Cannot retain Network config with SLES 10 in LPAR

I just brought up a Linux LPAR on a Power 5 520 using the HMC (SLES 10 SP2) . It took me a while to get my head around it (again) but after getting the networking sorted out so I could use VNC to complete the installation, all was well.

When I tried to get out to the Internet from SLES I couldn't. So I checked out the network settings using YaST guessing I had missed the gateway setting. So I bring up YaST and it asks whether or not I want to go the "User Controlled with Network Manager" route or the "Traditional Method with ifup". I chose Network Manager, made the change using the "Hostname and Name Server" option. SLES then proceeded to install the network manager package. After that completed, I took the option to finish and then it went through the usual routine of saving the settings. However, it hung for quite a while at the activating network services stage and then my VNC session ended. I figured that was normal because it probably reset the adapter so I started the VNC session again and now it wouldn't connect at all. I couldn't even ping the server from the i5/OS side. After scrambling around the Internet for answers, I figured out how to access the command line from the HMC terminal session and eventually learned how to use the ifconfig command to see how the adapter was configured. It had no network address or subnet! So, again learning the ifconfig commands, I managed to add the static IP and subnet as well as the gateway manually from the command line.

All was well. But when I bounced SLES I lost the settings I had added so I went back and added them using ifconfig at the command line again (the IP and subnet WERE there).

Once VNC was running, I jumped back into YaST and went back to configure the network card. This time when I tried to change the "Hostname and Name SErver" option I got a message that said:

"The resolver configuration file (/etc/resolv.conf) has been temporarily modified by /usr/bin/NetworkManager. You have two choices...."

The choices were to go ahead and modify it or skip it. I chose to modify but again, when I clicked finish, it eventually hung, I lost the VNC connection and had to use the command line to restore the network settings using ifconfig.

OK! Here is the question (having searched the net for and answer): Is there a way to manually change the config so that it *doesn't* revert back when I bounce the server? ifconfig seems to only make a temporary change. Or, is there a way to fix the problem I am having attempting to configure this through YaST? It looks like something is preventing the network services from starting.

Thanks,

Pete