Udev

udev allows you e.g. to rename network cards like this:

/etc/udev/rules.d/30-net_persistent_names.rules

SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", SYSFS{address}=="00:00:6c:b8:33:2d", IMPORT="/lib/udev/rename_netiface %k eth0"
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", SYSFS{address}=="00:00:6c:f2:78:bc", IMPORT="/lib/udev/rename_netiface %k eth0"