Proxmox VE Setup Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Summary

In this Learn Linux TV video, the host presents an updated guide to getting started with Proxmox, a server virtualization platform. The tutorial covers building a Proxmox server, from hardware selection to installation, and includes a parts list and the host's insights. Viewers are also introduced to a free Proxmox course for in-depth learning. The guide continues with the installation process, network configuration, and launching a Debian-based virtual machine, offering a comprehensive start-to-end walkthrough for beginners.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is an updated getting started guide for Proxmox, a server management utility.
• 🛠️ The presenter showcases a Proxmox server build made for a client, including a parts list and hardware selection thoughts.
• 💡 The video offers a free Proxmox course on the channel for those interested in in-depth knowledge about Proxmox.
• 🌐 The guide is beginner-friendly and aims to provide everything needed to start with Proxmox, even for those who already have a server.
• 🔄 The presenter discusses the possibility of recycling old hardware to run Proxmox instead of letting it end up in a landfill.
• 💻 The server build features an ASRock Rack motherboard with a built-in server management utility for easy access and management.
• 🔩 The build includes high-end components like an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, ECC memory, and multiple SSDs for storage.
• 💰 The presenter provides an estimate of the build's cost, noting that prices fluctuate and advises checking current prices.
• 🛑 The video mentions encountering issues with the HDMI port on the motherboard and fitting a power supply into the case.
• 🔄 The process of installing Proxmox is covered, including creating bootable media, accepting the EULA, and configuring the server settings.
• 🔧 After installation, the presenter recommends updating Proxmox to the latest version and enabling the no subscription repository for additional updates.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is an updated getting started guide on Proxmox, including building a Proxmox server and installing Proxmox VE.

What is the purpose of the server build shown in the video?

The server build shown in the video was created for a client and is being demonstrated to provide a parts list and the presenter's thoughts on the hardware selection for those interested in building a Proxmox server.

What is the significance of the server management utility in the ASRock Rack motherboard?

The server management utility in the ASRock Rack motherboard allows for integrated KVM access, enabling the user to interact with an emulated display as if they had physical peripherals attached to the server.

What are the main components of the server build discussed in the video?

The main components of the server build include an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, four sticks of 32GB ECC memory, two Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSDs, and a hard disk dock with six 1TB SSDs.

What issues were encountered during the building process of the server?

Two main issues were encountered: the HDMI port on the motherboard did not function despite various attempts to configure it, and there were difficulties in sourcing a power supply that would fit the chosen case from iStar USA.

How does the video guide the viewers through the installation of Proxmox?

The video guides viewers through the process of creating bootable media, booting the server, accepting the EULA, setting up the hard disk, configuring location and time zone, setting a root password, configuring network details, and finally installing Proxmox VE.

What is the importance of the URL and port number mentioned after the installation of Proxmox?

The URL and port number are crucial as they are required to access the Proxmox web interface after the server restarts following the installation.

Why is it recommended to update Proxmox after installation?

Updating Proxmox ensures that the system is up to date with the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes, which is essential for the stable operation of the server.

What is the process for launching a virtual machine in Proxmox as described in the video?

The process involves downloading an ISO image of the desired operating system, using the Proxmox VE interface to add the ISO to local storage, creating a new virtual machine, configuring its settings such as CPU, memory, network, and storage, and then installing the operating system on the VM.

What additional resource is mentioned in the video for learning more about Proxmox?

The video mentions a free Proxmox course available on the same channel, which covers more advanced topics and is suitable for those who wish to master Proxmox.

What is the role of the 'discard' option when configuring the virtual hard disk for a VM in Proxmox?

The 'discard' option, when checked, allows for more efficient use of SSD storage by informing the storage system to trim unused blocks, which can improve performance and longevity of SSDs.

What is the recommendation for handling updates in Proxmox if a user does not have a subscription?

