This happens because (by default) the Proxmox VE install comes with the enterprise update repositories enabled, and you probably don’t have an Enterprise subscription. It’s a pretty easy fix, you just need to disable the Enterprise repositories, and enable the free (No subscription) repository.
Select the host you wish to change, Updates > Repositories > Locate the enterprise Repository and select it > Disable.
Here I have a second Enterprise repository so I’ve also disabled that > Add > Change the repository to ‘No Subscription‘ > Add.
This is what it should look like, Note: Green tick and ‘You get updates for Proxmox VE‘.
Now go to the updated tab > Refresh > Task should complete without error.
Repeat the process on your other Proxmox VE hosts.
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Proxmox HA Cluster: As the name implies this allows the cluster to ‘restart’ failed virtual machines on another host in the cluster in the event of a host failure. Unlike VMware (that has a vCenter appliance to do this) in Proxmox it can be configured from any host. Which may seem like an advantage – but the GUI can get a little ‘clunky’ whilst configuring HA.
Proxmox used ‘Quorum based” or “Majority node clustering” If you’ve ever done clustering on Microsoft SQL or with Hyper-V or Set up a Microsoft Exchange DAG this should be a familiar concept. In those cases you needed a ‘witness’ if there were only two nodes in the cluster (to have the extra ‘vote’ in a fail scenario). That does not mean in Proxmox you cannot have a TWO NODE cluster, but it does mean if the nodes lose sight of each other, (to avoid a split-brain scenario) the hosts will continue to function but only in read only mode. The only way to rectify that is to manually give a host an additional vote with the following command.
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pvecm expected 1
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You can also have a ‘witness node’ which would be another machine that was running corosync-qdevice but that’s outside the scope of this article
So aim for a cluster of at least THREE NODES, to keep things simple.
Solution : Proxmox HA Cluster
Proxmox HA Cluster Prerequisites
1. Proxmox VE hosts built (with Static IP addresses)
5. Optional: A dedicated NIC for replication, for small deployment this is not necessary.
Creating a Proxmox HA Cluster
Log onto your first host, Datacenter > Cluster > Create Cluster > Give the cluster a name > Create.
Clunky Alert! We are waiting for it to say TASK OK, which it will say quite quickly, but in the background, it replaced the digital certificate that was being used for the very web session you are using! So if you don’t want to stare at this screen for ages wondering what is going on, have a cup of coffee, then hit ‘refresh’ and log back in again.
Whilst in the Cluster section > Join Information > Copy Information.
Proceed to your SECOND HOST > Datacenter > Cluster > Join Cluster > Paste in the information from the previous step > Enter the Root password for the first host > Join HA Cluster. Again things can get a bit clunky – I prefer to have a management window open to host 1 so I can see what’s happening.
Again it will look like its ‘hung‘ > Wait a while and hit refresh.
Now we have a two node cluster.
Repeat those steps to add a third host.
Adding Shared Storage Proxmox HA Cluster
This is all being done in my test lab so I’ve simply created an NFS Share on a Windows Server to present as shared storage. Datacenter > Storage > Add > NFS > Add the relevant information (ENSURE you select both Disc image ANDISO Image) Add,
Adding a VM to Proxmox HA Cluster
First we need a VM, (if you already have one skip this step) Right click a host > Create VM.
Give the host a name > Next > Select the Datastore > Select the ISO* > Set the guest OS type > Next > Select you Datastore again (twice) > Bus Device set to IDE** > Next
*Note: If you can’t see you ISO file make sure it’s in the //nfs-root/template/iso folder!
**Note: If you want SCSI then read the following article.
Set the number of sockets and cores > Next > Set the amount vRAM > Next > Select Network requirements > Next > Finish.
Allow HA on a Proxmox VM
Once we have a VM created, then to protect it with HA > Datacenter > HA > Add > Select VM > Add.
Once its status reads ‘Started” it will be protected.
Testing Proxmox HA Cluster
As you can see (above) my Windows VM is running on host 1, I’m going to simulate a failure of this host (by disconnecting its network card). As you can see the constant ping I have running to that VM begins to fail.
But after a while the VM is restarted on Host 2 and my pings start getting replied to. Remember folks: On Windows you need to enable ICMP on the firewall, or it won’t respond at all!
