Using Cloud-Init with Proxmox for Automated VM Deployment

Introduction

Deploying virtual machines manually in Proxmox can be time-consuming, especially for repetitive setups. Cloud-Init is a powerful tool that automates VM provisioning, allowing you to pre-configure users, network settings, and packages on first boot. This guide will show you how to integrate Cloud-Init with Proxmox for fast and efficient VM deployment.

Step 1: Download a Cloud-Init Ready Image

  1. SSH into your Proxmox Host

  • Open a terminal and connect to your Proxmox server:

    ssh root@your-proxmox-ip

  1. Download a Cloud-Init Image

  • Use Ubuntu or Debian Cloud-Init images:

    wget https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/jammy/current/jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img -O ubuntu-cloudimg.img

  1. Convert the Image to Proxmox Format

  • Convert and move the image to Proxmox storage:

    qm create 9000 --name ubuntu-cloud --memory 2048 --core 2 --net0 virtio,bridge=vmbr0

    qm importdisk 9000 ubuntu-cloudimg.img local-lvm

    qm set 9000 --scsihw virtio-scsi-pci --scsi0 local-lvm:vm-9000-disk-0

Step 2: Configure Cloud-Init in Proxmox

  1. Attach a Cloud-Init Drive

  • Run the following command:

    qm set 9000 --ide2 local-lvm:cloudinit

    qm set 9000 --boot c --bootdisk scsi0

  1. Set Up a Default User

  • Define a default user and SSH key for access:

    qm set 9000 --ciuser ubuntu --sshkeys ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

  1. Configure Network Settings

  • Set a static IP or DHCP:

    qm set 9000 --ipconfig0 ip=dhcp

Step 3: Create a VM Template

  1. Convert the VM into a Template

  • Once configured, turn the VM into a reusable template:

    qm template 9000

  1. Deploy VMs from the Template

  • Clone the template to create a new VM:

    qm clone 9000 100 --name new-vm --full true --storage local-lvm

  • Start the VM:

    qm start 100

Step 4: Customize Cloud-Init Configuration

  1. Modify Cloud-Init User Data

  • Edit user-data settings:

    nano /etc/pve/qemu-server/100.conf

  • Add custom configurations, such as:

    ciuser: ubuntu

    cipassword: mysecurepassword

    hostname: my-cloud-vm

  1. Regenerate Cloud-Init Configuration

  • Apply changes by regenerating Cloud-Init data:

    qm cloudinit dump 100 user

Conclusion

You’ve successfully set up Cloud-Init with Proxmox for automated VM deployment. This allows for rapid provisioning with preconfigured settings, saving time and effort in managing virtual machines.