Ubuntu Networking :: Upstart Vs. Multiple IP Addresses ?

I have run into a problem that I've tracked down to being a conflict between the "Upstart" init system, and how it handles multiple (alias) IP addresses per physical interface. The summary of the problem is that the interfaces are being configured in the background in parallel with the starting of daemons. One "feature" of this (apparently intended for pluggable devices that would add or remove an interface) is that the network daemons are restarted each time an interface is added (and presumably deleted). But this is a disaster when applied to alias IP addresses.

I first saw the effects of this when during booting Ubuntu Server, the screen showed a message about OpenSSH daemon being restarted ... several times a few seconds apart each. At the time I didn't know what was causing that, but didn't worry because it ultimately was running when I needed it.

But now that I am deploying these servers for specific duty with many IP addresses per system (per network interface), the symptoms are becoming serious, and I need a solution.

1. The IP addresses are coming online too slowly. Apparently the time it takes to restart each daemon is being added to each address being configured.

2. It appears to be disrupting some daemons sometimes. Occaisionally, some daemon just ends up being hung somewhere, or dies. Too many restarts.

3. Sometimes few or even no alias addresses get configured. This might be due to a daemon getting hung, and the whole sequence just not finishing.

4. The "nsd" name server as packaged by Ubuntu doesn't deal well with this at all. It needs all its IP addresses to be up when it starts, or else it won't start. The Ubuntu package of it doesn't including any if-up script at all, although I'm not sure that would do any good.

What I need is a way to configure all these alias IP addresses so they are all configured immediately when the point in time is reached to bring up network interfaces for the first time. These are all static, and all are aliases on ethernet NIC cards plugged into PCIe cards, or integrated in the mainboard. None of them are pluggables. I did run a manual test of "ifconfig" in a loop configuring 2540 alias IP address on eth0 and it only took 2 seconds (no if-up triggers or daemon restarts here). So I know it's fast if nothing else is done between these steps.

Even for pluggable physical interfaces, I see no reason to even try to step through every alias (if it has aliases) with a daemon restart. If an alias IP address is added on later, then I can understand doing it. But if you have a list of 100 aliases for a physical interface, they really should all be done ... or at least attempted ... at once, and do any triggers needed after that.

So, how can I configure or modify Ubuntu Server 9.10 to do that?

I have each alias listed in the "/etc/network/interfaces" file with a separate "auto" and "iface" section for each one, with sequential sub-interface numbers appended to the interface name. I tried it without those sections (e.g. just "address" and other items in sequence) and that prevents the system from even coming up (bootable CD to the rescue to undo that). At least cntrl-alt-del did reboot it.

I tried to attach the /etc/network/interfaces file, but I don't know if it worked because I see no confirmations about it. if it didn't attach and you need to see it, say so, and I'll just paste it in a followup.