Setting Up and Installing Proxmox VE: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

1. Used Hardware

2. Steps to Install Proxmox

3. Post Installation

Used Hardware

Starting with a modest setup, here are the specifications of the system on which I installed Proxmox:

• CPU: 32 x Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-4640 0 @ 2.40GHz (2 Sockets)

• Total Memory: 96 GB

• Storage:

• 225 GiB Internal SSD for OS

• 2 TB Internal HDD for VM and data storage

• Network: 1 GB NIC onboard

Steps to Install Proxmox

• Download Proxmox VE

Visit the Proxmox VE download page and download the latest ISO image. For this guide, I used Proxmox VE 8.2 ISO.

• Download Proxmox VE

Use a tool like Etcher to create a bootable USB drive with the Proxmox ISO image.

• Boot from USB

Insert the USB drive into the server and boot from it. Ensure your BIOS/UEFI settings are configured to boot from USB if necessary.

• Install Proxmox

• Graphical Installation: Select "Install Proxmox VE" and proceed with the graphical installation.

• User Agreement: Accept the user agreement.

• Select Target Hard Drive: Choose the 225 GiB SSD (/dev/sda) for installation.

• Configure Region Settings: Select your country, time zone, and keyboard layout.

• Set Root Password and Email: Enter a strong password for the root user and provide an email address.

• Network Configuration: Configure the network settings. For a single NIC setup, this is straightforward.

• Review and Install: Review your configuration and click "Install" to begin the installation process.

• Completion: Once the installation is complete, the system will reboot into Proxmox VE. Access the web interface using the provided local URL.

• Going to URL provided, you will be asked for a login ID. Default user will be `root` and password would be what you provided in the setup process. Logging in and you should have a screen like this:

Post Installation

Post the installation of Proxmox, we can have multiple things we would like to configure to make the setup work for us.

Setting Up Secondary Data Disk

I prefer to use the larger internal HDD for VM and container storage while keeping the SSD for OS and template storage. Here’s how to configure this:

• Current Disk Setup:

• Proxmox uses the SSD to create two partitions:

• local: For templates and ISOs

• local-lvm: For VMs and LXCs

• Modify LVM Setup:

• Delete the LVM data on the SSD to free up space for expansion.

• Use the UI to destroy the LVM.

• Expand the pve VG

• Use SSH to extend the LV and resize the filesystem:

lvextend -l +100%Free /dev/pve/root

resize2fs /dev/pve/root

• Edit Storage Directory:

• Configure the local directory to store only ISO images and container templates.

• Create New VG for VMs:

• Verify the new setup

• Final Storage Layout

Disable Enterprise Repo and Enable Community Repo

Since I do not have a subscription, I will use the community repository.

• SSH into Proxmox: Open the apt sources list:

nano /etc/apt/sources.list

• Add Community Repository: Add the following line:

# not for production use

deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian bookworm pve-no-subscription

• Disable Enterprise Repository: Disable the enterprise source from the UI

• Update Sources: Refresh and update the package lists.

With the base setup complete, my Proxmox environment is ready for further configuration and experimentation. Next steps will include setting up a local DNS for internal resolution and expanding the capabilities of my lab environment.

Stay tuned for more updates and tips on maximizing your Proxmox VE setup!

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