Setting up a new Proxmox VE server

This guide will walk you through the steps to set up a new Proxmox VE server, including initial configuration, networking, storage, and security settings.

Note: This guide is incomplete

Initial Setup

Install Proxmox VE: Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO from the official website and create a bootable USB drive. Boot from the USB and follow the installation prompts.
Access the Web Interface: After installation, access the Proxmox web interface by navigating to https://<your-server-ip>:8006 in your web browser. Log in using the root password you set during installation.
Update Proxmox VE: It's important to keep your Proxmox VE installation up to date. You can update the system via the web interface or by running the following commands in the terminal:
```
apt update && apt dist-upgrade -y
```
Set Up Networking: Configure your network settings according to your environment. This may include setting up bridges for virtual machines and containers.
Configure Storage: Add and configure storage options such as local disks, NFS, or iSCSI targets for your virtual machines and containers.
Create a Backup Strategy: Set up a backup strategy to ensure your data is safe. Proxmox VE has built-in backup tools that you can configure via the web interface.
Set Up User Accounts: Create additional user accounts with appropriate permissions for managing the Proxmox VE server.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): For enhanced security, enable 2FA for user accounts via the web interface.
Install Additional Packages: Depending on your needs, you may want to install additional packages or tools to enhance the functionality of your Proxmox VE server.
Monitor System Health: Regularly monitor the health and performance of your Proxmox VE server using built-in tools or third-party monitoring solutions.
Documentation and Support: Familiarize yourself with the Proxmox VE documentation and consider joining the Proxmox community forums for support and advice.

Setup steps for hosting on Hetzner Dedicated Server

Proxmox version: 9.x
Host OS: Hetzner Rescue System

Culprits:

Proxmox has to be installed via the rescue system which uses the installimage utility to install the OS. This utility only supports Proxmox VE 7.x and 8.x. We need to upgrade to Proxmox VE 9.x after the installation.
Hetzner has strict MAC address policy - only the MAC addresses which are assigned to the server in Hetzner Robot are allowed to be used, otherwise the server will get a violation and may be disconnected. For this reason, we need to create a bridge network with a VNET in Proxmox

Steps

Boot into the Hetzner Rescue System (Linux 64-bit).
Install Proxmox VE using the installimage utility:
```
installimage
```
Follow the prompts to select Proxmox VE 7.x or 8.x and complete the installation.
Reboot into the newly installed Proxmox VE system.

[TODO: ADD INSTALLATION SCREENSHOTS]

Upgrade Proxmox VE to the latest 9.x version:
```
apt update && apt dist-upgrade -y
```
Reboot the system to apply the upgrade.

Run the following commands to configure the instance:

basic configuration:

passwd # set root password
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --dport 111 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p udp -m udp --dport 111 -j DROP
/sbin/iptables-save
systemctl disable --now rpcbind rpcbind.socket
systemctl mask rpcbind

# Enable IP forwarding
sed -i 's/#net.ipv4.ip_forward=1/net.ipv4.ip_forward=1/' /etc/sysctl.conf
sed -i 's/#net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1/net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1/' /etc/sysctl.conf
sysctl -p
sysctl net.ipv4.ip_forward
vi /etc/network/interfaces

network configuration:

# /etc/network/interfaces
source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

iface lo inet6 loopback

# ORIGINAL INTERFACE - COMMENT OUT
#auto enp5s0
#iface enp5s0 inet static
#       address 94.13.88.63/26
#       gateway 94.13.88.1
        #up route add -net 94.13.88.0 netmask 255.255.255.192 gw 94.13.88.1 dev enp5s0
        # route 94.13.88.0/26 via 94.13.88.1

# ADD THIS
iface enp5s0 inet manual

# COMMENT IPV6 CONFIGURATION (we will use only ipv4 - configure ipv6 bridge if desired)
#iface enp5s0 inet6 static
#       address 2a01:4f9:3080:1928::2/64
#       gateway fe80::1

# ADD THIS - the actual bridge interface
auto vmbr0 
iface vmbr0 inet static
        address 94.13.88.63/26 # the IP of the original interface
        gateway 94.13.88.1 # the gateway of the original interface
        bridge-ports enp5s0 # the original interface
        bridge-stp off
        bridge-fd 0

setup VNET in proxmox [TODO: ADD SCREENSHOTS]

continue network configuration:

systemctl restart networking
ip a
ping
apt update
apt -y install dnsmasq
systemctl disable --now dnsmasq

# add NAT rules - HTTP and HTTPS to internal IPs of the vnet
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i vmbr0 -p tcp --dport 80 -j DNAT --to-destination 10.13.37.100:80
iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i vmbr0 -p tcp --dport 443 -j DNAT --to-destination 10.13.37.100:443

/sbin/iptables-save

Initial Setup​

Setup steps for hosting on Hetzner Dedicated Server​

Steps​

Initial Setup

Setup steps for hosting on Hetzner Dedicated Server

Steps