[IT-SecNots] bonding module not loading in Stretch

[Ross Halliday <ross.halliday AT wtccommunications.ca>]

Hi list,

This isn't ISP-specific but I know quite a few run this driver.

I'm attempting to roll a new router/firewall using Debian 9 and am hitting a 
wall with the bonding module. The last time I configured bonding was on 
Squeeze (Debian 6), I did through adding

        "alias bond0 bonding
        options bonding <whatever>"

into /etc/modprobe.d/aliases.conf, and adding some shortcuts in 
/etc/network/interfaces to call ifenslave.

I see now that the preferred method is to do everything in the interfaces 
file, by passing options like "bond_mode" and so on.

The issue I'm running into is that I can't get the bonding driver to load on 
boot. After a fresh boot, "ifup" returns "no such device". I must manually 
modprobe bonding in order to get it running. This happens despite adding the 
above options into a file in /etc/modprobe.d. For similar reasons - or so I 
assume - I can't get additional bonds to work unless I manipulate 
/sys/class/net/bonding_masters as suggested here 
https://ubuntuforums.org/printthread.php?t=1119460

It seems the real problem is that things I put into /etc/modules or a file 
under /etc/modprobe.d are ignored.

Are things done differently now? I mostly missed Debian 8, it wouldn't 
surprise me if I'm just ignorant.

Thanks
Ross