Description of problem:
In some environments with VLAN switches, a server node should be configured to be alone (= netmask /32). This is not supportet by /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0.

In order to reach its default gateway, there must be a host route to that default gateway first, because there's no more subnetwork route (because /32 mask).

When configuring this manually, it is easy with (10.1.1.1 = default gateway):

ifconfig eth0 pointopoint 10.1.1.1 netmask 255.255.255.255 broadcast 10.255.255.255

"ifconfig" or "ip" own a "pointopoint" directive similar to ppp configuration. This "pointopoint" tells ifconfig/ip to create the host route to the default gateway before setting it as default route.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
initscripts-8.76.2-1.i386

How reproducible:
set NETMASK=255.255.255.255 in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0. Then the default route could not be set.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. set NETMASK=255.255.255.255 in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
2. service network restart
3.
  
Actual results:
No more default route, no more internet connection.

Expected results:
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifup-eth should use "pointopoint" for setting
ifconfig eth0 pointopoint 10.1.1.1...

Additional info: