proxmox
Proxmox VE virtualization platform reference for VM/LXC management, clustering,storage, and networking. Includes Terraform and Ansible integration patterns.Use when working with Proxmox configurations, CLI commands, troubleshootingVMs/containers, or planning resource allocation.Triggers: proxmox, qemu, kvm, lxc, pve, vm, container, cluster, vzdump, qm, pct.
When & Why to Use This Skill
This Claude skill serves as a comprehensive technical reference for the Proxmox VE virtualization platform, designed to streamline the management of VMs, LXC containers, and complex clusters. It provides instant access to CLI commands, networking configurations, and automation patterns for Terraform and Ansible, making it an essential tool for sysadmins and DevOps engineers managing private cloud environments.
Use Cases
- Managing VM and Container lifecycles through precise qm and pct command-line operations.
- Designing and troubleshooting complex virtual networking architectures, including VLANs, bridges, and SDN.
- Implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) by leveraging provided Terraform and Ansible integration patterns for automated provisioning.
- Optimizing storage backend configurations and executing robust backup/restore strategies using vzdump.
- Planning and maintaining high-availability (HA) clusters, including quorum management and node fencing.
- Evaluating workload requirements to choose between VM and LXC virtualization for optimal performance and density.
| name | proxmox |
|---|---|
| description | | |
| Triggers | proxmox, qemu, kvm, lxc, pve, vm, container, cluster, vzdump, qm, pct. |
| agent | proxmox-expert |
Proxmox Skill
Proxmox VE virtualization platform reference for VM management, containers, clustering, and homelab infrastructure.
Quick Reference
# VM management (qm)
qm list # List all VMs
qm status <vmid> # Check VM status
qm start <vmid> # Start VM
qm stop <vmid> # Stop VM (graceful)
qm shutdown <vmid> # Shutdown VM (ACPI)
qm unlock <vmid> # Remove lock
qm config <vmid> # Show VM config
# Container management (pct)
pct list # List all containers
pct status <ctid> # Check container status
pct start <ctid> # Start container
pct stop <ctid> # Stop container
pct enter <ctid> # Enter container shell
# Cluster management (pvecm)
pvecm status # Cluster status and quorum
pvecm nodes # List cluster nodes
# API shell (pvesh)
pvesh get /nodes # List nodes via API
pvesh get /nodes/<node>/status # Node resource status
# Backup (vzdump)
vzdump <vmid> --mode snapshot --storage <storage>
vzdump --all --compress zstd
Reference Files
Load on-demand based on task:
| Topic | File | When to Load |
|---|---|---|
| VM vs LXC | vm-lxc.md | Choosing virtualization type |
| Docker Hosting | docker-hosting.md | Running Docker on Proxmox |
| Networking | networking.md | Bridges, VLANs, SDN, firewall |
| Storage | storage.md | Storage backends, content types |
| Cloud-init | cloud-init-templates.md | VM provisioning with cloud-init |
| Clustering | clustering.md | HA, quorum, fencing |
| Backup | backup.md | vzdump modes, restore |
| CLI Tools | cli-tools.md | qm, pct, pvecm, pvesh commands |
| Troubleshooting | troubleshooting.md | Common errors, diagnostics |
| Automation Tools | automation-tools.md | Terraform/Ansible integration |
Validation Checklist
Before deploying VMs/containers:
- Cluster status healthy (
pvecm status) - Node resources available (CPU, RAM, disk)
- Storage accessible and mounted
- Network bridges configured correctly
- VLAN tags match network design
- Resource allocation within node limits
- HA configuration correct (if enabled)
- Backup schedule in place
- Naming convention followed
VM vs LXC Quick Decision
| Factor | Use VM | Use LXC |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows, BSD, any | Linux only |
| Isolation | Full kernel isolation | Shared kernel |
| Performance | Good | Better (lighter) |
| Startup | Slower | Fast |
| Density | Lower | Higher |
| Complexity | Any workload | Simple services |
Homelab Network VLANs
| VLAN | Purpose | Proxmox Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Management (Web UI, API, SSH) | vmbr5 |
| 1 | Trusted network | vmbr0 |
| 11 | Storage (NFS/Ceph, MTU 9000) | vmbr11 |
| 12 | High-speed transfers | vmbr12 |