Cannot start VPS on fresh XenPV slave node: unable to add nic devices

Symptoms

• Cannot start VPS on fresh XenPV slave node. The following error occurs on attempt to start VPS from console

  # xl create /home/xen/vm101/vm101.cfg -c
  Parsing config from /home/xen/vm101/vm101.cfg
  WARNING: ignoring "vncviewer" option. Use "-V" option of "xl create" to automatically spawn vncviewer.
  libxl: error: libxl_exec.c:118:libxl_report_child_exitstatus: /etc/xen/scripts/vif-bridge online [11522] exited with error status 1
  libxl: error: libxl_device.c:1150:device_hotplug_child_death_cb: script: ip link set vif5.0 name vifvm101.0 failed
  libxl: error: libxl_create.c:1384:domcreate_attach_vtpms: unable to add nic devices

• NetworkManager service is running on the server

  # systemctl status NetworkManager

Cause

NetworkManager prevents to configure networking on the VPS

Resolution

1. Connect to the slave server via SSH

2. Add exception for vif network devices to the NetworkManager configuration file /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf as below:

   CONFIG_TEXT: [main]
   plugins=keyfile
   [keyfile]
   unmanaged-devices=interface-name:vif*

3. Restart the service:

   # systemctl restart NetworkManager

4. Try to start VPS again

Otherwise, disable NetworkManager completely:

# systemctl stop NetworkManager
# systemctl disable NetworkManager