For users without a Proxmox subscription, it is recommended to enable the 'no subscription repository' to access updates that may not be as thoroughly tested but are still useful for keeping the system current.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Introduction to Proxmox and Today's Guide

In this paragraph, the presenter introduces the video, mentioning that it is an updated getting started guide for Proxmox. The presenter shows a Proxmox server and explains that the video will cover the build of this server, including hardware selection and installation. The video is aimed at beginners, but those interested in more advanced Proxmox tutorials can refer to an entire course available on the channel. The presenter emphasizes the importance of recycling old hardware for Proxmox installations and directs viewers to time codes in the video description for specific topics.

05:02

🔧 Issues Faced During the Build

The presenter discusses two major issues encountered while building the server. First, the HDMI port on the ASRock Rack motherboard did not work despite multiple attempts to fix it through BIOS settings and online research. However, the issue was not critical due to the server's integrated management utility. The second issue involved fitting a power supply into the iStar USA chassis, which required using an SFX power supply and a custom 3D-printed bracket. Despite these challenges, the presenter praises the performance of the ASRock Rack motherboard and the AMD Ryzen 9 CPU.

10:02

💻 Installing Proxmox on the Server

The presenter transitions to the installation of Proxmox on the server. They explain how to create bootable media using a USB drive and the Proxmox VE ISO image. The steps include booting the server from the installation media, setting up the hard disk with ZFS RAID 1 for the operating system, configuring location and time zone settings, and setting up a root user password. The presenter also highlights the importance of entering correct network details to ensure access to the Proxmox installation. The installation concludes with a summary screen and the final reboot of the server.

15:05

🖥️ Setting Up a Virtual Machine in Proxmox

In the final section, the presenter guides viewers through creating a virtual machine (VM) in Proxmox. They explain how to download an ISO image of the operating system (Debian in this case) and upload it to Proxmox. The presenter then walks through configuring the VM, including setting the ID number, selecting the ISO image, configuring the virtual hard disk, setting CPU cores and memory, and configuring the virtual network. The process ends with the installation of the operating system on the VM. The presenter encourages viewers to subscribe for more content and concludes the video with a preview of upcoming topics.

Keywords

💡Proxmox

Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization environment management software that allows users to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. In the video, Proxmox is the main topic, as the host provides a guide on how to get started with it, including building a server, installing Proxmox, and setting up virtual machines.

💡Server Build

A server build refers to the assembly of hardware components to create a server system. The script discusses a specific server build created for a client, including the selection of parts like the motherboard, CPU, memory, and storage, which are essential for running Proxmox effectively.

💡ASRock Rack

ASRock Rack is a brand of server motherboards. The script mentions it as part of the server build, highlighting its server management utility and integrated KVM feature, which allows for remote management and monitoring of the server.

💡AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a high-performance CPU model mentioned in the script as part of the server build. It's a central processing unit known for its speed and efficiency, which is crucial for the performance of the Proxmox server.

💡ECC Memory

ECC stands for Error-Correcting Code memory, a type of RAM that can detect and correct common data corruption types. In the script, ECC memory is included in the server build to ensure data integrity and system stability when running Proxmox.

💡NVMe SSDs

NVMe SSDs, or Non-Volatile Memory Express Solid State Drives, are a type of storage device that offers high-speed data access. The script mentions using two Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSDs for the operating system and initial virtual machine storage in the server build.

💡ZFS RAID 1

ZFS RAID 1 is a file system and storage configuration that provides data redundancy by mirroring data across two drives. In the script, the host chooses ZFS RAID 1 for the disk arrangement during the Proxmox installation to ensure data protection.

💡ISO Image

An ISO image is a disk image of an optical media such as a CD/DVD. In the context of the video, ISO images are used to download operating system installations that can be used within virtual machines in Proxmox.

💡Virtual Machine (VM)

A virtual machine is a software emulation of a physical computer that can run its own operating system and applications. The script guides viewers through the process of creating a VM in Proxmox and installing an operating system on it.

💡Debian

Debian is a popular Linux distribution known for its stability and security. In the script, the host demonstrates the process of setting up a Debian-based virtual machine on Proxmox, showcasing one of the many operating systems that can be used.

💡Container

In the context of the script, a container is an alternative to a virtual machine that allows for running applications in isolated environments. The host mentions containers in Proxmox but notes that they are not covered in the video, suggesting they are a topic for more advanced tutorials.

