Tag Proxmox

Migrating a VMware virtual machine (VM) to Proxmox involves a series of steps to convert and transfer the VM to the new environment. Here’s a detailed description of the process:

1. Prepare the VMware VM for Migration:
   – Shutdown the VM: Ensure the VMware VM is properly shut down to avoid any corruption during the migration.
   – Check Disk Format: Verify the format of the VMware VM’s disk files. VMware typically uses VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) format, which will need to be converted for use in Proxmox.

2. Export the VM from VMware:
   – Export OVF/OVA: In VMware vSphere or Workstation, you can export the VM as an OVF (Open Virtualization Format) or OVA (Open Virtualization Appliance) package. This exports both the VM’s disk and configuration files.
   – Download the VMDK: Alternatively, if exporting to OVF/OVA isn’t an option, you can directly copy the VMDK file.

3. Convert the Disk Format:
   – Install qemu-img on Proxmox: Proxmox uses the QCOW2 or raw disk format, so the VMDK disk from VMware needs to be converted.
     – Run the following command on Proxmox to convert the disk:
       qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O qcow2 /path/to/source.vmdk /path/to/destination.qcow2
     – Alternatively, you can convert the disk to raw format:
       qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O raw /path/to/source.vmdk /path/to/destination.raw

4. Create a New VM on Proxmox:
   – Create a New VM: In the Proxmox Web UI, create a new VM with the same configuration as the original VMware VM (e.g., CPU, RAM, and network settings).
   – Attach Converted Disk: In the new VM settings, attach the converted disk file (QCOW2 or raw) by navigating to the “Hardware” tab and selecting the correct storage type.

5. Configure Network and Drivers:
   – Adjust Network Settings: Ensure the network settings in Proxmox match those from VMware, particularly IP addressing and VLAN configuration.
   – Install Proxmox Guest Tools: If necessary, install the Proxmox guest tools (similar to VMware Tools) to optimize performance and compatibility with Proxmox drivers.
6. Start the VM on Proxmox:
   – Boot the VM: Start the VM and verify that it functions as expected. Check if the OS boots properly and if all services are running correctly.
   – Install/Update Drivers: If the VM was using VMware-specific drivers (like VMware Tools), you might need to install the appropriate drivers for Proxmox/KVM to ensure optimal performance.

7. Post-Migration Checks:
   – Check Disk and Network Performance: Ensure that disk I/O and network performance are stable. Proxmox uses KVM/QEMU for virtualization, so some configurations might need tuning.
   – Remove VMware Tools: If applicable, uninstall VMware Tools from the guest OS to avoid conflicts.

Optional: Storage and Backup Integration:
   – Backup Configuration: If you’re using Proxmox’s built-in backup solution (or integrating with Veeam Backup), configure backups for the migrated VM.
   – Proxmox Cluster: If the Proxmox environment is clustered, ensure the VM is properly integrated into the Proxmox Cluster for High Availability (HA).

1. Prerequisites:

• A Proxmox VE cluster or standalone Proxmox server running.
• Veeam Backup & Replication 12.2 installed on a Windows server.
• Ensure Proxmox has the Veeam Agent for Linux installed if you’re doing an agent-based backup.

2. Backup Process:

A. Adding the Proxmox Host to Veeam:

1. Open the Veeam Backup & Replication console.
2. Go to “Inventory” > “Managed Servers.”
3. Right-click and select “Add Server.”
4. Choose “Linux,” as Proxmox is based on Debian.
5. Enter the IP address or hostname of the Proxmox server and provide the SSH credentials (root or a user with appropriate permissions).
6. Verify the connection, and Veeam will add Proxmox to its managed inventory.

B. Creating Backup Jobs:

1. Go to the “Home” tab and select “Backup Job.”
2. Choose “Virtual Machine” as the backup type.
3. Select the Proxmox VMs you want to back up.
4. Choose your backup repository (storage location for backups).
5. Configure the backup schedule, retention policies, and any advanced options like encryption or compression.
6. Save and start the backup job.

C. Monitoring Backups:

• You can monitor backup jobs in the “History” or “Home” tab to ensure backups run successfully.

3. Restore Process:

A. Full VM Restore:

1. In the Veeam console, go to the “Home” tab and select “Restore.”
2. Choose “Entire VM” and select the Proxmox VM from your backup repository.
3. Choose the restore point you want to use and follow the wizard to select the destination Proxmox server.
4. Confirm and start the restore process.

B. File-Level Restore:

1. Go to “Home” > “Restore” and select “Guest files (Linux).”
2. Choose the backup point and select the VM you want to restore files from.
3. Browse the file system and restore specific files or directories.

