Riggen_HomeLab_PlanForIT_6 - itnett/FTD02H-N GitHub Wiki

Based on the Proxmox VE Administration Guide, here are the next steps you should follow after installing Proxmox:

Next Steps for Configuring Your Proxmox Lab

  1. Initial Configuration:

    • After installing Proxmox VE using the ISO installer, reboot the system and access the web management interface from a browser. Use the IP address assigned during installation (e.g., https://<proxmox-IP>:8006).
  2. Configure Network Interfaces:

    • Access the Proxmox web interface, navigate to Datacenter -> Node -> Network, and configure the network interfaces as per your IP plan:
      • vmbr0: Management interface (e.g., 192.168.0.200).
      • vmbr1: Internal Proxmox network (e.g., 10.0.100.10).
    • Set up VLANs or other configurations as needed.
  3. Set Up Storage Pools:

    • Navigate to Datacenter -> Node -> Disks -> ZFS and create the ZFS pools (zpool_vm, zpool_cont, etc.) using the SSDs.
    • For each pool, allocate the necessary partitions, keeping some space unallocated for future flexibility.
  4. Configure LVM for Proxmox Root:

    • Follow the steps in the "Advanced LVM Configuration Options" section to create and manage LVM storage for Proxmox root (/), which includes adjusting the size of thin pools and creating additional volumes as needed【78†source】.
  5. Configure ZFS Caches:

    • Set up L2ARC and SLOG partitions on the M.2 disk to optimize read and write performance for your ZFS pools:
      • Use the remaining unpartitioned space on the M.2 disk to dynamically adjust the size of these caches as needed.
  6. Network Configuration Verification:

    • Verify that all network settings are correctly applied by checking connectivity and ensuring VLANs, bridges, and routing are set up as per your requirements.
  7. Setup and Configure Virtual Machines (VMs) and Containers:

    • Create VMs or containers using the Proxmox GUI, assign them to the appropriate storage pools, and set up their networking according to your VLAN plan.
  8. Backup and Failover Configurations:

    • Plan for backups using Proxmox's integrated backup tools or set up backups to an external storage device.
    • Configure an alternate bootable Proxmox installation on one of the SSDs or spinning disks as a failover if the M.2 disk fails.
  9. Fine-Tune Performance and Security:

    • Use the "ZFS Performance Tips" section to optimize ZFS performance further.
    • Set up firewalls and secure your Proxmox environment according to best practices.
  10. Explore Cluster Configuration (Optional):

    • If you plan to expand, start exploring Proxmox's clustering capabilities to add more nodes and configure high availability (HA).

Summary

  • Start by configuring the network, storage, and other critical settings immediately after the installation.
  • Gradually build the environment, monitoring performance, and adjusting as needed.
  • Keep some storage space unallocated for future needs and configure redundancy to ensure system recovery in case of hardware failures.

By following these steps, you can establish a flexible and robust Proxmox lab environment optimized for learning and experimentation.

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