Highlights

Introduction to an updated getting started guide on Proxmox.

Permission granted to showcase a client's Proxmox server build.

Parts list and hardware selection discussion for the server build.

Availability of a free Proxmox course on the channel.

Overview of the Proxmox course content and its relevance to 2023.

Proxmox as a stable and efficient server solution.

Recycling old hardware as an alternative to purchasing new for Proxmox.

Details of the server build, including the ASRock Rack motherboard.

Server management utility and integrated KVM feature of the motherboard.

Hardware specifications: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, ECC memory, and Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSDs.

Challenges faced during the build, including HDMI port and power supply fitting issues.

Process of creating bootable media for Proxmox installation.

Step-by-step guide to installing Proxmox VE on a server.

Setting up network details for Proxmox installation.

Instructions on how to access Proxmox VE post-installation.

Recommendation to update Proxmox after installation.

Enabling the no subscription repository for additional updates.

Launching a Debian-based virtual machine on Proxmox.

Downloading and setting up an ISO image for the virtual machine.

Configuring virtual machine settings such as cores, memory, and network.

Final steps to create and start a virtual machine in Proxmox.

Conclusion and call to action for viewers to like and subscribe.

Transcripts

[MUSIC]

Hello again everyone and welcome back to Learn Linux TV.

In today's video, what I'm going to do is give you

an updated getting started guide on Proxmox,

and that's what I have right here, a Proxmox server.

You're probably wondering what the server was on my desk,

but given the title of this video,

you probably figured it out before I mentioned it.

Anyway, I have permission to

show you this build right here.

It was made for a client, and he was nice enough

to give me the go-ahead to show you guys this build,

which is exactly what I'm going to do.

But this entire video isn't dedicated just to this build.

Yes, I will give you a parts list,

and I'll give you my thoughts on my hardware selection,

in this case right here.

But it's more than just that,

because I'm going to tell you everything

that you need to know to get started with Proxmox,

even if you already have a server

that you plan on installing it on.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention the fact

that I have an entire Proxmox course here on this channel

that's available for free,

just like all the other videos on my YouTube page.

You can check out that entire series

and learn everything you need to know

when it comes to maintaining a Proxmox implementation.

This video is more of a getting started guide,

which is hit more towards beginners.

But if you like Proxmox,

especially after you check it out in this video,

and you want to learn even more about it,

then you should definitely check out that series.

That tutorial series went over an older version of Proxmox,

but Proxmox doesn't change a lot

for one version to another.

So you can still use that course here today in 2023

to get started with Proxmox or master Proxmox,

which is exactly what that series will help you do.

Now with all of that out of the way,

let's dive into Proxmox.

If you look below in the description,

you'll find time codes there.

So you can get started with Proxmox with the time code

that best matches where you are in the process.

If you want to build a server,

then you'll find a time code for that.

If you already have a server,

then you'll find a time code

that shows you how to install Proxmox.

Definitely check out the time code list down below

to get an idea of what I cover in today's video.

And with all of that said, let's dive into Proxmox.

All right, so let's get started.

And I figured a good place to start

is to talk about this build right here.

If you don't already have a server

that you can install Proxmox onto,

then well, if you have the budget,

this build right here is a good way to go.

Now, the cheapest way to go though,

is to use any hardware that you might have lying around.

And that's especially good

if you want to recycle those computers

rather than have them end up in a landfill.

Let's put them to use.

If you have something in your closet,

and this might not be the first thing

that everyone thinks of,

but if you have something in your closet

that is just collecting dust,

and it might be powerful enough to run Proxmox,

then that might be a great way to get started as well.

Again, that way, you know, things stay out of the landfill

and we make better use of our technology.

Anyway, let's check out this build right here

and I'll show you what I came up with.

In this section, we're going to check out the specifics

of the server that I've built.

The one that you just saw on my desk.

This was actually created for a client.

However, I have permission to show you

the build in this video.

For the motherboard, this build features ASRock Rack

and this was my first time

checking out their server line of products.

In case you're curious,

the model number is being shown on the screen right now.