C. Instant Recovery:

1. Select “Instant Recovery” to start the VM directly from the backup storage.
2. This allows for minimal downtime while restoring the actual VM in the background.

4. Key Features of Veeam with Proxmox:

• Incremental Backups: Efficient use of storage by backing up only changes after the initial backup.
• Compression and Deduplication: Reduces backup size and storage requirements.
• Instant VM Recovery: Allows quick recovery of critical VMs with minimal downtime.
• Application-Aware Backups: Ensures consistency for applications like databases.

Step 1: Prepare Proxmox Nodes

1. Update and Upgrade Proxmox VE on all nodes:

apt update && apt full-upgrade -y

2. Ensure that all nodes have the same version of Proxmox VE:

pveversion

Step 2: Set Up the Proxmox Cluster

1. Create a new cluster on the first node:
   • pvecm create my-cluster
2. Add the other nodes to the cluster:
   • pvecm add <IP_of_first_node>
3. Verify the cluster status:
   • pvecm status

Step 3: Install Ceph on Proxmox Nodes

1. Install Ceph packages on all nodes:

install ceph ceph-mgr -y

Step 4: Create the Ceph Cluster

1. Initialize the Ceph cluster on the first node:
   • pveceph init --network <cluster_network>
2. Create the manager daemon on the first node:
   • pveceph createmgr

Step 5: Add OSDs (Object Storage Daemons)

1. Prepare disks on each node for Ceph OSDs:
   • pveceph createosd /dev/sdX
2. Repeat the process for each node and disk.

Step 6: Create Ceph Pools

1. Create a Ceph pool for VM storage:
   • pveceph pool create mypool 128

Step 7: Configure Proxmox to Use Ceph Storage

1. Add the Ceph storage to Proxmox:
   • Navigate to Datacenter > Storage > Add > RBD.
   • Enter the required details like ID, Pool, and Monitor hosts.
   • Save the configuration.

Step 8: Enable HA (High Availability)

1. Configure HA on Proxmox:
   • Navigate to Datacenter > HA.
   • Add resources (VMs or containers) to the HA manager.
   • Configure the HA policy and set desired node priorities.

Step 9: Testing High Availability

1. Simulate node failure: Power off one of the nodes and observe how the VMs or containers are automatically migrated to other nodes.

Step 10: Monitoring and Maintenance

1. Use the Proxmox and Ceph dashboards to monitor the health of your cluster.
2. Regularly update all nodes to ensure stability and security.

Optional: Additional Ceph Configuration

1. Add Ceph Monitors for redundancy:bashKodu kopyalapveceph createmon
2. Add more Ceph MDS (Metadata Servers) if using CephFS:bashKodu kopyalapveceph createmds
3. Tune Ceph settings for performance and reliability based on your specific needs.

By following these steps, you will have a robust Proxmox VE and Ceph high availability setup, ensuring that your VMs and containers remain highly available even in the event of hardware failures.

1. Cluster Setup: Ensure that your Proxmox hosts are part of the same cluster. A Proxmox cluster consists of multiple Proxmox VE servers (nodes) combined to offer high availability and load balancing to virtual machines. Nodes in a cluster share resources such as storage and can migrate VMs between each other.
2. Shared Storage: Live migration requires shared storage accessible by both the source and target hosts. This shared storage can be implemented using technologies like NFS, iSCSI, or Ceph. Shared storage allows the VM’s disk images and configuration files to be accessed by any node in the cluster.
3. Migration Prerequisites: Before initiating a live migration, ensure that the target host has enough resources (CPU, memory, storage) to accommodate the migrating VM. Proxmox will check these prerequisites before allowing the migration to proceed.
4. Initiating Migration: In the Proxmox web interface (or using the Proxmox command-line interface), select the VM you want to migrate and choose the “Migrate” option. Proxmox will guide you through the migration process.
5. Migration Process:
   • Pre-Copy Phase: Proxmox starts by copying the memory pages of the VM from the source host to the target host. This is done iteratively, with the majority of memory pages copied in the initial phase.
   • Stopping Point: At a certain point during the migration, Proxmox determines a stopping point. This is the point at which the VM will be paused briefly to perform a final synchronization of memory pages and state information.
   • Pause and Synchronization: The VM is paused on the source host, and any remaining memory pages and state information are transferred to the target host. This pause is usually very brief, minimizing downtime.
   • Completion: Once the final synchronization is complete, the VM is resumed on the target host. From the perspective of the VM and its users, the migration is seamless, and the VM continues to run without interruption on the target host.
6. Post-Migration: After the migration is complete, the VM is running on the target host. You can verify this in the Proxmox web interface or using the command-line tools. The source host frees up resources previously used by the migrated VM.
7. High Availability (HA): In a Proxmox cluster with HA enabled, if a host fails, VMs running on that host can be automatically migrated to other hosts in the cluster, ensuring minimal downtime.

