Docs: The recommended approach for resolved configuration persistence does not work on Ubuntu Desktop

[lgp171188]

Please confirm

• I have searched existing issues to check if an issue already exists for the bug I encountered.

Distribution

Ubuntu

Distribution version

26.04

Output of "snap list --all lxd core20 core22 core24 snapd"

Name    Version         Rev    Tracking       Publisher   Notes
core22  20251105        2193   latest/stable  canonical✓  base,disabled
core22  20260225        2411   latest/stable  canonical✓  base
core24  20251009        1237   latest/stable  canonical✓  base,disabled
core24  20260211        1499   latest/stable  canonical✓  base
lxd     5.21.4-1374f39  38368  5.21/stable    canonical✓  -
snapd   2.72            25577  latest/stable  canonical✓  snapd,disabled
snapd   2.74.1          26382  latest/stable  canonical✓  snapd

Output of "lxc info" or system info if it fails

config: {}
api_extensions:
- storage_zfs_remove_snapshots
- container_host_shutdown_timeout
- container_stop_priority
- container_syscall_filtering
- auth_pki
- container_last_used_at
- etag
- patch
- usb_devices
- https_allowed_credentials
- image_compression_algorithm
- directory_manipulation
- container_cpu_time
- storage_zfs_use_refquota
- storage_lvm_mount_options
- network
- profile_usedby
- container_push
- container_exec_recording
- certificate_update
- container_exec_signal_handling
- gpu_devices
- container_image_properties
- migration_progress
- id_map
- network_firewall_filtering
- network_routes
- storage
- file_delete
- file_append
- network_dhcp_expiry
- storage_lvm_vg_rename
- storage_lvm_thinpool_rename
- network_vlan
- image_create_aliases
- container_stateless_copy
- container_only_migration
- storage_zfs_clone_copy
- unix_device_rename
- storage_lvm_use_thinpool
- storage_rsync_bwlimit
- network_vxlan_interface
- storage_btrfs_mount_options
- entity_description
- image_force_refresh
- storage_lvm_lv_resizing
- id_map_base
- file_symlinks
- container_push_target
- network_vlan_physical
- storage_images_delete
- container_edit_metadata
- container_snapshot_stateful_migration
- storage_driver_ceph
- storage_ceph_user_name
- resource_limits
- storage_volatile_initial_source
- storage_ceph_force_osd_reuse
- storage_block_filesystem_btrfs
- resources
- kernel_limits
- storage_api_volume_rename
- network_sriov
- console
- restrict_devlxd
- migration_pre_copy
- infiniband
- maas_network
- devlxd_events
- proxy
- network_dhcp_gateway
- file_get_symlink
- network_leases
- unix_device_hotplug
- storage_api_local_volume_handling
- operation_description
- clustering
- event_lifecycle
- storage_api_remote_volume_handling
- nvidia_runtime
- container_mount_propagation
- container_backup
- devlxd_images
- container_local_cross_pool_handling
- proxy_unix
- proxy_udp
- clustering_join
- proxy_tcp_udp_multi_port_handling
- network_state
- proxy_unix_dac_properties
- container_protection_delete
- unix_priv_drop
- pprof_http
- proxy_haproxy_protocol
- network_hwaddr
- proxy_nat
- network_nat_order
- container_full
- backup_compression
- nvidia_runtime_config
- storage_api_volume_snapshots
- storage_unmapped
- projects
- network_vxlan_ttl
- container_incremental_copy
- usb_optional_vendorid
- snapshot_scheduling
- snapshot_schedule_aliases
- container_copy_project
- clustering_server_address
- clustering_image_replication
- container_protection_shift
- snapshot_expiry
- container_backup_override_pool
- snapshot_expiry_creation
- network_leases_location
- resources_cpu_socket
- resources_gpu
- resources_numa
- kernel_features
- id_map_current
- event_location
- storage_api_remote_volume_snapshots
- network_nat_address
- container_nic_routes
- cluster_internal_copy
- seccomp_notify
- lxc_features
- container_nic_ipvlan
- network_vlan_sriov
- storage_cephfs
- container_nic_ipfilter
- resources_v2
- container_exec_user_group_cwd
- container_syscall_intercept
- container_disk_shift
- storage_shifted
- resources_infiniband
- daemon_storage
- instances
- image_types
- resources_disk_sata
- clustering_roles
- images_expiry
- resources_network_firmware
- backup_compression_algorithm
- ceph_data_pool_name
- container_syscall_intercept_mount
- compression_squashfs
- container_raw_mount
- container_nic_routed
- container_syscall_intercept_mount_fuse
- container_disk_ceph
- virtual-machines
- image_profiles
- clustering_architecture
- resources_disk_id
- storage_lvm_stripes
- vm_boot_priority
- unix_hotplug_devices
- api_filtering
- instance_nic_network
- clustering_sizing
- firewall_driver
- projects_limits
- container_syscall_intercept_hugetlbfs
- limits_hugepages
- container_nic_routed_gateway
- projects_restrictions
- custom_volume_snapshot_expiry
- volume_snapshot_scheduling
