🖥️ Host Machine Specs
* CPU: Quad-Core Intel * RAM: 32 GB DDR4 * Storage: 512 GB SSD (you can scale as needed) * OS: Proxmox VE (latest version) 🛠️ Step 1: Install Proxmox VE++ Download Proxmox VE ISO:
https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads
++ Create bootable USB: Use _Balena Etcher_ or _Rufus_.
++ Install on bare metal: During install, dedicate at least 50% of RAM for VM use.
++ Access the web UI:
https://your-proxmox-ip:8006 🧱 Step 2: Proxmox Networking & Storage Setup* Create Linux Bridge (vmbr0) for internet access
* Optional: Add internal-only bridge (vmbr1) for secure intra-VM traffic
* Use ZFS or LVM for better VM snapshot support 🧪 Step 3: Spin Up VMs/CTs (Linux Distributions)| Name | OS | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| mgmt-node | Ubuntu 22 | Ansible, Jenkins | Central Control Host |
| web-dev | Ubuntu 22 | Web Dev Env | Runs dev apps via Docker |
| web-stage | RHEL 9 | Staging Env | Test builds here |
| web-prod | RHEL 9 | Production | Load-balanced, secure |
| db-server | Ubuntu 22 | DB Server | PostgreSQL or MySQL |
| proxy-lb | Ubuntu 22 | NGINX Load Balancer | SSL + reverse proxy |
Install Ansible on mgmt-node:
BASH
sudo apt update && sudo apt install ansible -yInventory Example:
BASH
[web]
web-dev ansible_host=192.168.1.101
web-stage ansible_host=192.168.1.102
web-prod ansible_host=192.168.1.103
[db]
db-server ansible_host=192.168.1.104Playbook Example:
BASH
- name: Install NGINX on web servers
hosts: web
become: yes
tasks:
- name: Install NGINX
apt:
name: nginx
state: presentRun It:
BASH
ansible-playbook install-nginx.ymlInstall Jenkins on mgmt-node:
BASH
curl -fsSL https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian/jenkins.io-2023.key | \
sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc > /dev/null
echo deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc] \
https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian binary/ | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jenkins.list > /dev/null
sudo apt update
sudo apt install jenkins -y
Access Jenkins UI:
http://mgmt-node-ip:8080Create Pipelines:* Build app
* Run tests
* Push Docker image to private registry
* Deploy using Ansible 🐳 Step 6: Containerize Your AppDockerfile Example (Node.js):
BASH
FROM node:18
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install
CMD ["npm", "start"]
Push to Docker Registry (or set up your own on Proxmox) ☁️ Optional: Cloud Integration* Use Terraform to spin up AWS EC2 or Azure VMs
* Use Ansible to provision and configure
* Set up Jenkins to deploy app from Proxmox to AWS staging or prod 🌐 Step 7: Load Balancing with NGINX
BASH
upstream webapp {
server 192.168.1.101;
server 192.168.1.102;
}
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://webapp;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
}
}
Add SSL with Let's Encrypt using Certbot. 🔁 Environments: Dev, Staging, Prod* Dev (
web-dev): Auto-deploy on Git push (CI only)
* Staging (web-stage): Deploy on merge to main branch
* Prod (web-prod): Manual approval + Ansible deploy 📊 Step 8: Monitoring and Logging (Bonus)* Use Prometheus + Grafana on another container
* Install Node Exporter on each VM
* Use Loki + Grafana for central logging ✅ Final ThoughtsWith just a single Proxmox host, you’ve now built:* A full CI/CD pipeline
* Multi-tier Linux infrastructure
* Cloud-compatible deployment pipeline
* Load balancing, monitoring, and staging workflowsYou’re ready to take on real-world DevOps challenges — all from your homelab. 💬 Questions?Drop your comments or suggestions below. I'd love to hear how you’re building your own lab!
