Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is an open-source server virtualization management platform. It combines the leading open-source hypervisor (KVM) with container-based virtualization (LXC), software-defined storage, and networking functionality on a single platform. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Proxmox VE on an Ubuntu 20.04 server, enabling you to set up a robust virtualization environment.
Prerequisites
Before you begin the installation, ensure you have:
- A dedicated server or virtual machine running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
- Root or sudo privileges to execute commands.
- Access to the internet for package downloads and updates.
Step 1: Update System Packages
First, log in to your Ubuntu 20.04 server and update the system packages to their latest versions using the following commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
Step 2: Add Proxmox Repository
Proxmox VE is not available in the default Ubuntu repositories. Add the Proxmox VE repository to your system by creating a new file named proxmox.list
within the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/
directory. Use your preferred text editor to create the file:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/proxmox.list
Add the following lines to the file:
deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve focal pve-no-subscription
Save and close the file.
Step 3: Import Proxmox VE Repository Key
To authenticate packages from the Proxmox repository, import the repository key using the following command:
wget http://download.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-ve-release-7.x.gpg -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/proxmox-ve-release-7.x.gpg
Step 4: Install Proxmox VE
Update the package index again and install the Proxmox VE packages using the apt package manager:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install proxmox-ve postfix open-iscsi
During the installation, you will be prompted to configure Postfix. Select “Internet Site” and press Enter. Enter your domain name when prompted, or leave it blank for localhost-only mail.
Step 5: Reboot the System
Once the installation is complete, reboot your Ubuntu server to ensure all changes take effect:
sudo reboot
Step 6: Access Proxmox VE Web Interface
After rebooting, you can access the Proxmox VE web interface using a web browser. Enter the IP address or hostname of your server followed by port 8006 (default Proxmox VE port) in the address bar:
https://your_server_ip_or_hostname:8006
Log in with the username “root” and the password you specified during the installation.
Conclusion
You have successfully installed Proxmox VE on your Ubuntu 20.04 server. From the web interface, you can create and manage virtual machines, containers, storage, and networking resources to build a powerful virtualization environment. Explore the various features and configurations offered by Proxmox VE to suit your specific requirements.