- trust_ca_certificates
- snapshot_disk_usage
- clustering_edit_roles
- container_nic_routed_host_address
- container_nic_ipvlan_gateway
- resources_usb_pci
- resources_cpu_threads_numa
- resources_cpu_core_die
- api_os
- container_nic_routed_host_table
- container_nic_ipvlan_host_table
- container_nic_ipvlan_mode
- resources_system
- images_push_relay
- network_dns_search
- container_nic_routed_limits
- instance_nic_bridged_vlan
- network_state_bond_bridge
- usedby_consistency
- custom_block_volumes
- clustering_failure_domains
- resources_gpu_mdev
- console_vga_type
- projects_limits_disk
- network_type_macvlan
- network_type_sriov
- container_syscall_intercept_bpf_devices
- network_type_ovn
- projects_networks
- projects_networks_restricted_uplinks
- custom_volume_backup
- backup_override_name
- storage_rsync_compression
- network_type_physical
- network_ovn_external_subnets
- network_ovn_nat
- network_ovn_external_routes_remove
- tpm_device_type
- storage_zfs_clone_copy_rebase
- gpu_mdev
- resources_pci_iommu
- resources_network_usb
- resources_disk_address
- network_physical_ovn_ingress_mode
- network_ovn_dhcp
- network_physical_routes_anycast
- projects_limits_instances
- network_state_vlan
- instance_nic_bridged_port_isolation
- instance_bulk_state_change
- network_gvrp
- instance_pool_move
- gpu_sriov
- pci_device_type
- storage_volume_state
- network_acl
- migration_stateful
- disk_state_quota
- storage_ceph_features
- projects_compression
- projects_images_remote_cache_expiry
- certificate_project
- network_ovn_acl
- projects_images_auto_update
- projects_restricted_cluster_target
- images_default_architecture
- network_ovn_acl_defaults
- gpu_mig
- project_usage
- network_bridge_acl
- warnings
- projects_restricted_backups_and_snapshots
- clustering_join_token
- clustering_description
- server_trusted_proxy
- clustering_update_cert
- storage_api_project
- server_instance_driver_operational
- server_supported_storage_drivers
- event_lifecycle_requestor_address
- resources_gpu_usb
- clustering_evacuation
- network_ovn_nat_address
- network_bgp
- network_forward
- custom_volume_refresh
- network_counters_errors_dropped
- metrics
- image_source_project
- clustering_config
- network_peer
- linux_sysctl
- network_dns
- ovn_nic_acceleration
- certificate_self_renewal
- instance_project_move
- storage_volume_project_move
- cloud_init
- network_dns_nat
- database_leader
- instance_all_projects
- clustering_groups
- ceph_rbd_du
- instance_get_full
- qemu_metrics
- gpu_mig_uuid
- event_project
- clustering_evacuation_live
- instance_allow_inconsistent_copy
- network_state_ovn
- storage_volume_api_filtering
- image_restrictions
- storage_zfs_export
- network_dns_records
- storage_zfs_reserve_space
- network_acl_log
- storage_zfs_blocksize
- metrics_cpu_seconds
- instance_snapshot_never
- certificate_token
- instance_nic_routed_neighbor_probe
- event_hub
- agent_nic_config
- projects_restricted_intercept
- metrics_authentication
- images_target_project
- cluster_migration_inconsistent_copy
- cluster_ovn_chassis
- container_syscall_intercept_sched_setscheduler
- storage_lvm_thinpool_metadata_size
- storage_volume_state_total
- instance_file_head
- instances_nic_host_name
- image_copy_profile
- container_syscall_intercept_sysinfo
- clustering_evacuation_mode
- resources_pci_vpd
- qemu_raw_conf
- storage_cephfs_fscache
- network_load_balancer
- vsock_api
- instance_ready_state
- network_bgp_holdtime
- storage_volumes_all_projects
- metrics_memory_oom_total
- storage_buckets
- storage_buckets_create_credentials
- metrics_cpu_effective_total
- projects_networks_restricted_access
- storage_buckets_local
- loki
- acme
- internal_metrics
- cluster_join_token_expiry
- remote_token_expiry
- init_preseed
- storage_volumes_created_at
- cpu_hotplug
- projects_networks_zones
- network_txqueuelen
- cluster_member_state
- instances_placement_scriptlet
- storage_pool_source_wipe
- zfs_block_mode
- instance_generation_id
- disk_io_cache
- amd_sev
- storage_pool_loop_resize
- migration_vm_live
- ovn_nic_nesting
- oidc
- network_ovn_l3only
- ovn_nic_acceleration_vdpa
- cluster_healing
- instances_state_total
- auth_user
- security_csm
- instances_rebuild
- numa_cpu_placement
- custom_volume_iso
- network_allocations
- storage_api_remote_volume_snapshot_copy
- zfs_delegate
- operations_get_query_all_projects
- metadata_configuration
- syslog_socket
- event_lifecycle_name_and_project
- instances_nic_limits_priority
- disk_initial_volume_configuration
- operation_wait
- cluster_internal_custom_volume_copy
- disk_io_bus
- storage_cephfs_create_missing
- instance_move_config
- ovn_ssl_config
- init_preseed_storage_volumes
- metrics_instances_count
- server_instance_type_info
