Ubuntu 22.04 LTS – cloud-init repeatedly overwrites network settings

📖 ~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 edits revert on reboot, causing unstable addressing.

Environment & Reproduction

Typical on cloud images where cloud-init network configuration remains enabled.

Root Cause Analysis

cloud-init re-renders netplan from datasource metadata on each boot event.

Quick Triage

Check whether cloud-init generated active netplan files.

Step-by-Step Diagnosis

Inspect cloud-init logs and rendered network artifacts.

Solution – Primary Fix

Disable cloud-init network rendering and manage netplan explicitly.

Solution – Alternative Approaches

Keep cloud-init enabled but align datasource metadata with target network config.

Verification & Acceptance Criteria

Reboots retain intended netplan configuration without cloud-init overrides.

Rollback Plan

Remove disable file and regenerate cloud-init network config if needed.

Prevention & Hardening

Define standard image policy for cloud-init ownership of network settings.

Related Errors & Cross-Refs

Related to dhcp address churn and post-boot route changes.

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 and netplan integration references.