Getting Started with Proxmox: A Beginner’s Guide to Virtualization

Photo by Kelvin Han on Unsplash

Proxmox is arguably virtualization’s best-kept secret, and the big boys definitely want it to stay that way. Let me introduce you to Proxmox if you’ve been looking for the best hypervisor but haven’t found it yet.

Why am I allowed to make such a bold statement on a thing you’ve never heard of?

The answer’s easy…I’ve used it.

Using KVM for full virtualization and OpenVZ for container virtualization, Proxmox combines the best of both worlds .

It is an open-source virtualization platform made for managing containers and virtual machines. It offers a strong and adaptable solution for setting up and administering virtual environments. A strong platform that makes it simple for users to handle virtual machines and containers is called Proxmox Hypervisor. It is an ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to virtualize their IT infrastructure.

The formal name of it is “Proxmox Cluster file system” (pmxcfs). PMXCFS is a database-driven filesystem that houses configuration files. While using Coro sync, all modifications made to files or copies or deletions of files on this filesystem are promptly replicated across all nodes. The Coro sync cluster engine is an approach to group communication that is used to provide high availability inside an application.

Key-Features of Proxmox Hypervisor 💡

1. Open-Source Platform: It is a project led by the community that is always expanding, with new features and enhancements being introduced on a regular basis.
2. Virtualization: Allows for both KVM-based and container-based virtualization. It enables the usage of several virtual machines and containers on a single physical server.
3. Centralized Management: Offers a centralised management interface for managing virtual machines and containers from a single place. This simplifies the deployment, monitoring, and management of virtual environments.
4. High Availability: Offers a high-availability functionality for virtual machines and containers to ensure optimum uptime. In the case of a hardware breakdown, it automatically identifies and migrates virtual computers to another node.
5. Live Migration: Enables users to relocate virtual machines and containers from one host to another without affecting the host’s performance. This function is beneficial for load balancing, maintenance, and hardware upgrades.
6. Backup and Restore: Has an integrated backup and restore functionality that allows users to backup virtual machines and containers to an external storage device. It also enables incremental backups, which saves time and space on the hard drive.
7. Disaster Recovery: This feature allows customers to duplicate virtual machines and containers to a distant site in the event of a disaster.
8. Multi-Tenancy: Allows users to establish several virtual environments for various departments or clients by supporting multi-tenancy. Each virtual environment is separated from the others, guaranteeing the highest level of security and privacy.
9. Scalability: Enables users to add more virtual environment nodes as needed. This makes it simple to scale the virtual environment as the company expands.

Distinct Facts….

👉Proxmox Hypervisor is based on Debian Linux, a widely used distribution in the Linux community. This implies that users may benefit from Debian’s stability and security while simultaneously reaping the benefits of a virtualization platform.

👉Proxmox Hypervisor is also intended to function with a wide range of hardware, including Intel and AMD CPUs, making it a versatile option for enterprises with varying hardware requirements.

👉Proxmox Hypervisor also has a comprehensive range of networking options. It can establish virtual networks with VLAN tagging, bridges, and bond interfaces and supports both virtual and physical network interfaces. This enables users to create complicated network topologies and effortlessly link their virtual environments with their current network infrastructure.

👉The most essential aspect is that this is a free product that is only supported by a small group of developers and community members. Isn’t it exciting?

Proxmox Architecture

Reference : https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs-6/pve-admin-guide.html

Proxmox is a cluster-based hypervisor with an emphasis on high availability. It is intended for use with numerous server nodes. They provide redundancy or high availability to the platform while increasing uptime by installing several nodes in a cluster. In a production virtual environment, a cluster of nodes might range from a few dozen to several hundreds. It may be impractical for an administrator to make changes to configuration files on the cluster one node at a time. Depending on the number of nodes in the cluster, changing a single minor parameter in each node’s configuration file might take many hours.

Here’s a brief comparison to help you understand Proxmox even better!

Fig 1: Comparison of different Hypervisors

Fig 2: Comparing various hypervisors

So, now you have no excuses. Go download it, install it and experience for yourself, the ultimate hypervisor. Follow me

Getting started with Proxmox Hypervisor is easy.

Here we have provided you with detailed steps right from downloading the right application file covering all the essential steps.

• Downloading Proxmox Hypervisor
• Proxmox Installation
• Creating Proxmox on Virtual Machine

1. Downloading Proxmox Hypervisor

The first step is to download the ISO image from the Proxmox website “https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads” and burn it to a CD or USB drive. Once you have the installation media, you can boot from it and follow the on-screen instructions to install Proxmox Hypervisor.

Select Proxmox Virtual Environment and proceed

Click on download (version may vary)

2. Installing Proxmox Hypervisor on KVM

i. On KVM, Create a new Virtual Machine of Proxmox

ii. Allocate Memory, CPUs and Disk Storage

iii. Give appropriate name and click on finish

iv. Click on Install Proxmox VE to get to the next screen as shown above

v. Select target Hard-disk and configure Country and Time Zone

vi. Configure Admin Password and Email Address

vii. Configure IP Address and Gateway according to your setup

viii. On following standard steps you will be given an IP address, Simply go on that address

ix. The IP address will take you to Proxmox Virtual Environment

3. Creating Virtual Machine on Proxmox

On web dashboard, select ISO images

Upload ISO Image file

The uploaded ISO file will appear on dashboard

In Storage, Update the Directory as follows

Update Registry

Once done with configurations, click on Create VM (Upper right corner)

Select appropriate OS and System configurations

Select appropriate Disk and CPU configurations

Select appropriate Memory and Network configurations

Confirm your configuration and Click on Next

Your VM will be visible along with its dashboard

GUI interface of installed VM

Hardware Configuration of Installed VM

Conclusion

There is no universal answer to virtualization.

If enterprise-class functionality and simplicity of management are your top goals, Proxmox VE is a good solution. It is also ideal for firms with small or agreement-based management teams. You may run your production workload on Proxmox VE by selecting a suitable subscription plan that includes updates and support. Proxmox VE is suited for small and medium-sized organisations who cannot afford a subscription.

Proxmox Hypervisor is a strong and adaptable virtualization platform that offers a variety of features and benefits. It is a suitable option for virtualizing IT infrastructure due to its open-source nature, centralised administration interface, and support for both KVM and container-based virtualization.

Whether you are looking to deploy virtual machines for testing or production workloads, Proxmox Hypervisor is an excellent choice.