How to manage MAAS networks

MAAS provides pre-configured networks for convenience and efficiency. Reconfigure these networks to suit your environment.

Learn more about MAAS networking

Manage interfaces

Manage MAAS interfaces, including network interfaces, gateways, bridges, and bonds.

Create an interface

Create interfaces quickly with MAAS UI and CLI.

Create a physical interface

CLI

maas $PROFILE interfaces create-physical $SYSTEM_ID (key=value)....

See the Physical interface parameters table for valid key-value pairs.

Create a VLAN interface

CLI

maas $PROFILE interfaces create-vlan $SYSTEM_ID (key=value)...

See the VLAN interface parameters table for valid key-value pairs.

Bond two interfaces

Learn more about bonds.

UI:
Machines > (Select machine) > Network > (Select 2 physical interface) > Create bond > (Configure details) > Save interface

CLI:

maas $PROFILE interfaces create-bond $SYSTEM_ID name=$BOND_NAME parents=$IFACE1_ID,$IFACE2_ID <optional parameters>

Find the optional parameters listed in the Interface bond parameters table

Create a bridge

UI:
Machines > (Select machine) > Network > (Select interface) > Create bridge > (Configure details) > Save interface

CLI:

INTERFACE_ID=$(maas $PROFILE machine read $SYSTEM_ID | jq .boot_interface.id)
BRIDGE_ID=$(maas $PROFILE interfaces create-bridge $SYSTEM_ID name=br0 parent=$INTERFACE_ID | jq .id)
SUBNET_ID=$(maas $PROFILE subnets read | jq -r '.[] | select(.cidr == "10.0.0.0/24" and .managed == true).id')
maas $PROFILE interface link-subnet $SYSTEM_ID $BRIDGE_ID subnet=$SUBNET_ID mode="STATIC" ip_address="10.0.0.101"

Create a bridge with netplan

Modify /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml:

network:
  bridges:
    br0:
      addresses:
        - 10.0.0.101/24
      gateway4: 10.0.0.1
      interfaces:
        - enp1s0

Apply:

sudo netplan apply

View and maintain interfaces

List existing interfaces

UI
*Machines > (machine) > Network

CLI

maas $PROFILE interfaces read $SYSTEM_ID

List a particular interface

UI
*Machines > (machine) > Network

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface read $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID

Update an interface

Update parameters for an interface, depending on current machine
state. Machines that are Ready or Broken have access to all
options. Machines that are Deployed can only update the interface
name and mac_address, so that bad interfaces can be replaced
on-line.

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface update $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID (key=value)...

See the section for the interface type (physical, bridge…) for key parameters.

Delete an interface

Delete an interface that is no longer needed.

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface delete $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID

Manage routes and links

Disconnect an interface

Disconnect an interface from a machine. Deletes any linked subnets
and IP addresses, and disconnects the interface from any associated
VLAN.

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface disconnect $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID

Link an interface to a subnet

Link a specific interface on a given machine to an existing subnet.

CLI

maas admin interface link-subnet $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID (key=value)...

See the Interface-subnet link parameters table for valid key-value pairs.

Unlink an interface from a subnet

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface unlink-subnet $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID

Set the default gateway

maas $PROFILE subnet update $SUBNET_CIDR gateway_ip=$MY_GATEWAY

Add static routes

UI:
Networking > Subnets > (Select subnet) > Add static route > Fill fields > Save

CLI:

maas $PROFILE static-routes create source=$SOURCE_SUBNET destination=$DEST_SUBNET gateway_ip=$GATEWAY_IP

Configure loopback

After commissioning, manually add a loopback interface using a placeholder MAC (00:00:00:00:00:00).

For automation, use cloud-init.

Tag interfaces

Add a tag to an interface

Use a tag to identify or group interfaces.

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface add-tag $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID tag="string"

Remove a tag from an interface

Remove tags from interfaces when no longer needed.

CLI

maas $PROFILE interface remove-tag $SYSTEM_ID $INTERFACE_ID tag="<tagname>"

Manage dual NICs

Set up dual NICs with MAAS

  • NIC 1 (private subnet): Set to DHCP (e.g., 192.168.10.0/24).
  • NIC 2 (public internet): Set to DHCP/static (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24).

Set up dual NICS with Netplan

network:
  version: 2
  ethernets:
    ens18:
      addresses:
        - 192.168.10.5/24
      gateway4: 192.168.10.1
    ens19:
      addresses:
        - 192.168.1.10/24
      gateway4: 192.168.1.1
      nameservers:
        addresses:
          - 8.8.8.8
          - 8.8.4.4

Manage network discovery

Network discovery detects connected devices, including non-deployables. Use the UI to:

  • enable or disable discovery.
  • change the active subnet mapping interval (how often discovery scans).
  • clear all discoveries.

Use the CLI to fine-tune discovery:

  • scan specific subnets.
  • force a re-scan (even if everything’s up to date).
  • scan with ping instead of the default nmap.
  • scan slowly (using less network bandwidth).
  • control the number of scan threads that are used.
  • filter for unknown IP address, MAC address, or both.
  • clear discoveries selectively (by MAC plus IP address)
  • clear discoveries by source (mdns or neighbours)

Learn more about network discovery.

