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Mastering Proxmox
Mastering Proxmox

Mastering Proxmox: Master the skills you need to build a rock-solid virtualization environment with the all new Proxmox 4 , Second Edition

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Mastering Proxmox

Chapter 2. Exploring the Proxmox GUI

The Proxmox Graphical User Interface, or the Proxmox GUI, allows users to interact with the Proxmox cluster graphically using menus and a visual representation of the cluster status. Even though all of the management can be done from the command line interface (CLI), it can be overwhelming at times, and managing a cluster can become a daunting task. To properly utilize a Proxmox cluster, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the Proxmox GUI.

In this chapter, we are going to explore the different parts of the Proxmox Web GUI, such as how the menu system is organized and its functions. The GUI can be easily accessed from just about any browser though a URL similar to https://<node_ip>:8006.

The following screenshot shows an example of the Proxmox GUI for a demo cluster:

Exploring the Proxmox GUI

The GUI menu system

The Proxmox GUI is a single page administration control panel. This means that no matter which feature one is managing, the browser does not open a new page or leave the existing page. Menus on the admin page change depending on which feature is being administered. For example, in the preceding screenshot, the pm4-1 node is selected, so the main menu only shows node-specific menus. If a virtual machine is selected, the menu looks like the following screenshot:

The GUI menu system

The following chart is a visual representation of the Proxmox GUI menu system. Some menu options are system settings that need to be set up once during installation and do not need any regular attention, such as DNS, time, and services, and so on. Other menu items require regular visits to ensure a healthy cluster environment, such as Summary, Syslog, Backup, Permissions, and so on:

The GUI menu system

The Datacenter menu

In the Proxmox GUI, Datacenter is the main level folder of Proxmox Node/VM tree. Each Datacenter can only hold one Proxmox cluster. Any tasks performed through the Datacenter menu affects the cluster as a whole.

Datacenter | Search

It is very easy to manage a cluster with a small number of virtual machines with an even smaller number of Proxmox and storage nodes. When maintaining a large number of virtual machines and Proxmox nodes, the search feature prevents you from scrolling and manually looking for a particular resource. Scrolling through a list of virtual machines to find a particular one becomes very time-consuming for a busy administrator. This is where the Search menu option can come in handy. The following screenshot shows a search result after typing the partial virtual machine name in the search box in our example cluster:

Datacenter | Search

The search box under Datacenter | Search shows the results in real time as you type in the box. It can search with any string in the Type...

Node menu

These menu options are specific to each node in the cluster. New menu tabs become available as each individual node is selected from the left-hand side navigation pane.

Node | Search

This is similar to the Search option in the Datacenter-specific menu; this search option limits the scope of your search to the selected node.

Node | Summary

The Summary menu option for a node is a visual representation of the node's health. It shows vital information, such as uptime and resource consumption. The Summary menu also shows CPU Usage, Server Load, Memory Usage, and Network Traffic in a very easy-to-understand graph. An administrator can get the necessary information of a node just by glancing at the summary. Summary can be viewed on a hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis:

Node | Summary

Node | Services

This menu displays the status of all the vital services in the node. We can also start or stop a specific service from this menu without going through the CLI. During troubleshooting or node...

The KVM VM menu

This menu is specific to only KVM-based virtual machines. The menu tab is visible when a KVM virtual machine is selected from the left-hand side navigation pane.

KVM VM | Summary

This menu tab represents similar information such as the tab accessed by navigating to Node | Summary. Valuable information can be gathered that shows the real-time status of a KVM-based virtual machine. One additional feature this menu has is the addition of the Notes textbox. By double-clicking on the Notes textbox, it brings up a multiline textbox where an administrator can enter data, such as the department, the usage the VM is intended for, or just about any other information that needs to be on hand. The following screenshot shows the summary of one of the KVM VMs in our example cluster:

KVM VM | Summary

KVM VM | Hardware

The initially created virtual machine is always never the final configuration. As the functions of VM rise, it becomes necessary to add additional virtual drives or network interfaces. The Hardware...

