We don't detect bonds as virtual devices. This will be fixed by #7401.

As Linux does not set the same MAC address for the master all slave interfaces, the bonding changes did not resolve that issue, but #7456 should help as then the MAC address won't be used anymore for primary interface detection.

This behavior also seems to occur under Linux with Xen:

macaddress => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:10
macaddress_bond0 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:10
macaddress_bond1 => D8:9D:67:75:0A:50
macaddress_eth0 => D8:9D:67:75:0A:50
macaddress_eth1 => D8:9D:67:75:0A:54
macaddress_eth2 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:10
macaddress_eth3 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:11
macaddress_eth4 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:12
macaddress_eth5 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:13
macaddress_eth6 => D8:9D:67:21:53:28
macaddress_eth7 => D8:9D:67:21:53:29
macaddress_vif27_0 => FE:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF
macaddress_vif27_1 => FE:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF
macaddress_vif30_0 => FE:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF
macaddress_vif30_1 => FE:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF
macaddress_vif30_2 => FE:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF
macaddress_xenbr110 => D8:9D:67:21:53:29
macaddress_xenbr150 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:11
macaddress_xenbr20 => D8:9D:67:1D:F7:10

We are observing significant audit activity with "Primary interface" changing twice per node checkin, presumably due to the duplicate MAC address condition.

Martin, does it happen with nightly version or is that 1.7.x?

It's also happening on nightly for me, it's expected that the merge of https://github.com/theforeman/foreman/pull/1988 fixes this, however I don't want to test that PR on my home instance. ;)

It's 1.7.1.

My git-fu might not be up to this completely, but it seems to me that ignore_puppet_facts_for_provisioning will control the update behavior (i.e. setting it to true will disable Primary Interface updates). Is that a correct reading of the patch?

after Feature #1988: Add API for Host Parameters got merged, I'm still seeing swichting around of the "primary interface" on the said box between em0 and em1. It's an unmanaged node, if that's making any difference...

Michael, do you see primary flag changes on interfaces? Primary interface could change only if

!host.managed? && host.primary_interface.mac.blank? && host.primary_interface.identifier.blank?

Could you maybe run rake foreman-console and paste the output of

Host.find_by_name("$hostname").interfaces

Ideally for host for which you posted facts (mac 00:1e:67:15:02:79). Beware, if there's BMC device, the output may contain password so double check before paste.

sure, no problem:

irb(main):003:0> Host.find_by_name('marduk.kvedulv.de').interfaces
  Host::Managed Load (0.5ms)  SELECT "hosts".* FROM "hosts" WHERE "hosts"."type" IN ('Host::Managed') AND "hosts"."name" = 'marduk.kvedulv.de' LIMIT 1
  Nic::Base Load (3.8ms)  SELECT "nics".* FROM "nics" WHERE "nics"."host_id" = 2 ORDER BY identifier
=> [#<Nic::Bond id: 14, mac: "00:1e:67:15:02:79", ip: "192.168.200.11", type: "Nic::Bond", name: "", host_id: 2, subnet_id: nil, domain_id: nil, attrs: {"network"=>"192.168.200.0", "ipaddress6"=>"2001:6f8:12f2:1::11", "netmask"=>"255.255.255.0", "mtu"=>"1500"}, created_at: "2014-10-07 12:22:48", updated_at: "2015-01-28 12:01:20", provider: nil, username: nil, password: nil, virtual: true, link: true, identifier: "lagg0", tag: "", attached_to: "", managed: false, mode: "802.3ad", attached_devices: "em0,em1", bond_options: "">]
<pre>

that was a brainfart, that instance wasn't really updated, as it seems. have to reinvestigate.

OK, fully updated now and it seems the bug is gone. :)
Martin, I guess, there's no possibility for you to update to current -develop?