One thing I really like about this motherboard

is the server management utility,

which is built in with nothing

for you to install whatsoever.

The best part is that you can use

the server management utility

to access an integrated KVM

and that will let you see an emulated display

that you can interact with,

just as if you had a monitor, keyboard, and mouse

attached to the actual server itself.

But this is the virtual version of that

and you'll see me use this later on in the video

when I install Proxmox.

Other parts inside this build include

an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU,

four sticks of 32 gigabyte ECC memory,

and two Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSDs

for the OS and initial virtual machine storage.

In addition to those parts,

this build also includes a hard disk dock

that can hold up to six 2.5 inch hard disks.

With this build in particular,

there's six one terabyte SSDs

that are installed into this dock right now,

so it's not going to run out of space anytime soon.

Excluding the dock and SSDs,

the build comes to around 1800 US dollars.

The dock and SSDs add about $750 to the overall cost.

But keep in mind that these are all estimates

and part prices seem to go up and down nowadays,

so just look at the current prices

if you want to build something similar.

After putting together the build

and having a chance to check it out,

it really does seem like a very good stable build.

However, there were a few pain points that we ran into.

First off, no matter what I tried,

the HDMI port simply does not work on this motherboard.

I tried all the BIOS settings that I could find,

even as far as disabling dedicated GPU support,

even though I didn't even install a GPU at all.

And even with that, nothing I tried

would make the HDMI port function at all.

After doing some Googling, I saw some posts

from other people that are having this same problem.

Ultimately, the lack of an HDMI port

didn't really matter so much when it comes to this project.

Since you can't access the server

via the integrated server management utility,

then that means the HDMI port

probably wouldn't have been used anyway.

Still, if you have an HDMI port on a motherboard,

you would probably expect that to be more

than just a decoration, but it is what it is.

The second issue that we ran into was with the case,

specifically fitting a power supply into the case.

The chassis that we went with was from iStar USA,

and it's a fairly decent, if you know,

overly simplistic case, but the problem that we ran into

was sourcing a power supply that would fit inside the case.

Simply no power supply I could find would fit,

not a single one, and I tried various varieties

of power supplies, but I had no luck.

Thankfully, there are 3D

printer templates you could download

that'll enable you to print a bracket you could use

to make the power supply fit properly.

It's just really weird that the actual power supply

for server chassis made by this company

are sometimes really hard to source.

I went with an SFX power supply in this case,

and I used a alteration to ensure

that it is secured to the case,

but it's strange that this is something

I had to do in the first place.

All in all, though, other than the HDMI issue,

the ASRock Rack motherboard in this build is just awesome.

The CPU is quite fast too, and paired with NVMe storage

is just a really great server.

Anyway, enough about the build.

Let's talk about installing Proxmox itself,

which is what we'll take care of in the next section.

(scratching)

So at this point, either you already have a server

that you've set aside for installing Proxmox onto,

or maybe you built one along with me

like I did in this video.

Either way, we need to install Proxmox,

otherwise, well, what's the point?

So let's check out the process

of setting up Proxmox on our server.

(scratching)

In order to get started,

the first thing we'll need to do is create bootable media.

I have videos on my channel already

that goes over the process of flashing USB media

with an ISO image to create bootable media,

so I won't go into too much detail about that here.

I'll leave a card for that video right about here

if you want to see a dedicated walkthrough

when it comes to using something like USB Imager.

But anyway, what you'll do is download the ISO image

for Proxmox VE from the official website,

and then you'll use a tool such as USB Imager

to create the media.

Once that's done, we'll boot the server

from our Proxmox installation media,

and you should see the start screen

that you see right here.

You can simply press Enter right here,

and then the installation media will boot the server

into the full Proxmox VE installer.

After that, we'll see the end user license agreement,

which you can accept by clicking I agree.

Aren't these license agreements just annoying?

Anyway, once you've accepted that,

the next screen will have us set up the hard disk

for Proxmox itself.

You should be able to see all of your disks

in the dropdown box right here,

and if you have only one disk,

then you can simply select that to keep it simple.

In my case, I wanted the two NVMe disks

to be used for the OS itself, specifically with ZFS.