- resources_disk_mounted
- server_version_lts
- oidc_groups_claim
- loki_config_instance
- storage_volatile_uuid
- import_instance_devices
- instances_uefi_vars
- instances_migration_stateful
- container_syscall_filtering_allow_deny_syntax
- access_management
- vm_disk_io_limits
- storage_volumes_all
- instances_files_modify_permissions
- image_restriction_nesting
- container_syscall_intercept_finit_module
- device_usb_serial
- network_allocate_external_ips
- explicit_trust_token
- instance_import_conversion
- instance_create_start
- devlxd_images_vm
- instance_protection_start
- disk_io_bus_virtio_blk
- metadata_configuration_entity_types
- network_allocations_ovn_uplink
- network_ovn_uplink_vlan
- shared_custom_block_volumes
- metrics_api_requests
- projects_limits_disk_pool
- access_management_tls
- state_logical_cpus
- vm_limits_cpu_pin_strategy
- gpu_cdi
- metadata_configuration_scope
- unix_device_hotplug_ownership_inherit
- unix_device_hotplug_subsystem_device_option
- storage_ceph_osd_pool_size
- network_get_target
- network_zones_all_projects
- vm_root_volume_attachment
- projects_limits_uplink_ips
- entities_with_entitlements
- profiles_all_projects
- storage_driver_powerflex
- storage_driver_pure
- cloud_init_ssh_keys
- oidc_scopes
- project_default_network_and_storage
- ubuntu_pro_guest_attach
- images_all_projects
- client_cert_presence
- resources_device_fs_uuid
- clustering_groups_used_by
- container_bpf_delegation
- override_snapshot_profiles_on_copy
- backup_metadata_version
- storage_buckets_all_projects
- network_acls_all_projects
- networks_all_projects
- clustering_restore_skip_mode
- disk_io_threads_virtiofsd
- oidc_client_secret
- pci_hotplug
- device_patch_removal
api_status: stable
api_version: "1.0"
auth: trusted
public: false
auth_methods:
- tls
client_certificate: false
auth_user_name: uid=1118959361
auth_user_method: unix
environment:
  addresses: []
  architectures:
  - x86_64
  - i686
  backup_metadata_version_range:
  - 1
  - 2
  certificate: |
    -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
    MIICGzCCAaCgAwIBAgIRANXksaeEtE+aGFXniu65774wCgYIKoZIzj0EAwMwNjEM
    MAoGA1UEChMDTFhEMSYwJAYDVQQDDB1yb290QGd1cnVwcmFzYWQtdGhpbmtwYWQt
    cDE2czAeFw0yNjAzMjMxNDEzMjZaFw0zNjAzMjAxNDEzMjZaMDYxDDAKBgNVBAoT
    A0xYRDEmMCQGA1UEAwwdcm9vdEBndXJ1cHJhc2FkLXRoaW5rcGFkLXAxNnMwdjAQ
    BgcqhkjOPQIBBgUrgQQAIgNiAAQQPNgCSK1x9tgQVunanWfwsLWpu31WyzEc2QzU
    nWCh6cJTA3/3iZxfGBEWwtRIm4qFVaJ1xCaOFQao4rl+eTPPoNNjIftUodUkDtnz
    uxWLTCRdgTS44BrN4fiY4nAxzDajcjBwMA4GA1UdDwEB/wQEAwIFoDATBgNVHSUE
    DDAKBggrBgEFBQcDATAMBgNVHRMBAf8EAjAAMDsGA1UdEQQ0MDKCGGd1cnVwcmFz
    YWQtdGhpbmtwYWQtcDE2c4cEfwAAAYcQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATAKBggqhkjO
    PQQDAwNpADBmAjEA4Gs6rE97yDrd2tNGUUCciJb2XNEP++oRczdtspx7WXdpuMCr
    atm8Whe3SMvJ1bnSAjEA/PLDC9wloFf3TEbq5E8g/UXf16JrHDYIDLCAougK/gxR
    4l4qeGqMX/hZeJ8KqfiW
    -----END CERTIFICATE-----
  certificate_fingerprint: d7ef792039aca632f4a070839336296de138bdfa4ff3cfe5ef6b5608d0b6d201
  driver: lxc | qemu
  driver_version: 6.0.4 | 8.2.2
  instance_types:
  - container
  - virtual-machine
  firewall: nftables
  kernel: Linux
  kernel_architecture: x86_64
  kernel_features:
    bpf_token: "true"
    idmapped_mounts: "true"
    netnsid_getifaddrs: "true"
    seccomp_listener: "true"
    seccomp_listener_continue: "true"
    uevent_injection: "true"
    unpriv_binfmt: "true"
    unpriv_fscaps: "true"
  kernel_version: 7.0.0-10-generic
  lxc_features:
    cgroup2: "true"
    core_scheduling: "true"
    devpts_fd: "true"
    idmapped_mounts_v2: "true"
    mount_injection_file: "true"
    network_gateway_device_route: "true"
    network_ipvlan: "true"
    network_l2proxy: "true"
    network_phys_macvlan_mtu: "true"
    network_veth_router: "true"
    pidfd: "true"
    seccomp_allow_deny_syntax: "true"
    seccomp_notify: "true"
    seccomp_proxy_send_notify_fd: "true"
  os_name: Ubuntu
  os_version: "26.04"
  project: default
  server: lxd
  server_clustered: false
  server_event_mode: full-mesh
  server_name: guruprasad-thinkpad-p16s
  server_pid: 13182
  server_version: 5.21.4
  server_lts: true
  storage: dir
  storage_version: "1"
  storage_supported_drivers:
  - name: btrfs
    version: 5.16.2
    remote: false
  - name: ceph
    version: 17.2.9
    remote: true
  - name: cephfs
    version: 17.2.9
    remote: true
  - name: cephobject
    version: 17.2.9
    remote: true
  - name: dir
    version: "1"
    remote: false
  - name: powerflex
    version: 1.16 (nvme-cli)
    remote: true
  - name: pure
    version: 1.16 (nvme-cli)
    remote: true
  - name: zfs
    version: 2.4.1-1ubuntu1
    remote: false
  - name: lvm
    version: 2.03.11(2) (2021-01-08) / 1.02.175 (2021-01-08) / 4.50.0
    remote: false