The LXC Container menu

This menu is specific to only KVM-based virtual machines. The menu tab is visible when a LXC container is selected from the left navigation pane.

The LXC Container | Summary

Identical to the Summary menu under KVM VM, this also shows the stats, notes, and usage graph of a LXC container. The following screenshot shows the Summary page of a demo LXC Container:

The LXC Container | Summary

LXC Container | Resources

Additional resources for LXC containers are adjusted here after a container is created. Changes in the resources get applied to a container in real time. We will look into container resource management in Chapter 6, LXC Containers. The following screenshot shows the resources currently allocated for our example container:

LXC Container | Resources

LXC Container | Network

The Network menu for a container shows the currently assigned network interface. We can also make changes to any existing interface. Changes are applied in real time. The following screenshot shows the network menu for our example container:

LXC Container | Network

LXC Container...

The GUI menu system


The Proxmox GUI is a single page administration control panel. This means that no matter which feature one is managing, the browser does not open a new page or leave the existing page. Menus on the admin page change depending on which feature is being administered. For example, in the preceding screenshot, the pm4-1 node is selected, so the main menu only shows node-specific menus. If a virtual machine is selected, the menu looks like the following screenshot:

The following chart is a visual representation of the Proxmox GUI menu system. Some menu options are system settings that need to be set up once during installation and do not need any regular attention, such as DNS, time, and services, and so on. Other menu items require regular visits to ensure a healthy cluster environment, such as Summary, Syslog, Backup, Permissions, and so on:

The Datacenter menu


In the Proxmox GUI, Datacenter is the main level folder of Proxmox Node/VM tree. Each Datacenter can only hold one Proxmox cluster. Any tasks performed through the Datacenter menu affects the cluster as a whole.

Datacenter | Search

It is very easy to manage a cluster with a small number of virtual machines with an even smaller number of Proxmox and storage nodes. When maintaining a large number of virtual machines and Proxmox nodes, the search feature prevents you from scrolling and manually looking for a particular resource. Scrolling through a list of virtual machines to find a particular one becomes very time-consuming for a busy administrator. This is where the Search menu option can come in handy. The following screenshot shows a search result after typing the partial virtual machine name in the search box in our example cluster:

The search box under Datacenter | Search shows the results in real time as you type in the box. It can search with any string in the Type...

Node menu


These menu options are specific to each node in the cluster. New menu tabs become available as each individual node is selected from the left-hand side navigation pane.

Node | Search

This is similar to the Search option in the Datacenter-specific menu; this search option limits the scope of your search to the selected node.

Node | Summary

The Summary menu option for a node is a visual representation of the node's health. It shows vital information, such as uptime and resource consumption. The Summary menu also shows CPU Usage, Server Load, Memory Usage, and Network Traffic in a very easy-to-understand graph. An administrator can get the necessary information of a node just by glancing at the summary. Summary can be viewed on a hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis:

Node | Services

This menu displays the status of all the vital services in the node. We can also start or stop a specific service from this menu without going through the CLI. During troubleshooting or node maintenance...

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

Key benefits

  • Formulate Proxmox-based solutions and set up virtual machines of any size while gaining expertise even on the most complex multi-cluster setups
  • Master the skills needed to analyze, monitor, and troubleshoot real-world virtual environments
  • This is the most up-to-date title on mastering Proxmox, with examples based on the new Linux Kernel 4.2 and Debian Jessie (8.x)

Description

Proxmox is an open source server virtualization solution that has enterprise-class features to manage virtual machines, to be used for storage, and to virtualize both Linux and Windows application workloads. You begin with refresher on the advanced installation features and the Proxmox GUI to familiarize yourself with the Proxmox VE hypervisor. You then move on to explore Proxmox under the hood, focusing on the storage systems used with Proxmox. Moving on, you will learn to manage KVM Virtual Machines and Linux Containers and see how networking is handled in Proxmox. You will then learn how to protect a cluster or a VM with a firewall and explore the new HA features introduced in Proxmox VE 4 along with the brand new HA simulator. Next, you will dive deeper into the backup/restore strategy followed by learning how to properly update and upgrade a Proxmox node. Later, you will learn how to monitor a Proxmox cluster and all of its components using Zabbix. By the end of the book, you will become an expert at making Proxmox environments work in production environments with minimum downtime.