So for this build, I chose ZFS RAID 1

for the disk arrangement.

After you make your selections,

you simply click Next to move on to the next screen.

Continuing, at this point,

we'll choose our location and time zone settings.

All you should have to do is change each selection

to match your desired preferences,

and once you've done that, you simply click Next.

After that, it's time to set up a password

for the root user, which you'll enter twice

on this screen right here.

You'll also enter your email address,

and you should use a real email address here

because, well, that's where notifications will be sent to.

So it is pretty important.

In my case, I just used a sample email address

since I was simply testing Proxmox

at the time I recorded this footage,

but in your case, I recommend

that you use a real email address.

The next screen is one that you'll want

to pay special attention to

because these network details need to be just right.

Otherwise, you won't be able to access the installation

once it's finished.

The first thing we'll do on this screen

is choose a host name for the server.

If you happen to have a

domain, you can append that as well,

but you have to add something here.

It doesn't matter so much what you name your server,

but I'd recommend coming up

with some sort of naming scheme.

For the IP address, you'll want to use an IP

that's not claimed by anything else in your network

and is also outside the DHCP range of your router.

So you'll fill in the IP address

and also the Gateway IP and DNS IP.

And once you've done all that, you should be good to go.

So click next.

Finally, a summary screen will appear

similar to the one that you see right here.

Just confirm that everything is set up properly

before continuing.

Also, keep in mind that this will erase everything

on the hard disk that you've chosen for Proxmox.

So definitely be aware of that before clicking install.

Once you do though,

it'll take some time for the process to finish.

And once it does, you'll see this final screen right here.

Now be sure to pay special attention to the URL

that you see right here, as well as the port number.

You'll need both of these

when it comes to accessing Proxmox later.

Anyway, we'll reboot the server and well, that's it.

After your server restarts, you should be good to go

to access Proxmox VE.

And then when it comes to logging in,

you'll use root for the username and the password

that you've entered in before during installation.

That's the password that you'll use right here.

Once you type that in, you'll be logged into the server.

Now, before we go any further,

it'll be a great idea to update Proxmox

and ensure that everything is up to the latest version.

To do that, we'll first click on the name of the node.

In my case, it's this one right here.

And after you click on your node,

you'll then click on updates.

On the update screen,

the next thing you'll do is click the refresh button.

Now keep in mind,

unless you've purchased a license for Proxmox,

you will see errors on the screen and that's okay.

The update process will still work.

You just won't have the updates

that are included in the enterprise repository.

However, we should be able to install

all the other updates just fine.

Once it's finished, you'll see a list of updates

on this screen, like you see right here.

However, there's one more recommendation

I would like to make.

If you don't personally have any plans

of buying a license for Proxmox,

then what I recommend is that you enable

the no subscription repository.

Now these updates won't be tested as much as the ones

in the enterprise repository,

but it's better to have this if nothing else.

To add this, what we'll do is click on repositories,

which is underneath updates.

Then we'll click add.

And when this box appears,

we'll simply click okay to get rid of that message.

And then we'll click add.

After that, we'll go back to updates.

We'll click the refresh button again

to make sure that the new repository is taken

into account when it comes to available updates.

And then once that's done,

we'll click upgrade the button right here.

This process will take some time,

depending on how many updates there are.

And when it's done, we'll reboot the server.

To do that, we'll make sure that our Proxmox node

is selected right here.

And then we'll simply click the reboot button.

After that, we'll wait some time

for the server to come back up.

And once it does, we should be good to go.

But now that we've installed Proxmox

and we've updated it, what should we do next?

Well, launching a virtual

machine would be a great next step.

So let's take care of that in the next section.

Congratulations.

At this point, we have our very own Proxmox server

that's set up and it's fully operational.

It's just waiting to do work for us,

but we haven't given it anything to do, have we?

In fact, we haven't even created a single VM yet.

So let's rectify that right now.

What I'm going to do at this time in the video

is show you the process of setting up

a Debian-based virtual machine on Proxmox.

So let's get started.

When it comes to spinning up a virtual machine,

the first thing that we'll need is to download an ISO image

for the operating system that we plan on installing

inside of the virtual machine.

