014.01.38.8. Under what circumstances might you want NetworkManager to ignore certain network interfaces, and how can this be achieved using plugins? Provide an example using the ifupdown plugin.
There can be a circumstance where most users don't need any kind of dynamic configuration on the localhost interface, because its configuration never changes. This interface can be configured early in the boot process, because basic system services often depend on it. It can be done using certain plug-ins, by changing the key-value pairs in it. For e.g. in the ifupdown plugin, add the interface configuration to your /etc/network/interface files and then set the value of managed to false in the ifupdown section of the NetworkManager.conf file.
In certain scenarios, it may be unnecessary for NetworkManager to dynamically configure certain network interfaces, especially those that remain static. A common example is the localhost interface, which typically doesn't undergo configuration changes and is critical for basic system services early in the boot process.
To instruct NetworkManager to ignore specific interfaces, such as localhost, plugins like ifupdown can be utilized. The configuration involves adding the interface details to the /etc/network/interface files. Subsequently, in the NetworkManager.conf file, within the ifupdown section, set the value of managed to false:
[ifupdown]
managed = false
This configuration ensures that NetworkManager refrains from managing the specified interface, providing a tailored approach to network interface management.