Overall, Proxmox VM live migration is a powerful feature that enables you to move virtual machines between hosts in a Proxmox cluster with minimal downtime, providing flexibility and high availability for your virtualized environment.

1. Cluster Configuration:
   • Nodes: A Proxmox cluster consists of multiple nodes, which are physical servers running Proxmox VE.
   • Networking: Nodes in a Proxmox cluster should be connected to a common network. A private network for internal communication and a public network for client access are typically configured.
   • Shared Storage: Shared storage is crucial for a Proxmox cluster to enable features like live migration and high availability. This can be achieved through technologies like NFS, iSCSI, or Ceph.
2. High Availability (HA):
   • Proxmox VE includes a feature called HA, which ensures that critical VMs are automatically restarted on another node in the event of a node failure.
   • HA relies on fencing mechanisms to isolate a failed node from the cluster and prevent split-brain scenarios. This can be achieved through power fencing (e.g., IPMI, iLO, iDRAC) or network fencing (e.g., switch port blocking).
   • When a node fails, the HA manager on the remaining nodes detects the failure and initiates the restart of the affected VMs on healthy nodes.
3. Corosync and Pacemaker:
   • Proxmox VE uses Corosync as the messaging layer and Pacemaker as the cluster resource manager. These components ensure that cluster nodes can communicate effectively and coordinate resource management.
   • Corosync provides a reliable communication channel between nodes, while Pacemaker manages the resources (VMs, containers, services) in the cluster and ensures they are highly available.
4. Resource Management:
   • Proxmox clusters allow for dynamic resource allocation, allowing VMs and containers to use resources based on demand.
   • Memory and CPU resources can be allocated and adjusted for each VM or container, and live migration allows these resources to be moved between nodes without downtime.
5. Backup and Restore:
   • Proxmox includes backup and restore functionality, allowing administrators to create scheduled backups of VMs and containers.
   • Backups can be stored locally or on remote storage, providing flexibility in backup storage options.
6. Monitoring and Logging:
   • Proxmox provides monitoring and logging capabilities to help administrators track the performance and health of the cluster.
   • The web interface includes dashboards and graphs for monitoring resource usage, as well as logs for tracking cluster events.
7. Updates and Maintenance:
   • Proxmox clusters can be updated and maintained using the web interface or command-line tools. Updates can be applied to individual nodes or the entire cluster.

1. Download Proxmox VE ISO:
   • Go to the Proxmox website (https://www.proxmox.com/) and download the latest Proxmox VE ISO image.
2. Create a Bootable USB Drive:
   • Use a tool like Rufus (https://rufus.ie/) or Etcher (https://www.balena.io/etcher/) to create a bootable USB drive with the Proxmox VE ISO image.
3. Boot from USB Drive:
   • Insert the bootable USB drive into the server where you want to install Proxmox VE.
   • Power on or restart the server and boot from the USB drive. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings to boot from USB.
4. Proxmox VE Installer:
   • Once the server boots from the USB drive, you’ll see the Proxmox VE installer menu.
   • Select “Install Proxmox VE” and press Enter.
5. Select Installation Target:
   • Select the target disk where you want to install Proxmox VE. This will typically be the server’s local disk.
   • You can choose to use the entire disk for Proxmox VE or manually partition the disk.
6. Set Root Password:
   • Set a password for the root user of the Proxmox VE system.
7. Configure Network:
   • Configure the network settings for Proxmox VE. This includes setting the IP address, netmask, gateway, and DNS servers.
8. Begin Installation:
   • Review the installation summary and confirm to begin the installation process.
9. Installation Progress:
   • The installer will copy the necessary files and install Proxmox VE on the selected disk. This may take some time depending on your hardware.
10. Installation Complete:
    • Once the installation is complete, remove the USB drive and reboot the server.
11. Access Proxmox VE Web Interface:
    • Open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network as the Proxmox VE server.
    • Enter the IP address of the Proxmox VE server in the address bar.
    • Log in to the Proxmox VE web interface using the root user and the password you set during installation.
12. Configure Proxmox VE:
    • From the web interface, you can configure additional settings such as storage, networks, and backups.
13. Create VMs and Containers:
    • Use the web interface to create virtual machines (VMs) and containers to run your applications and services.