Thankfully, Proxmox VE makes this very easy.

All we have to do is find the download link

for the ISO image that we want to download

and copy the link to that image.

Once you've copied it, you select your local storage

right here and then you click on ISO images.

And then we'll simply paste in the URL

into the top box right here.

After pasting in the URL, what we'll do is click Query URL.

That should automatically generate the file name

for the ISO image.

After that, we click Download,

and well, it's going to download the ISO image,

and after that, we'll be able to use it.

To create the actual virtual machine,

what we'll do is click the Create VM button

right here at the top.

Note that we can also create containers here,

but we won't be covering containers in this video.

If you want to learn how to create containers

within Proxmox, that's a good reason to check out

my Proxmox series that will go over that and a lot more.

Anyway, to create our VM, what we'll do is fill out

each of the required sections in the configuration panel

that appears.

Before we continue though, pay special attention

to the ID number that appears within this box right here.

We won't be configuring the ID number just yet,

but it's a good idea to know what it is,

at least in summary.

Basically, when you go to create a virtual machine,

the next unused ID number will be automatically placed

into this box.

You could use the ID number that's assigned as is,

or you could even set your own.

Regardless, every VM and container in Proxmox

needs a unique ID number, and if you try to reuse

an existing ID number, the process will refuse to continue.

Here, I kept the existing ID number

since I have no other VM anyway.

The next step is for us to select an ISO image,

which we've already downloaded.

So as long as the correct storage is selected,

all we should have to do is drop this down right here,

and we should see our Debian ISO image

listed in this section.

If you don't see it, just make sure that the dropdown above

is set to the same name of the storage volume

that you've added the ISO image to earlier.

And that should be all there is for this screen right here,

so we'll click next.

Our next step is to configure the primary virtual hard disk

for our VM.

In my case, since this build uses exclusively SSDs,

I made sure to check the discard box, this one right here,

and I left the size at 32 gigabytes for the volume,

but you could change that accordingly to suit your needs.

After that, we set the number of cores.

I set this to two in my case,

but you can add as many cores as you want,

but try to stay underneath the total number of cores

for the host if you can.

Anyway, continuing,

memory is the next thing that we'll configure.

I set it to two gigabytes in my case,

and one thing to note here is that some OS installers

are memory-hungry, so even if I don't plan on using

two gigabytes of RAM with the VM,

it's not uncommon to crank up the RAM and the cores

while installing an operating system

just to make the process faster,

and then you could always lower the number of cores

and amount of RAM afterwards if you'd like.

Some installers will literally crash

if you set this to be lower than two gigabytes,

but again, you could always adjust that

and lower the amount of RAM after some point in the future.

The next tab after memory gives us a chance

to set up our virtual network,

or more specifically, to choose the network

that the virtual machine will run on.

By default, you'll only have one.

Later on, it's a good idea to separate

the management network and the VM network,

but that's outside the scope of this video,

and that's also something you can learn

from my Proxmox course if you're interested.

For now, though, we'll leave this as is and click Next.

The final step is to review the settings overview

that's presented right here,

and if everything looks good, we can click Finish.

If we want the VM to start immediately,

we could check the box here.

That's labeled Start After Created.

If that's something that you want to happen,

check that box, but either way, we'll finish the process.

From that point forward, what we'll do

is install the operating system

just like we would on any other platform.

In the case of Debian, I kept everything at their defaults

for the most part, but if you want a dedicated video

that walks you through setting up Debian

and how to answer each of these prompts,

I'll leave a card for my video on that right here.

But for the most part, you could simply choose

the defaults for just about everything,

and you should be fine.

And, well, there's our video.

I hope you guys enjoyed this updated

Getting Started Guide for Proxmox.

I had a ton of fun producing this content,

and if you did enjoy it,

then please consider clicking the Like button

to let YouTube know how helpful this content was.

I'd really appreciate that.

Anyway, in the meantime, I have a ton of content coming,

so be sure to subscribe to Learn Linux TV

for the latest in Linux,

and I'll see you in the next video.

(upbeat music)