Automation is a cornerstone of my homelab setup, allowing for efficient and consistent provisioning of virtual machines. By leveraging cloud-init and customized templates, I’ve streamlined VM deployments and ensured they are configured accurately right from the start.
Cloud-init is a powerful tool used for initializing and configuring instances at boot time. It enables automated setup of:
This tool ensures that every VM in my homelab is up and running with minimal manual intervention.
To save time and maintain consistency, I’ve created preconfigured VM templates for common use cases. These templates are built with:
Operating Systems:
Essential Configurations:
Here’s a breakdown of how I use cloud-init to configure VMs automatically:
Cloud-init scripts allow me to customize VMs during their first boot. Below is a sample user data script:
#cloud-config
hostname: dev-vm
users:
- name: admin
sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
ssh_authorized_keys:
- ssh-rsa AAAA...your-public-key...
package_update: true
packages:
- vim
- htop
- curl
runcmd:
- echo "Welcome to your automated VM!" > /etc/motd
- systemctl restart networking
Networking is configured via cloud-init to ensure each VM is assigned the correct IP and VLAN:
#cloud-config
network:
version: 2
ethernets:
ens18:
dhcp4: true
dhcp-identifier: mac
With cloud-init, I can automate the installation of software packages and enable services as needed:
#cloud-config
packages:
- docker.io
- python3
- git
runcmd:
- systemctl enable docker
- systemctl start docker
qm template <vmid>
qm clone <template-id> <new-vm-id> --name <new-vm-name>
qm set <new-vm-id> --ciuser admin --sshkey ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
qm set <new-vm-id> --cipassword supersecurepassword
I use Proxmox’s API and scripts to automate bulk deployments. For example, spinning up multiple VMs for a Kubernetes cluster:
for i in {1..3}; do
qm clone 9000 900$i --name k8s-node-$i
qm start 900$i
done
Automation using cloud-init and templates has transformed how I manage my homelab. It’s not just about saving time—it’s about building an environment that’s consistent, scalable, and ready for anything. Whether it’s deploying a new media server or spinning up a Kubernetes cluster, the tools and techniques outlined here ensure I can do so efficiently and with confidence.