Issue description

On my Ubuntu desktop running 26.04 (and previously Kubuntu 25.10 and Ubuntu 24.04), I use LXD containers for development work heavily and I usually set up DNS configuration to resolve containers using the .lxd base domain. For this, I have been following the instructions in https://documentation.ubuntu.com/lxd/stable-5.21/howto/network_bridge_resolved/ (and its previous versions) for a long time. In the recent times, I have noticed that the recommended approach does not work correctly on desktop installations (maybe it works okay on the server installations, but I haven't checked).

On further investigation, I noticed that the networkctl reload command complains that systemd-networkd is not running. On desktop installs, the networking is managed by the NetworkManager service and I wonder if this is a gotcha that the documentation doesn't acknowledge or cover.

As a result, the DNS resolution doesn't work as the documentation it should for the recommended approach. The resolvectl status command output also confirms this via the missing DNS-related configuration items that were set up previously in the recommended method.

I have tried the other method and it works. So maybe it is worth mentioning the caveats of the recommended approach and suggesting the alternative as the recommended approach for desktop installations? Or if there is a way to make the recommended method work for the desktop installations, can that be documented please?

Steps to reproduce

1. Install the LXD snap on Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04
2. Initialize it with lxd init --minimal
3. Launch some containers
4. Set up the DNS resolution persistence as documented in https://documentation.ubuntu.com/lxd/stable-5.21/howto/network_bridge_resolved/ using the recommended method.
5. The networkctl reload command complains that systemd-networkd is not running and fails to reload network settings.
6. resolvectl status does not show the expected DNS configuration corresponding to the changes that were made previously as per the recommended method.

Information to attach

• Any relevant kernel output (dmesg)
• Instance log (lxc info NAME --show-log)
• Instance configuration (lxc config show NAME --expanded)
• Main daemon log (at /var/log/lxd/lxd.log or /var/snap/lxd/common/lxd/logs/lxd.log)
• Output of the client with --debug
• Output of the daemon with --debug (or use lxc monitor while reproducing the issue)