Ubuntu 22.04 LTS – Cloud-init overwrites network config unexpectedly – Fix & Prevention

📖 ~1 min read

Table of contents

1. Symptom & Impact
2. Environment & Reproduction
3. Root Cause Analysis
4. Quick Triage
5. Step-by-Step Diagnosis
6. Solution – Primary Fix
7. Solution – Alternative Approaches
8. Verification & Acceptance Criteria
9. Rollback Plan
10. Prevention & Hardening
11. Related Errors & Cross-Refs
12. References & Further Reading

Symptom & Impact

Manual network settings revert after reboot and connectivity changes unexpectedly.

Environment & Reproduction

Ubuntu 22.04 cloud image where cloud-init manages network from datasource metadata.

Root Cause Analysis

Cloud-init applies fresh network config during boot stages, overriding local edits.

Quick Triage

Review /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml and cloud-init status output.

Step-by-Step Diagnosis

Inspect /var/log/cloud-init.log to confirm regeneration of netplan files.

Solution – Primary Fix

Create /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-disable-network-config.cfg with network: {config: disabled}, then apply your netplan file.

Solution – Alternative Approaches

Maintain network state via datasource metadata rather than local static edits.

Verification & Acceptance Criteria

Reboot preserves local netplan configuration and expected addresses.

Rollback Plan

Remove disable override file and allow cloud-init to manage network again.

Prevention & Hardening

Define clear ownership between cloud-init and configuration management tooling.

Related Errors & Cross-Refs

Renderer mismatch and DHCP route changes can appear as related symptoms.

Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

View all Ubuntu 22.04 LTS tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →

Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.

References & Further Reading

Ubuntu 22.04 cloud-init network configuration documentation.