Cloud-init function on Proxmox with Ubuntu server virtual machine 🚀

What is Cloud-Init? 🤔

Cloud-init is a powerful tool for automating the initial setup of a virtual machine (VM). It helps you automate tasks such as setting up user accounts, SSH keys, and networking. Think of it as a supercharged assistant that gets your VM up and running with minimal effort. 🦾

Benefits of Using Cloud-Init ✨

• Automation: Automates tedious initial setup tasks.
• Consistency: Ensures consistent configurations across multiple VMs.
• Scalability: Makes it easier to scale your infrastructure.
• Flexibility: Easily customize VM settings using configuration files.

Step-by-Step Guide to Configure Cloud-Init on PVE 🚀

1. Create a New VM 🖥️

First, let’s create a new virtual machine on PVE.

1. Log in to your PVE web interface.
2. Click on Create VM.
3. Fill in the basic information (the information below is just for reference):
   • VM ID: 100
   • Name: ubuntu-cloud-init
4. Click Next.

2. Use a Cloud-Init Image 📀

Now, let’s use an Ubuntu cloud-init image for our VM.

1. Download the Ubuntu cloud-init image from Ubuntu Cloud Images. Please note that the version of Ubuntu must be at least 18.04.
2. Upload the image to your PVE storage.

3. Configure VM Settings ⚙️

1. OS: Select Do not use any media.
2. System: Default settings are fine.
3. Hard Disk: Select the uploaded cloud-init image.
4. CPU: Assign the desired number of cores.
5. Memory: Allocate the desired amount of RAM.
6. Network: Configure your network settings.

4. Add Cloud-Init Drive 💾

1. Go to the Hardware tab of your VM.
2. Click Add > Cloud-Init Drive.
3. Use the default settings and click Add.

5. Configure Cloud-Init User Data 🛠️

1. Go to the Cloud-Init tab of your VM.
2. Configure the user data:
   • User: ubuntu
   • Password: password (or use SSH keys for better security)
   • SSH Keys: Paste your public SSH key.
   • Network: Configure your network settings.

6. Boot Your VM 🚀

1. Go to the Summary tab.
2. Click Start to boot your VM.
3. Voilà! Your VM should boot with the configurations specified in your cloud-init settings.

7. Verify Cloud-Init functionality

Once the VM has booted, you can verify that CloudInit has run correctly by checking the logs:

sudo cloud-init status
sudo cloud-init analyze show

You should see details about the initialization steps performed by CloudInit.

Errors:

Some errors may happen during your verification, such as disabled status.

Run the following commands to enable and start the CloudInit service:

sudo systemctl enable cloud-init
sudo systemctl start cloud-init

Now, we can shut down the VM and start it again. Remember to shut it down, not just reboot it. 😉

Start the VM again, and then we can check its status.

Example Use Cases 🌟

1. Automated User Setup 🧑‍💻

Automate the creation of user accounts with predefined usernames, passwords, and SSH keys. This tool is perfect for quickly setting up development environments.

#cloud-config
users:
  - name: developer
    ssh-authorized-keys:
      - ssh-rsa AAAAB3... your-public-key
    sudo: ['ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL']
    shell: /bin/bash

2. Network Configuration 🌐

Easily configure network interfaces and settings.

#cloud-config
network:
  version: 2
  ethernets:
    ens18:
      dhcp4: true

3. Install Packages 📦

Automate the installation of packages during the VM initialization.

#cloud-config
packages:
  - nginx
  - docker.io