podsByUID := slices.GroupUnique(ambientPods, (*corev1.Pod).GetUID)
	if err := s.buildZtunnelSnapshot(podsByUID); err != nil {
		log.Warnf("failed to construct initial ztunnel snapshot: %v", err)
		consErr = append(consErr, err)
	}

	return errors.Join(consErr...)
}

func (s *NetServer) buildZtunnelSnapshot(ambientPodUIDs map[types.UID]*corev1.Pod) error {
	// first add all the pods as empty: