Why am I seeing the error "Error: Connection activation failed: No suitable device found for this connection (device nic0 not available because device is strictly unmanaged)."

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • NetworkManager is not managing the physical Interfaces. While doing the configuration with nmcli, changes are not getting into effect.
  • Seeing errors when trying to bring the device up with nmcli con up:
# nmcli con up nic0 
Error: Connection activation failed: No suitable device found for this connection (device nic0 not available because device is strictly unmanaged).
  • Startup of NetworkManager not reporting the following in /var/log/messages nor system Journal:
manager: Networking is enabled by state file
  • Startup of NetworkManager reports the following in /var/log/messages and system Journal:
manager: Networking is disabled by state file

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 Beta
  • NetworkManager

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