Who is this book for?

The book targets Linux and system administrators and professionals working in IT teams who would like to design and implement an enterprise-quality virtualized environment using Proxmox.Knowledge of networking and virtualization concepts is assumed.

What you will learn

  • Install the basic Proxmox VE nodes
  • Get to know the Proxmox Graphical User Interface (GUI)
  • See and understand Proxmox's internal structure and mechanics
  • Create and manage KVM- or LXC-based virtual machines
  • Understand advanced virtual networks
  • Leverage the power of the built-in Proxmox firewall to provide protection at any level
  • Configure high availability Proxmox nodes
  • Learn different backup strategies and to restore a VM in the event of a disaster to ensure data safety
  • Monitor a Proxmox cluster and all of its components using Zabbix
  • Plan large virtual environments for mission critical virtual environments
  • Work through real-world scenarios to troubleshoot Proxmox
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Publication date : May 27, 2016
Length: 418 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785888243
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Tools :

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Table of Contents

15 Chapters
1. Understanding Proxmox VE and Advanced Installation Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Exploring the Proxmox GUI Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Proxmox under the Hood Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Storage Systems Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. KVM Virtual Machines Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. LXC Virtual Machines Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Network of Virtual Networks Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. The Proxmox Firewall Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Proxmox High Availability Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Backup/Restore VMs Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Updating and Upgrading Proxmox Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
12. Monitoring a Proxmox Cluster Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
13. Proxmox Production-Level Setup Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
14. Proxmox Troubleshooting Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.2
(5 Ratings)
5 star 60%
4 star 20%
3 star 0%
2 star 20%
1 star 0%
Gwenaël OBERLINGER Aug 19, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
SuperbSuperbe livre sur Proxmox, permet de faire le tour de l'outil. Pourrait être plus poussé sur certains points mais vraiment correct pour un niveau débutant/moyen.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Bob Oct 03, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great overview of many of the technologies that make up Proxmox. Having used Proxmox for nearly 5 years now, there wasn't too much new in here for me, but it had everything in it that someone would need to pick it up and get moving.I do wish it would go a bit more in-depth on things like OVS, but since those aren't Proxmox products and are merely integrated, I can see why they dont.Looking forward to third edition.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Spyro May 31, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
I am a technical reviewer of this book and Wasim has done a superb job of guiding the reader through the advanced aspects of Proxmox virtualization with samples, diagrams, and explanations that will enhance the readers ability to work with and master all that Proxmox has to offer.If your getting started with Proxmox and are ready to take the platform to it's next level in your environment this is a book that you will value on your shelf.ThanksRocco Alfonzetti
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Sebastian Sep 11, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Ich habe mir das Buch gekauft, um mehr Infos über Proxmox zu erhalten. Vor allem über Commandline Befehle und die Optionen / Einstellmöglichkeiten im Webinterface.Leider hat der Autor nicht alles niedergeschrieben, weshalb ich Kleinigkeiten dennoch googlen muss. Ansonsten wird allerdings gerade für blutige Anfänger alles sehr gut erklärt.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Sharan H Dec 18, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 2
This books reads like a man page. A lot of definitions and obvious explanations. Nothing you can't get from online materials. Absolutely no "deep dive" material that I was expecting. If you are trying to use Proxmox for a casual home server, this book is probably fine, but if you need advanced features/tuning/best practices, this book is worthless.To give 1 example, adding a secondary drive to create new volumes is not straight forward. Not discussed. What about system load implications of running backups? Not discussed. I could go on..Proxmox(KVM) is a great product, and is used by major hosting companies, however they all keep their "secret sauce" to themselves. Do a lot of testing and create your own best practices if you are scaling this.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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