Proxmox Debian Cloud-Init Template

This guide will walk you through the process of creating a Debian Bookworm cloud-init template in Proxmox, allowing for quick and easy deployment of customized Debian VMs.

Prerequisites

• Proxmox VE 7.0 or later
• Internet connection on the Proxmox host

Steps

1. Download Debian Bookworm cloud image:

wget https://cloud.debian.org/images/cloud/bookworm/latest/debian-12-generic-amd64.qcow2

2. Create a new VM:

qm create 9000 --memory 2048 --cores 2 --name debian-cloud --net0 virtio,bridge=vmbr0

3. Import the disk to local-lvm storage:

qm importdisk 9000 debian-12-generic-amd64.qcow2 local-lvm

4. Attach the new disk to the VM as scsi0:

qm set 9000 --scsihw virtio-scsi-pci --scsi0 local-lvm:vm-9000-disk-0

5. Add cloud-init drive:

qm set 9000 --ide2 local-lvm:cloudinit

6. Make the cloud-init drive bootable and restrict BIOS to boot from disk only:

qm set 9000 --boot c --bootdisk scsi0

7. Add serial console:

qm set 9000 --serial0 socket --vga serial0

8. Enable QEMU guest agent:

qm set 9000 --agent enabled=1

9. Configure cloud-init:

qm set 9000 --ciuser your_username
qm set 9000 --cipassword your_password
qm set 9000 --sshkeys ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Replace your_username, your_password, and the SSH key path with your desired values.

10. Configure network to use DHCP:

qm set 9000 --ipconfig0 ip=dhcp

11. Convert the VM to a template:

qm template 9000

Using the Template

To create a new VM from this template:

1. Go to the Proxmox web interface
2. Select "Create VM"
3. Choose "From Template" and select your newly created template
4. Adjust any settings as needed
5. Finish the creation process

Your new VM will be created with the predefined settings and cloud-init configuration.

Conclusion

You now have a Debian Bookworm cloud-init template in Proxmox. This template allows you to quickly deploy customized Debian VMs with pre-configured settings, saving time and ensuring consistency across your virtual machines.