How to Deploy a Proxmox Cluster: Beginner Setup Guide

Are you looking to simplify the management of multiple Proxmox nodes? A Proxmox cluster allows you to manage multiple nodes from a single interface, making administration more efficient and improving operational control. 

While this article won’t cover Ceph storage or high availability setup, we may explore those topics in the future. Let’s focus on creating, managing, and troubleshooting a Proxmox cluster to help you streamline workloads and enhance centralized management.

Why Deploy a Proxmox Cluster?

A Proxmox cluster is a group of interconnected Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE) nodes that allows for seamless management, scaling, and security. Clustering is beneficial because:

• Provides a centralized GUI (Graphical User Interface) to manage multiple servers.
• Enables resource balancing across nodes for better performance.
• Supports business continuity by reducing downtime.
• Enhances security and compliance by simplifying infrastructure oversight.

As organizations shift toward private cloud environments for better control, compliance, and security, understanding how to deploy a Proxmox cluster effectively is essential.

Prerequisites for Deployment

Before you begin, make sure that:

1. You have at least two or more Proxmox nodes.
2. All nodes are updated to the latest version of Proxmox.
3. Each node has a unique hostname and static IP address.
4. VMs are backed up before clustering to prevent data loss.
5. Nodes are connected to the same network.
6. Your cluster architecture aligns with scalability and compliance requirements.

Step 1: Prepare Your Proxmox Nodes

1.1 Update Proxmox

For stability and security, update the package database on each node:

Step 2: Create a Proxmox Cluster

2.1 Create a Cluster on the First Node

1. Navigate to Data Center > Cluster.
2. Click Create Cluster.
3. Enter a Cluster Name.
4. Set the Cluster Network (IP address of the primary node).
5. Click Create.

Once the cluster is created, Proxmox will generate a Join Information Token, which will be used to add additional nodes.

Step 3: Add Nodes to the Cluster

3.1 Join Additional Nodes

1. Copy the Join Information Token from the primary node.
2. Log into the second node and navigate to Data Center > Cluster.
3. Click Join Cluster.
4. Paste the Join Information Token.
5. Enter the peer’s root password of the primary node.
6. Set the IP for the node you want to join.
7. Click Join and wait for the process to complete.

If the process fails, double check that:

• There are no running VMs on the node.
• The node does not have conflicting VM IDs.

Repeat the process for additional nodes.

Pro tip: This is where Proxmox Backup Server comes in handy. If the process fails, you have your VMs ready for easy restoration.

Step 4: Verify Cluster Status

Run the following command to check the cluster:

pvecm status 

This will list all nodes, their IDs, and quorum status, ensuring operational stability and performance consistency.

How Do I Remove Nodes From the Cluster?

5.1 Shut Down the Node

Power off the node to remove:

shutdown -h now 

5.2 Delete the Node

From an active node:

pvecm delnode <nodename> 

For a two-node cluster losing quorum:

pvecm expected 1  # On the remaining node to restore functionality 

Pro tip: If you only have two nodes, you may need a fresh reinstall to remove a node due to quorum limitations. Reinstallation is an option if the cluster database is corrupted, but not required.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Node Fails to Join the Cluster

• Ensure VMs are stopped or removed before joining.
• Verify all nodes are on the same Proxmox version.
• Restart cluster services if necessary:

systemctl restart pve-cluster 

2. Cluster Join Hangs or Errors Out

• Refresh the Proxmox GUI.
• Manually restart Proxmox services:

systemctl restart corosync

Ready to Deploy Your Proxmox Cluster?

Deploying a Proxmox cluster is a cost-effective, scalable, and secure way to manage virtualization environments efficiently. By following this step-by-step guide, you can set up a cluster, add nodes, and troubleshoot common issues while ensuring compliance, stability, and high performance.

For businesses and IT professionals looking for a tailored solution, HorizonIQ provides secure, scalable, and managed infrastructure services that align with modern compliance and cost-efficiency needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Tony Joy

Tony has spent the past 15 years in the managed hosting space, building, supporting, and designing implementations ranging from bare metal fleets to multi-platform cloud environments. He specializes in guiding customers through complex deployments, optimizing integrations, and ensuring smooth transitions to new platforms.

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