Proxmox Creating Your First VM

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will walk through the process of creating your first Virtual Machine (VM) using Proxmox, a powerful open-source virtualization platform. This guide will help you understand the fundamental steps required to set up a VM, making it an essential skill for managing virtual resources effectively.

Step 1: Access the Proxmox Web Interface

1. Open your web browser and navigate to the Proxmox web interface.
2. Log in with your credentials (username and password).
3. Familiarize yourself with the dashboard where you will manage your VMs.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

1. Click on the "Create VM" button located in the top right corner of the interface.
2. Fill in the VM details:
   • Node: Select the Proxmox node where you want to create the VM.
   • VM ID: This is automatically generated, but you can customize it if needed.
   • Name: Provide a recognizable name for your VM.

Step 3: Configure the Operating System

1. Choose the OS type from the dropdown menu:
   • Options typically include various Linux distributions and Windows versions.
2. Select the ISO image for the OS installation:
   • Ensure you have uploaded the ISO to the Proxmox storage beforehand.
   • You can do this by navigating to the "Storage" section and uploading it under the appropriate storage node.

Step 4: Set VM Resources

1. Assign CPU resources:
   • Specify the number of cores and sockets based on your requirements.
2. Allocate memory (RAM):
   • Determine the amount of RAM based on the OS and applications you plan to run on the VM.
3. Configure storage:
   • Choose the storage type (e.g., local disk, network storage).
   • Specify the disk size for the VM.

Step 5: Network Configuration

1. Select the network device model:
   • The default is usually a virtio or e1000 model, which is suitable for most setups.
2. Configure the network bridge:
   • Ensure the VM can connect to your network by selecting the appropriate bridge (usually 'vmbr0').

Step 6: Review and Finish

1. Review all your settings in the summary page.
2. If everything looks correct, click on "Finish" to create the VM.
3. The VM will now appear in your Proxmox dashboard.

Step 7: Start the Virtual Machine

1. Locate your newly created VM in the dashboard.
2. Click on the VM and then the "Start" button to power it on.
3. Open the console to monitor the installation process and complete the OS setup.

Conclusion

You've successfully created your first Virtual Machine in Proxmox! This foundational skill will allow you to manage and deploy VMs effectively. As a next step, consider exploring further configurations, such as snapshots, backups, and resource monitoring to enhance your virtualized environment.