Proxmox HA Cluster ‘HA Groups’
The final thing to be aware of are ‘HA Groups’ which you can use to enforce certain rules on hosts and guest VMs. Datacenter > HA > Groups > Create > Give the group a name.
Restricted: Think of this like a VMware affinity rule – you can define which hosts a virtual machine ‘can’ run on. Nofallback: If there is no requirement for VMs to return to the original node they resided on then select this option.
Then to add VMs to the HA Group > Datacenter > HA > Add > Select the VM and THEN SELECT THE HA-GROUP.
Here you can see I restricted the two VMs to hosts 2 and 3 and they have been migrated accordingly.
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When attempting to deploy a Windows VM, in this case Server 2022, you do not see the local storage.
Solution
I’ve been in this situation a hundred times in the past, (usually on physical servers). The problem is simply Windows does not have the driver for the storage controller. There two ways you can approach the problem,
Option 1: Proxmox Windows Drive Missing
The simplest ‘fix’ is simply to redeploy the VM with a bus device type of IDE.
Option 2 : Proxmox Windows Drive Missing
The second option is to have an iso with the VirtIO driver on it, and Proxmox will present it for you is you use the following option. This will require you to have downloaded the drivers on an ISO file and have that file ready to present to the VM (in addition to the Windows setup .ISO).
Then at the problem screen select ‘Load Drivers‘.
Browse.
Next > Follow the rest of the install procedure.
NOTE: Before I start getting emails! Yes you can also add the drivers to the Windows install media, this is a straight forward procedure using DISM and you can find instructions here.
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You Do Not Have a Valid Subscription KB ID 0001870
Problem
I’m only just getting comfortable with Proxmox, whilst building a three node cluster recently I was pestered with this ‘nag’ dialog.
You do not have a valid subscription for this server. Please visit www.proxmox.com to get a list of available options.
Solution : You Do Not Have a Valid Subscription
I’m using this because it’s free, Even the community subscription has a fee (110 euros a socket?). To avoid a subscription and remove the nag dialog. Do the following.
SSH into the Proxmox host (or if you’re running it within VMware) open a console screen and logon as root.
Issue the following commands.
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cd /usr/share/javascript/proxmox-widget-toolkit
cp proxmoxlib.js proxmoxlib.js.bak
nano proxmoxlib.js
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The nano editor will open, Press CTRL+W (to search) search for locate checked_command > then directly below that line add the following text.
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orig_cmd();
return;
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Exit (CTRL+X) then press Y to save the changes, and finally {Enter} to save the file with the same name.
Then issue the following command.
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systemctl restart pveproxy.service
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IMPORTANT: At this point you will need to restart the browser connection you your Proxmox host, or the error will persist.
Repeat for your remaining Proxmox hosts.
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Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is a robust open-source server virtualisation platform that merges two cutting-edge virtualisation technologies Linux Containers (LXC) and Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM).
Installing it and getting to the management console is an absolute breeze.
Solution : Proxmox on VMware
Before you start, (as with most nested virtualisation products) you will need to make some adjustments to the security on the vSwich(es) that the VM will run on and change the three security options to ‘accept‘.
Download the iso file for Proxmox VE, and upload it onto one of your VMware Datastores, then create a new VM.
Give the VM a sensible Name > Next > Select the host (or cluster) to deploy the VM into > Next > Select storage with enough free space (Note: I’m going to use 500GB but you can deploy with as little as 16GB > Next > Next.
OS Family = Linux > Guest OS Version = Debian GNU Linux 12 (64 bit) > Next > CPU (I’m using 16 but you can use as low as 2) > Tick ” Expose hardware assisted virtualisation to the guest OS‘ > Scroll down > Memory (I’m using 64GB but you can go down to 16GB) > Scroll Down > Hard Disk (I’m using 500GB but you can go down to 16GB) > Scroll Down > Select the correct Port Group > Set the CD/DVD image to the iso you uploaded earlier > Tick ‘Connect at Power On‘ > Next > Finish.
Power on the VM, and connect to its console.
Select “Install Proxmox VE (Graphical)” > Enter > At the EULA > I Accept > Ensure the disk information is correct > Next.
Set time zone and Keyboard > Next > Set the new root password and email address > Next > Set the hostname and IP address details > Next > Install > Proxmox will install and reboot.
Connect to the console via https://{ip-address}:8006 > Enter the root credentials you set earlier > Login.
And you are now at the management portal.
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