Set up discovery

MAAS can automatically detect and catalog devices on your network. Use these settings to enable or disable discovery, adjust the scan interval, clear all discovered devices, or target specific subnets for scanning.

Enable discovery

UI
Networking > Network discovery > Configuration > Enabled

CLI

maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=network_discovery value="enabled"

Disable discovery

UI
Networking > Network discovery > Configuration > Disabled

CLI

maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=network_discovery value="disabled"

Set the discovery interval

Set the time interval between discovery runs.

UI
Networking > Network discovery > Configuration > Active subnet mapping interval

CLI

maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=active_discovery_interval value=<interval-in-seconds>

Clear all discoveries

UI
*Networking > Network discovery > Clear all discoveries

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries clear all=true

Scan specific subnets

Scan for devices on a specific subnet.

UI
Networking > Network discovery > Configuration > Subnet mapping > [Choose subnets by CIDR] > Save

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries scan cidr=<subnet CIDR>

Fine-tune discovery (CLI only)

Control scan behavior, improve performance, filter results, and selectively clear discoveries for more precise network management.

Force a re-scan

Force a re-scan, regardless of existing results or previous scans.

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries scan force=true

Scan with ping

Make network discovery use ping, rather than nmap.

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries scan always_use_ping=true

Scan slowly

Make nmap scan at a lower frequency (nine packets per second). If scanning with ping, this parameter is ignored.

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries scan slow=true

Manage scan threading

Set the thread count for discovery scanning.

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries scan thread=<number_of_threads>

Filter for unknowns

Get a report of devices with unknown addresses.

CLI
By unknown IP address

maas $PROFILE discoveries by-unknown-ip

By unknown MAC address

maas $PROFILE discoveries by-unknown-mac

By unknown MAC and IP

maas $PROFILE discoveries by-unknown-mac-and-ip

Clear discoveries selectively

Delete all discovered neighbours and associated reverse DNS entries associated with a given IP and MAC address.

CLI

maas $PROFILE discoveries clear-by-mac-and-ip ip=<ip-address> mac=<mac-address>

Clear discoveries by source

Delete all discovered neighbours or mDNS entries.

CLI
Delete discovered neighbours

maas $PROFILE discoveries clear neighbours=true

Delete mDNS entries

maas $PROFILE discoveries clear mdns=true

Manage subnets

Note: The following instructions are based on MAAS 3.4. For earlier versions, the UI element names may differ.

Examine subnets

UI
Networking > Subnets > (Select subnet)

CLI

  • List subnets:
    maas $PROFILE subnets read
  • Retrieve details of a specific subnet:
    maas $PROFILE subnet read $SUBNET_ID

Toggle subnet management

UI
Subnets > (Select subnet) > Edit > Managed allocation > Save

CLI

  • Enable management:
    maas $PROFILE subnet update $SUBNET_CIDR managed=true
  • Disable management:
    maas $PROFILE subnet update $SUBNET_CIDR managed=false

Configure DNS servers per subnet

UI
Subnets > (Select subnet)j > Edit > DNS servers > Save

CLI

maas $PROFILE subnet update $SUBNET_CIDR dns_servers=$DNS_SERVER_IPS

Add static routes

UI
Subnets > (Select subnet) > Static routes > Add static route > Enter Gateway IP > Enter Destination subnet > Enter (optional) Metric > Save

CLI

maas $PROFILE static-routes create source=$SOURCE_SUBNET destination=$DEST_SUBNET gateway_ip=$GATEWAY_IP

Manage VLANs

Create VLAN

UI
Subnets > Add > VLAN > (Fill fields) > Add VLAN

CLI

maas $PROFILE vlans create $FABRIC_ID name=$VLAN_NAME vid=$VLAN_ID

Assign VLAN to interface

UI
Machines > (Select machine> > (Select physical interface) > Actions > Add VLAN

CLI

maas $PROFILE interfaces create-vlan $SYSTEM_ID vlan=$VLAN_ID parent=$INTERFACE_ID

Delete VLAN

UI
Subnets > (Select VLAN) > Delete VLAN > Delete VLAN*

CLI

maas $PROFILE vlan delete $FABRIC_ID $VLAN_ID

Manage IP addresses

Static IP via netplan

Modify /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml:

network:
  ethernets:
    ens160:
      addresses:
        - 192.168.0.100/24
      gateway4: 192.168.0.1
      nameservers:
        addresses:
          - 8.8.8.8
          - 8.8.4.4

Reserve IPs

Reserve a single IP

CLI

maas $PROFILE ipaddresses reserve ip=$IP_ADDRESS_STATIC_SINGLE

Reserve dynamic range

UI
Subnets > (Select subnet> > (Scroll down> > Reserve range > Reserve dynamic range > (Fill fields) > Reserve

CLI

maas $PROFILE ipranges create type=dynamic subnet=$SUBNET_ADDRESS start_ip=$IP_DYNAMIC_RANGE_LOW end_ip=$IP_DYNAMIC_RANGE_HIGH

Reserved range:

UI
Subnets > (Select subnet> > (Scroll down) > Reserve range > Reserve range > (Fill fields) Reserve

CLI

maas $PROFILE ipranges create type=reserved subnet=$SUBNET_ADDRESS start_ip=$IP_STATIC_RANGE_LOW end_ip=$IP_STATIC_RANGE_HIGH

Last updated 2 days ago.

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