Learn how to set up Proxmox VE on an OVH dedicated server. Our OVH Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

How to Set Up Proxmox VE on an OVH Dedicated Server

OVHcloud offers dedicated servers with bare-metal infrastructure, ideal for workloads that require high CPU and memory capacity, such as data processing. Proxmox VE, a Debian-based open-source platform, allows system administrators to deploy and manage virtual machines (VMs) and containers.

Today, we are going to connect Proxmox VMs to the internet using OVH failover IPs.

An Overview:

• OVH Dedicated Server Network Configuration
• Step 1: Configure the Host for IPv4 and IPv6
• Step 2: Configure the VM for IPv4 and IPv6
• Step 3: Installing Proxmox VE on OVH Dedicated Server
• Step 4: Create Virtual MAC for Additional Ips
• Step 5: Finalizing the VM Network Configuration
• Why Choose Proxmox VE for Virtualization?
• Best Practices for Securing OVH Proxmox Server
• Troubleshooting Common Network Issues in Proxmox on OVH Servers

OVH Dedicated Server Network Configuration

Setting up an OVH dedicated server with failover IPs to work with Proxmox can be tricky due to OVH’s unique networking configuration. Here is a step-by-step guide for configuring Proxmox with both IPv4 and IPv6 on the host and VMs.

Before we begin, here are some key points to consider:

• OVH uses gateways outside of the subnets, which may cause issues in some Linux distributions.
• Failover IPs must have a virtual MAC address assigned to them.
• This setup involves assigning a public IP address directly to each VM, with no NAT required.

Step 1: Configure the Host for IPv4 and IPv6

To begin, make sure the Proxmox host has IPv4 and IPv6 working correctly. Here’s an example `/etc/network/interfaces` file for OVH’s unique setup:


auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
iface lo inet6 loopback
iface eno1 inet manual
iface eno1 inet6 manual
auto vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet static
address 1.2.3.4/24 # Your public IPv4
gateway 1.2.3.254 # OVH gateway
bridge-ports eno1
bridge-stp off
bridge-fd 0
iface vmbr0 inet6 static
address 1111:2222:3333:6666::1/64 # Your public IPv6
gateway 1111:2222:3333:66FF:FF:FF:FF:FF # OVH gateway
bridge-ports eno1
bridge-stp off
bridge-fd 0


Test connectivity by pinging both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

Step 2: Configure the VM for IPv4 and IPv6

For the VMs, make sure to assign the failover IPs with their respective virtual MAC addresses in the OVH control panel. Using Ubuntu 20.04 with Netplan, we can configure the VM’s networking as follows:

Edit `/etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml`:

network:
ethernets:
ens18:
addresses:
- 3.4.5.6/32 # OVH failover IPv4
- 1111:2222:3333:6666::2/64 # OVH IPv6
routes:
- to: 0.0.0.0/0
via: 1.2.3.254 # OVH IPv4 gateway
on-link: true
- to: "::/0"
via: "1111:2222:3333:66FF:FF:FF:FF:FF" # OVH IPv6 gateway
on-link: true
version: 2


Run `sudo netplan apply` and test the configuration by pinging external IPs.

Step 3: Installing Proxmox VE on OVH Dedicated Server

1. Choose a server and additional IPs from the OVH control panel.
2. Then, use the Debian 11 template for OS installation.
3. Next, add Proxmox VE repositories and install necessary packages:

   sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y
sudo apt install proxmox-ve postfix open-iscsi
sudo systemctl reboot

4. Move cloud-init configurations and manually edit `/etc/network/interfaces` to set up bridges and IP addresses for our host and VMs.

Step 4: Create Virtual MAC for Additional IPs

Log into the OVH control panel to create a virtual MAC for each additional IP:

1. Add the virtual MAC for the IP in the “Bare Metal Cloud” section.
2. Then, assign the virtual MAC to the VM in Proxmox’s network settings.

Step 5: Finalizing the VM Network Configuration

For each VM:

• Set the IP address, gateway, and netmask according to the OVH failover IP configuration.
• Use Netplan to apply these settings, ensuring proper internet connectivity.

Why Choose Proxmox VE for Virtualization?

Proxmox VE is an open-source, Debian-based virtualization platform that supports both virtual machines and containers. Its web-based interface simplifies VM management, making it ideal for all skill levels. Proxmox also offers features like clustering, high availability, live migration, and integrated backups.

It’s cost-effective, free to use, and supports advanced features such as software-defined networking. For OVH dedicated servers, Proxmox allows efficient management of virtual environments with optimal resource usage.

Best Practices for Securing OVH Proxmox Server

Security is crucial when managing an OVH Proxmox server. Key practices include using SSH keys for authentication, enabling firewalls to restrict access, and regularly updating Proxmox and the server packages.

Implement strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security. Schedule encrypted backups of both configurations and VMs, and monitor access logs for suspicious activity.

Isolating network traffic through VLANs or dedicated network bridges adds an extra layer of protection, helping to keep your infrastructure secure.

Troubleshooting Common Network Issues in Proxmox on OVH Servers

Network issues can arise when configuring Proxmox on OVH servers. Failover IP issues may require assigning a virtual MAC address in the OVH control panel. Ensure correct gateways and subnets are set for both IPv4 and IPv6.

If VMs can’t access the internet, check network bridge configurations and firewall rules.

For interfaces not coming up after reboot, verify the `/etc/network/interfaces` file. Correct IPv6 issues by ensuring proper address and gateway configurations, and enabling IPv6 forwarding if needed.

These streamlined sections provide the key points while maintaining clarity and focus.

[Need assistance with a different issue? Our team is available 24/7.]

Conclusion

Connecting Proxmox VMs to the internet on an OVH dedicated server using failover IPs can be straightforward once the network configuration is set up correctly. By following the steps above, we will have a fully operational Proxmox environment with direct public IP access for each VM. This setup avoids the complexity of NAT, making it ideal for both performance and simplicity.

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to set up Proxmox VE on an OVH dedicated server.