explains all this business
>> of "system" and "user" network connections.
>>
>> https://access.redhat.com/knowledge/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Deployment_Guide/part-Networking.html
>
> You've apparently read the document. I'll withdraw the complaint that
> there is no way to turn it off. But having to install and activate
> NetworkManager, and run the X applications to turn off this misfeature
>  is..... well, it's not our favorite upstream vendor's proudest
> moment. It's particularly problematical on limited environment
> features such as KVM servers where you *should not* be running
> graphical logins because they suck resources away from more critical
> applications.
>
>> P.S. system-config-network is gone, but of late, it was simpler
>> to "vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ethX", and "Look Ma! Vi those
>> files directly still works, even with the NetworkManager!"
>
> Unfortunately, ifcfg-eth* is not a reliable convention. KVM bridges,
> for example, may be named almost any arbitrary suffix. Pair bonded
> devices and wireless devices and PPP connections add other
> possibilities: it adds up to confusion.

NM in F-17/F-18 understands ifcfg files defining bonds, bridges, vlans.

I've installed an X-less F-18 and uninstalled NM without a hitch so
it's still uninstallable (but I didn't try to do so with GNOME or
another DE installed), so it *SHOULD* still be uninstallable in EL-7.
Since you're so enamored with NM, I look forward to your reaction to
firewalld when you move to EL-7. :)