How to configure LXD container devices using saltstack "lxd_container.present" function? - salt-stack

Question

I have the following working Salt state file which: 1) downloads an image 2) creates a container from that image and 3) adds a nic afterwards.
These states work using the following setup:
salt-ssh: version 3004
Python: 3.9.7
LXC (snapd): version 5.0.0
PyLXD: version 2.3.0
Linux ubuntu: aarch64
---
# Create Penguin Container
#---
get_focal:
lxd_image.present:
- name: 'focal'
- source:
type: simplestreams
server: https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases
name: '20.04'
create_penguin:
lxd_container.present:
- name: penguin
- profiles: ['default']
- source: 'focal'
- running: true
- devices:
### I want to create NIC here. ###
add_nic_card:
cmd.run:
- name: |
lxc config device add penguin eth0 nic nictype=bridged parent=br0
I need to combine states #2 and #3 so the nic is created simultaneously with the container. This should be possible according to the official documentation. However, I've not been able to get the syntax right, and the error codes aren't helpful.
I've tried numerous variations of the following:
variation 1
create_penguin:
lxd_container.present:
- name: penguin
- profiles: ['default']
- source: 'focal'
- running: true
- devices:
eth0: {
type: "nic",
nictype: "bridged",
parent: "br0" }
variation 2
create_penguin:
lxd_container.present:
- name: penguin
- profiles:
- default
- source: 'focal'
- running: true
- devices:
eth0:
type: nic
nictype: bridged
parent: br0
Variation 2 produces the following error:
----------
ID: create_penguin
Function: lxd_container.present
Name: penguin
Result: False
Comment: An exception occurred in this state: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/state.py", line 2179, in call
ret = self.states[cdata["full"]](
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 149, in __call__
return self.loader.run(run_func, *args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 1201, in run
return self._last_context.run(self._run_as, _func_or_method, *args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 1216, in _run_as
return _func_or_method(*args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 1249, in wrapper
return f(*args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/states/lxd_container.py", line 235, in present
__salt__["lxd.container_create"](
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 149, in __call__
return self.loader.run(run_func, *args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 1201, in run
return self._last_context.run(self._run_as, _func_or_method, *args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/loader/lazy.py", line 1216, in _run_as
return _func_or_method(*args, **kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/modules/lxd.py", line 691, in container_create
container_device_add(name, dn, **dargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/modules/lxd.py", line 1431, in container_device_add
return _set_property_dict_item(container, "devices", device_name, kwargs)
File "/var/tmp/.ubuntu_a31665_salt/pyall/salt/modules/lxd.py", line 3544, in _set_property_dict_item
raise SaltInvocationError("path must be given as parameter")
salt.exceptions.SaltInvocationError: path must be given as parameter
Started: 09:43:31.807609
Duration: 5147.141 ms
Changes:
----------

Answer 1

I took cue from the lxd-formula and as described in documentation, we need supply a dict to devices: in YAML format. So, the curly brackets { .. } are not required.
Following that, I found that the below syntax works fine:
create_penguin:
lxd_container.present:
- name: penguin
- profiles: ['default']
- source: 'focal'
- running: true
- devices:
eth0:
type: nic
nictype: bridged
parent: br0
# another network interface
eth1:
type: nic
nictype: bridged
parent: br0
For reference, my setup:
component
version
Salt
3003.3
Python
3.8.10
dist
ubuntu 20.04 focal
lxc (apt)
4.0.9
pylxd
2.3.1
And output from Saltstack (had removed eth1 from the state):
----------
ID: create_penguin
Function: lxd_container.present
Name: penguin
Result: True
Comment: 1 changes
Started: 12:38:58.041506
Duration: 27277.86 ms
Changes:
----------
devices:
----------
eth0:
Added device "eth0"

Answer 2

The following solution provides a satisfactory work around to the original post. Instead of adding a separate stanza, I've created a profile named "natted" and added it to the container. While it works with my version of Salt, it's a little less explicit/transparent than the "official" answer in documentation.
---
# Create & Start the Penguin Container
#---
penguin_create_start:
lxd_container.present:
- name: penguin
- source: 'focal'
- running: true
- profiles: ['default', 'natted']
...
The profile looks something like this:
---
# equivalent to --> 'lxc config device add penguin eth0 nic nictype=bridged parent=br0'
#---
config: {}
description: Adds eth1 to 'lxdbr0' bridge
devices:
eth1:
nictype: bridged
parent: lxdbr0
type: nic
name: natted